Breaking the Habit
Break the habit. Change the current.
Welcome to the REAL FOCUS Underwater Shootout 2026!
This year, we are proud to introduce an event designed to inspire not just photographers, but the entire underwater community—to rethink, reimagine, and rekindle their connection to the marine world.
Built on a foundation of ethically driven photography, this competition celebrates and champions approaches that honour marine life and their habitats—capturing images with integrity, patience, and respect for the ocean’s natural rhythms. Our primary focus is to encourage participants to adopt mindful practices that reflect a deep care for the underwater world, where we learn to capture with purpose and compete with heart.
Our theme, Breaking the Habit, invites us all to step back and challenge the routines that may no longer serve us—both in our art and in our relationship with the ocean. Perhaps it’s about redefining how we approach a subject, letting go of shortcuts in favour of storytelling, or even addressing the broader impact of our presence in marine ecosystems. Some habits are subtle, others ingrained, but reassessing them can unlock creativity, awareness, and innovation.
This year’s shootout challenges you to break free, think differently, and create with purpose. While the ethos of ethical storytelling remains at the heart of this competition, the theme encourages expansive interpretations. Whether it’s overcoming creative stagnation, experimenting with unconventional techniques, or reflecting on humanity’s influence on the underwater world—this is your chance to push boundaries and share your unique vision.
The competition categories have been crafted to support this journey, offering opportunities to explore the full breadth of underwater photography—from the intricate beauty of macro life to the grandeur of wide-angle seascapes. Let these categories guide your interpretation of Breaking the Habit, but remember—it’s your perspective, intent, and thought-provoking approach that will truly stand out.
Are you ready to break the habit and change the current?
Let’s dive into the categories and begin the journey—one meaningful frame at a time.
The Categories
Submission Limit: Participants may submit up to five (5) final edited images per category.
Each edited image must be accompanied by its corresponding unedited RAW file(s) converted to JPEG format.
The Best of Show
This is awarded to the single most outstanding image across all categories, capturing the essence of underwater photography in both technical excellence and visual impact. The Best of Show should demonstrate mastery in composition, lighting, and subject portrayal, evoking a sense of wonder and connection to the underwater world. The winning image should inspire viewers, embodying a balance of beauty, creativity, and the artistry of underwater photography.
Macro Traditional
This category celebrates the classic beauty of close-up photography, focusing on sharp details, natural colours, and fine textures. Participants should capture marine life in a way that brings out its intricate details, textures, and unique characteristics. Examples might include portraits of small fish, crustaceans, and other marine creatures in their natural environment. The goal is to create an image that is both scientifically accurate and artistically compelling, allowing viewers to appreciate the tiny marvels of underwater life up close.
Macro Creative
This category invites photographers to push boundaries using in-camera creative techniques only—not post-processing effects. Innovation should happen underwater, through your lens, in real time.
Explore unusual lighting, intentional motion blur, reflections, double exposures, or abstract compositions—all captured during the shootout. The goal is to express an artistic and interpretive vision of the underwater world without relying on digital manipulation in editing software. Creativity must remain rooted in authentic, ethical fieldwork, offering a fresh and imaginative perspective while respecting the marine environment.
Blackwater
Blackwater photography captures the mystery and magic of the open ocean at night, where rare and otherworldly marine species emerge from the depths. This category highlights images of pelagic species and unusual creatures often seen only in deep or nighttime dives. Think of translucent animals, bioluminescent critters, and delicate larvae. These images should emphasise the uniqueness of blackwater subjects and reveal their fascinating forms, textures, and often ethereal glow against the inky blackness of the open water.
Compact/Point & Shoot
Open to compact cameras, this category encourages participants to make the most of their equipment, demonstrating skill and creativity within the limitations of point-and-shoot technology. This is an open theme, allowing for a range of styles and subjects, from macro to wide-angle shots, as long as the camera used falls within the compact category. Participants are encouraged to explore diverse subjects, focusing on compelling compositions, unique perspectives, and storytelling that make the most of the compact camera’s capabilities.