The Through Your Lens Photo Contest is Now Open
Ready to turn your passion into recognition? Scuba Diving magazine's 21st annual Through Your Lens photo contest is now open, and we're searching for the newest, most inspiring underwater images that capture the beauty of our aquatic environments.
The contest is supported by Aggressor Adventures, Scubapro, SeaLife Cameras and All Star Liveaboards. The grand prize winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize and a weeklong liveaboard trip aboard the Komodo Aggressor. All winners and honorable mentions will be published in the September/October 2025 Photo Issue of Scuba Diving magazine, with the cover featuring one of the contest entries. Please read the official rules for more information.
Contest closes July 7, 2025.
Click on the image below to enter the category or submit your images here.
2025 Photo Contest Categories
Category Descriptions
Macro
Focus on the small wonders in our oceans and waterways. Macro photos should zoom in on the little things, perhaps even super-macro things. This might include nudibranchs, shrimp, seahorses, salps, intricate coral details, parasites on fish, tiny blackwater critters, etc. Crisp focus, sharp detail and a clear subject are key. Your goal is to reveal beauty or intrigue that might be overlooked at a glance.
Wide-Angle
Capture the grandeur of the underwater world. Submissions in this category should highlight expansive, large-scale scenes showcasing reefscapes, shipwrecks, big animals, divers exploring vast marine environments, cenotes and caves, and everything in between, so long as that big- picture focus is kept in mind. You’ll want to keep composition, lighting and the “wow” feeling you get when viewing an underwater vista, or an unbelievably large marine animal. Fresh and salt-water photos are welcome.
Cold-Water
Highlight the beauty and challenges that come with diving in cold-water environments. This category is for photos taken in water below 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius). While the judges obviously can’t tell what temperature the water is in your photo, marine life offers us good insight. And that’s exactly what we want you to showcase: vibrant (and sometimes strange) marine life, kelp forests, dramatic lighting, and all the unique textures and colors that come with diving in locations that require a 7mm wetsuit or drysuit. So, whether it’s a cold mountain lake dive in Germany, an offshore reef in Canada, or an even chillier Arctic dive under the ice, we want to see it!
Split-Shot
Submit your best over-under photos, where part of the image is underwater and part is above. These dynamic shots should showcase a seamless connection between two worlds, whether it’s a diver and a boat, marine life and coastal scenery, or any creative juxtaposition. Remember to focus on balancing light and exposure both above and below the surface. Composite shots are welcome too.
Amateur
This category is exclusively for new or less experienced photographers. So long as you haven’t won a photo contest before, you are welcome to submit to this category. Simply put, show us your best shot, no matter the subject. We want to see wide-angle, macro or any underwater scene that strikes your fancy. Judges will consider creativity, technical execution, and overall impact. Consider this a stepping stone on your way to pro!
2025 Photo Contest Prizes
Grand Prize Trip and All First Prize Trips from Aggressor Liveaboards
Grand Prize
Prize: Komodo Aggressor Approx. Value: $3,325
Plus $1,000 cash awarded by Scuba Diving magazine
First Place Prizes
Macro Category
First-Place Prize: Belize Aggressor III
Approx. Value: $3,695
Wide-Angle Category
First-Place Prize: Bahamas Aggressor II
Approx. Value: $3,495
Cold-Water Category
First-Place Prize: Turks and Caicos Aggressor II
Approx. Value: $3,395
Split-Shot Category
First-Place Prize: Cayman Aggressor IV
Approx. Value: $3,495
Second Place Prize
All second place winners with the exception of the Amateur category will receive a Scubapro MK17 EVO/S620 Ti regulator system valued at $989.
Third Place Prize
All third place winners with the exception of the Amateur category will receive a SportDiver S Smartphone Housing valued at $259.95 from SeaLife Cameras.
Amateur - Special Category
Both Amateur category winners will receive a trip from All Star Liveaboards.
Winner Number 1 Prize: All Star Scuba Scene Red Sea
Value: $2,095
Winner Number 2 Prize: Blackbeard’s Cruise or $1,000 credit to Cat Ppalu
Value: $1,095