The inaugural Ocean Photography Awards winners’ exhibition will now take place online, and the deadline for submissions has also been extended, according to the competition’s organizers.
Initially scheduled to take place alongside London’s River Thames in August 2020, the week-long winners’ exhibition will now be run as a digital event. The exhibition will now take place across a bespoke and interactive digital platform in November 2020. It will remain free to access.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is what led organizers to transition to a digital event.
As a consequence of the later exhibition date, the submissions deadline for entries has also been extended. Photographers now have until August 31st, 2020 to enter their images for consideration. All prizes remain the same.
Both the winners’ gala event at City Hall and the winners’ exhibition at London Bridge City will take place next year as part of the Ocean Photography Awards 2021.
Will Harrison, editor of Oceanographic Magazine which is organizing behind the Awards, said:
“The decision to run this year’s exhibition digitally is both sensible and exciting. The digital platform we are working on with our partners will allow us to bring the winning images to the world in way that will be just as compelling and even more inclusive than the physical exhibition we had planned – and without risking people’s health. Attendees from across the world will be able to enjoy the event from the safety of their own homes.”
The upcoming digital event will feature some of the leading voices in ocean conservation, exploration and adventure photography, as well as 2020’s winning photographers. More information about the event will be released in August.
According to Cristina Mittermeier, Managing Director and Co-founder at SeaLegacy:
“This is an amazing opportunity to leverage the creative possibilities of an immersive digital event. One of the most inspiring things about where we are in the world today is the ability we have as humans to innovate and adapt in positive ways. I’m excited to experience this virtual event and encourage all ocean focussed photographers to take advantage of the extended entry deadline. I’ve always believed that photography competitions are an important step in establishing yourself as a serious photographer – a way to set yourself apart from others. As a judge, I can’t wait to see the entries!”
Kiran Haslam, chief management officer for Princess Yachts, added:
“Since the start of this year, a focus on the delicate nature of all life on our planet has been renewed, globally. Through our ongoing commitment to positive change, and our collaboration with Oceanographic Magazine we are hopeful that these awards will help to highlight the ongoing challenges we face in preserving marine ecosystems. The new dates and new ways in which we are all interacting remotely now open up these awards to a much larger audience of participation, so we look forward to seeing many more captivating entries.”
For more info about the Ocean Photography Awards, go to oceanphotographyawards.com.
(Photo credit: Luciano Candisani)