Ocean Geographic Photographer Recognition Program
Applications for the 2026 program are now open
Application deadline: 30 November 2026
Ocean Geographic and The Underwater Club invite underwater photographers to apply for the second round of the Ocean Geographic Photographer Recognition Program.
This is not a photography competition. It is a professional portfolio review designed to recognise photographic ability, creativity, originality and storytelling. Every applicant submits a portfolio of 10 images for consideration by the Ocean Geographic editorial team and receives written feedback on their work.
How the program works
- You prepare a portfolio of ten underwater photographs, captions and a personal introduction.
- Ocean Geographic staff review the complete application and propose an outcome.
- Members of the Ocean Geographic editorial board consider the portfolio, confirm or revise the proposed outcome, and provide feedback.
- You receive the outcome of your application and written feedback on your portfolio via email.
Recognition is not guaranteed. The purpose of the program is to give photographers an independent assessment of their work, constructive professional feedback and, for successful applicants, a meaningful connection with Ocean Geographic.
We aim to notify all applicants of the outcome of this second round in February 2027.
Recognition outcomes
OG Photographer
The program’s highest recognition, awarded to photographers whose work meets the standard expected of an Ocean Geographic Photographer—both in photographic excellence and in their ability to document and tell compelling stories about our oceans at a publishable standard. They are capable of producing a coherent and comprehensive visual story suitable for publication in Ocean Geographic Magazine.
Emerging OG Photographer
Recognition for photographers who already demonstrate a high level of photographic and creative ability and are on the pathway towards becoming a full OG Photographer.
The Ocean Geographic editorial board may recommend specific next steps to help an Emerging OG Photographer progress to the full title. These may include submitting a photo essay to demonstrate their storytelling and writing skills, or producing a broader portfolio that demonstrates their ability to cover a location or subject comprehensively.
Associate OG Photographer
Recognition for skilled photographers whose portfolios demonstrate clear photographic ability, creative intent and a developing personal voice, together with strong potential to progress within the Ocean Geographic community.
Benefits
Benefit | OG Photographer | Emerging OG Photographer | Associate OG Photographer |
Announcement in Ocean Geographic Magazine (70,000 readers) | Name + 2 featured images | Name + 1 featured image | Name only |
Recognition listed on Ocean Geographic website | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Right to use awarded status in bios, email signatures and social media | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Priority invitations to Ocean Geographic expeditions | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Priority consideration for magazine submissions | ✅ | ✅ | — |
Exclusive OG Photographer Pin | ✅ | — | — |
OG Photographer Alumni T-shirt (year of induction) | ✅ | — | — |
Complimentary digital access to Ocean Geographic Magazine | Perpetual access | One year | One year |
Submission guidelines
✅ General
- You must be a current member of The Underwater Club to apply, and have passed the knowledge quizzes from our seven core photography courses with a score of 80% or higher.
- Use the same email address associated with your TUC membership when completing this form.
- The application fee is USD 250, which covers the time and attention provided by the Ocean Geographic editorial team.
📁 File Sharing
- Your download link must allow access without a password for at least 7 days.
Acceptable platforms include:
- Google Drive (set to “anyone with the link can view”)
- Dropbox (shared link without login)
- OneDrive (public sharing)
- FromSmash.com (free, no account required, files available for 7 days)
🖼 Image Preparation
- We recognise that image editing is part of the modern underwater photographer’s workflow. We do not impose strict editing limitations—but your images must remain true to nature. In particular:
- No added elements or generative AI.
- Composite images (double or triple exposures), panoramas, and focus stacks are accepted, provided all source images were taken at the same location, by yourself.
- Image requirements:
- Format: JPEG, 1920px on the long edge, 300 dpi resolution.
- Quality: Save at maximum quality (e.g. level 12 in Photoshop)
- Colour space: sRGB or AdobeRGB
- Filename format: FirstName-LastName-XX (e.g. Jane-Doe-01, Jane-Doe-02, …, Jane-Doe-10)
- Sequence: Number your images in the order you want them viewed
- Our editors may contact you to request RAW files or full-resolution JPEGs to support the evaluation process, assessing the balance of in-water skills and post-processing skills.
📝 Captions
- Submit a separate caption file (Word, TXT or PDF) containing one caption per image, in the same order as your photos. You’ll also need a to introduce yourself, provide your bio, and tell us why you are an underwater photographer.
- For each image you must include:
- A title
- A caption of 20–100 words describing:
- The subject and location
- Any notable behavior or context
- State if the image results from combining of 2 or more photographs.
- Why the image is special to you
🔎 What Happens Next
- If there is an issue with your submission (e.g. broken link, file error), we will contact you by email—please monitor your inbox.
- Once your portfolio has been reviewed:
- You will be notified of the outcome.
- You will receive written feedback, whether or not you have been granted an Ocean Geographic status.
📉 If your application is not successful, you will be eligible to reapply within 24 months at 50% of the original application fee.