How To Pick Underwater Photography Contest Winners

In this episode we're focusing on a topic we get asked about frequently: how to choose pictures for photography competitions. While competitions aren’t the ultimate goal of photography, they’re a great way to gain recognition and open new opportunities, and we hope you find our insights useful.

We believe underwater photography contests are valuable for the community, offering drive, purpose, and goals. They’ve grown more popular in the social media age, partly because they provide a platform to share achievements, but also because social media likes are a poor judge of quality. Contests offer a more objective measure of progress, with rewarding prizes like trips that can offset travel costs for dedicated photographers. While there are some downsides, we’re focusing on the positives today, like the motivation and rewards they bring. [1:03]

Choosing the right contest is key. Not all contests suit every photographer, so we recommend researching them carefully. If respected photographers aren’t entering a competition, it’s worth investigating why. Studying past winners helps you understand a contest’s focus—whether it’s artistic, wildlife-focused, or wreck photography—so you can align your entries with their style. Judging is subjective, so entering multiple images across various contests over time helps balance out the subjectivity and gives a better gauge of your work’s impact. [2:36]

We’ve both experienced how a single image can flop in one contest but excel in another due to subjective judging or competition from similar subjects. For example, if many photographers submit images of a trendy subject like schooling mobula rays, judges may cull these entries to a few top ones, and even then, issues like a failed raw file check can eliminate all similar images. This unpredictability means you shouldn’t take results too personally. Focus on selecting strong images thoughtfully, but don’t let wins or losses define your work. [4:56]

One critical tip we share is to avoid “subject spamming”—entering multiple similar images of the same subject, like several manta ray shots. This can make judges think the subject is overdone, reducing your chances. Instead, pick your strongest single image of a subject. Unique subjects often stand out in contests, as common tropical marine images face heavy competition. We’ve seen this in wildlife photography contests, where less common subjects shine because they’re less frequently submitted. [9:05]

Choosing your best images is tough because, as photographers, we’re biased by our experiences behind the shot—like the effort or wait time involved. Others see your work more objectively, so we strongly recommend getting feedback from trusted peers. Matthew sends his potential entries to friends for “savage” feedback, which helps catch flaws he might overlook. This objective input has led to better contest choices and successes, as others can spot strengths or suggest swaps that we might miss. [11:51]

Following contest rules is non-negotiable. Bending rules, like submitting an image that’s slightly too old or has unallowed edits like backscatter removal, risks disqualification, especially if discovered after an award. Ethical considerations are equally critical—images that appear ethically dubious, even if they aren’t, can be rejected. We advise being transparent in captions about things like habituated animals to let judges decide, avoiding post-award controversies. Over processing, common for social media’s attention-grabbing style, also hurts in contests, as judges scrutinize images on large screens and dislike unrealistic edits. [15:15]

Categories matter, and misplacing an image can sink its chances. For example, in UPY, the portrait and macro categories are highly competitive, and an image might excel in one but not the other if it’s not “macroy” or “portraity” enough. Most contests, like UPY, won’t move images between categories, so choose carefully, though some, like Wildlife Photographer of the Year, may reassign entries. Studying category descriptions and past winners helps ensure your image fits. [21:19]

Smaller contests with fewer entries are easier to judge quickly, allowing more nuanced evaluation, while larger contests with thousands of entries require a culling process. To survive initial cuts, your image needs instant “wow” factor, but to win in bigger contests, it must have staying power—offering new details on repeated viewings, like a subtle sunburst or secondary subject. These complex, sophisticated images tend to rise in big contests, unlike fleeting social media hits, and are more memorable long-term. [23:17]

We hope these tips help you navigate underwater photography contests effectively. From avoiding subject spamming to seeking objective feedback and adhering strictly to rules, thoughtful selection can boost your chances. This episode is one to revisit yearly as a refresher. Thanks for reading our article and if you would like to see the full episode, check it out below.