The 11th annual competition by the National Marine Sanctuaries is introducing four new categories designed to welcome photographers with different perspectives, styles, and connections to the water. Whether you shoot wildlife, coastal landscapes, underwater scenes, or moments of human interaction with marine environments, there’s a category built for your work.

Here’s a closer look at what’s new this year.

Life in Motion

This category challenges photographers to capture wildlife behavior as it naturally unfolds.

That could mean a predator hunting, a school of fish moving in sync, seabirds feeding, marine mammals caring for their young, or species interacting in unexpected ways. The focus is on movement, connection, and the moments that reveal how life thrives beneath and around the water.

Sanctuaries and You

Not every memorable ocean moment happens underwater.

“Sanctuaries and You” celebrates the human side of marine environments by highlighting how people experience these protected waters every day. Entries can feature surfing, diving, paddling, boating, scientific research, education programs, or quiet moments spent along the shoreline.

The category is meant to showcase the relationship between people and the places that inspire them.

The Water’s Edge

Where land meets sea is often where some of the most dynamic scenes unfold.

This category explores coastal boundaries through shorelines, tidepools, coastal landscapes, and split-level perspectives that capture both above and below the surface. Photographers are encouraged to experiment with perspective, light, and texture while documenting the ever-changing edge of the water.

Ripples From the Past

History takes center stage in this new category focused on maritime heritage.

Photographers can submit images featuring shipwrecks, submerged aircraft, lighthouses, historic bridges, and cultural landmarks tied to America’s waters. The category invites artists to explore the stories, structures, and remnants that connect today’s oceans and coastlines with the past.

Contest Details

The 11th annual contest officially opens Friday, May 22, and runs through Labor Day. Photographers are invited to submit images captured inside or along the edges of America’s 18 ocean and Great Lakes marine sanctuaries.

For contest details and information about the sanctuary system, visit  NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries.