Awards & Prizes
Rewarding the Best of the Ocean

2021 Guru Awards Prizes
Open to all photographers, The Guru Awards celebrate photography from above and below the surface of our marine and freshwater environments. The awards feature 5 Categories, a People's Choice Award and the coveted Guru Grand Prize.

The Guru Grand Prize
The winner of the Guru Grand Prize will be judged from the pool of entrants who submit a photo in each of the 5 categories. (Entrant must have 1 Image entered in each category to be eligible)
The Guru Grand Prize Winner will receive:
- Seacam Camera housing from our Foundation partners SEACAM
- Camera Prize Package from CameraPro
Underwater Characters Category Winner
Underwater photographs depicting marine/aquatic animals/people. Can be taken in freshwater or the ocean. Must clearly be shot underwater.
The Category Winner Receives:
- AUD $500 cash
- Scubapro Nova 850 Rechargeable Torch and Battery Pack
- Momento Pro $200 voucher
Underwater Scenes Category Winner
Underwater photographs depicting marine/aquatic environments. May include marine animals. Can be taken in freshwater or the ocean. Must clearly be shot underwater.
The Category Winner Receives:
- AUD $500 cash
- Scubapro Glide BCD
- Momento Pro $200 voucher
Topside Scene Category Winner
Photographs taken above water depicting ocean or freshwater environments. Seventy percent (70%) of the image must depict water.
The Category Winner Receives:
- AUD $500 cash
- Scubapro Jet Sport Fins, Zoom Mask and Spectra Dry Snorkel
- Momento Pro $200 voucher
Aquatic Abstract Category Winner
Underwater or topside photographs of freshwater and/or ocean subjects. Abstracts do not necessarily represent reality, but rather seek to evoke an emotional response using shapes, colours, and textures.
The Category Winner Receives:
- AUD $500 cash
- Scubapro Glide BCD
- Momento Pro $200 voucher
Underwater Black and White Category Winner
Any photograph taken underwater, must display no colour, only grey tone. Must be clearly shot underwater.
The Category Winner Receives:
- AUD $500 cash
- ScubaPro Nova 850 Rechargeable Torch and Battery Pack
- Momento Pro $200 voucher
People's Choice Award
Celebrating the most popular image, voted by the public.
The People's Choice Award winner receives:





From the Heart to the Ocean – The Max Benjamin Award
From the Heart to the Ocean – The Max Benjamin Award is open to all creatives working in any medium, who are inspired by the waterline, drawn by the sounds of the seas, its moods, its endless horizons and caressing waves, and the critters that call it home.
MAJOR PRIZE
Foundation Partner – Walindi Plantation Resort
7 night stay at WALINDI PLANTATION RESORT Diving the world renowned reefs of Kimbe Bay with our experienced dive guides. Your prize includes:-
- 7 nights bungalow accommodation/ensuite facilities for one guest.
- 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- 10 dive package
- Tanks, weights and weight belt
- Daily laundry service
- Return airport transfers (Hoskins/Walindi/Hoskins)

Eco Hero
From the deserts to the rainforests to the reefs, we’re looking for those very special individuals who have been affecting change, all in the name of a better planet for us all.
Major Prize
Tour Partner – Lady Elliot Discovery Prize
Lady Elliot Island 2 nights stay in a Reef Unit with flights from Bundaberg or Hervey Bay for 2 adults (suitable for snorkelers or divers).
- Includes Breakfast & Dinner daily
- Combined Glass Bottom Boat/Snorkel Tour
- Guided Reef Walk (tide dependent)
- Island Orientation Tour
- Range of Guided Activities/Tours,
- Snorkel equipment
- Use of Resort facilities.