The ocean is another endless sky—vast, mysterious, and always full of unexpected encounters. For 30 days (744 hours), divers and creators took their smartphones beneath the surface and shared what they found through the lens of a phone.
Our very first “My Underwater Mobile Adventure” smartphone underwater photography contest—hosted on Xiaohongshu (known internationally as RED)—received 1,000+ entries. Every frame was a small witness to a bigger world, and after a careful review by a panel of professional judges, five winning works rose to the top.
Contest Snapshot (for global readers)
- Platform: Xiaohongshu (RED)
- Duration: 30 days / 744 hours
- Entries: 1,000+ submissions
- Judging: Professional panel review (with community participation awards)
- Winners: 5 award-winning works selected
What stood out most wasn’t a specific phone model or a single “magic setting.” It was intention—how creators used light, timing, buoyancy control, and composition to turn fleeting moments into photographs that feel alive.
Read the Winner Stories
Want the full breakdown—gear, settings, lighting, and how each shot was made? Explore the complete Winner Story series below:
- Winner Story: “Glimmering Night”
- Winner Story: “Black Water Hunter”
- Winner Story: “Pikachu Sprite”
- Winner Story: “Gaze of Cthulhu”
- Winner Story: “Sand Sea Orange Star”
Winners Spotlight: 5 Works, 5 Ways to See the Ocean
Best Creation Award — “Glimmering Night” （《暗夜流光》）
“Glimmering Night” captures what mobile underwater photography does best: it turns a quiet, difficult moment into something cinematic. Shot in near-darkness, the image balances structure, color, and mystery—proof that patience and precision can outshine any limitation.
Takeaway: In low light, your job is to control chaos—stabilize your body, commit to your exposure, and let the scene build itself.
Best Creative Award — “Black Water Hunter” （《黑水猎手》）
Blackwater photography is an extreme test of skill: tiny subjects, drifting water, constant motion, and almost no second chances. “Black Water Hunter” succeeds because it is clean, layered, and intentional—an image that feels like it belongs in space, not in the sea.
Takeaway: Treat buoyancy like a camera setting. Your trim, breathing, and micro-movements decide whether the subject becomes art—or a blur.
Excellence Award — “Pikachu Sprite” （《比卡丘精灵》）
“Pikachu Sprite” is a masterclass in mobile macro: a charming subject, a dreamy deep-blue background, and lighting that makes translucent details glow. It’s playful at first glance, but the technique behind it is serious.
Takeaway: Macro is a game of millimeters. Stabilize, refine your angle, and use focused light to separate the subject from the background.
Excellence Award — “Gaze of Cthulhu” （《克苏鲁的凝视》）
Some images feel like a story the moment you see them. “Gaze of Cthulhu” wins through concept and composition—turning a simple peek into a scene filled with tension, curiosity, and narrative pull.
Takeaway: Great underwater photos aren’t only about clarity. They’re about feeling. Look for frames, gaps, and “eyes” that create emotion.
Excellence Award — “Sand Sea Orange Star” （《沙海橘星》）
“Sand Sea Orange Star” proves a powerful truth: even in challenging water conditions, you can create a clean, striking image—if your lighting is disciplined. The sandy seabed becomes a controlled stage, and the subject pops with confident contrast.
Takeaway: When the water is messy, make your light smaller and more intentional. Control spill, reduce backscatter, and let contrast do the work.
What We Learned from 1,000+ Mobile Underwater Entries
1) Light beats gear
The most consistent pattern across the winning works was lighting control: isolating the subject, shaping texture, and managing backscatter. Underwater, light is not decoration—it is structure.
2) Composition is storytelling
Whether it’s a dramatic “gaze,” a floating silhouette in blackwater, or a dreamy blue portrait, composition is what turns documentation into narrative. The strongest images didn’t just show a creature—they made us feel something.
3) Buoyancy is part of the workflow
The winning creators treated body control as part of the camera system. Stability creates sharpness. Trim creates framing. Calm breathing creates timing.
Explore the complete Winner Story series
If you want to learn how these shots were made—step-by-step—start here:
Build your mobile underwater rig
Ready to shoot your own underwater adventure? Explore options built for smartphone creators—from flexible kits to premium housings:
- SeaTouch 4 Max Kits (Choose a setup for your style)
- SeaTouch 4 Max Platinum V2 (Premium, creator-ready housing)
- SeaTouch 4 Max Plus (Advanced housing for iPhone & Android)
Community Awards: Popular Work & Lucky Prize
Popular Work Award
These creators stood out through community engagement and support on RED:
- cdinos
- 咪子拍自然
- 蛋炒牛米
Lucky Prize (Random Draw)
We also randomly selected ten lucky participants from all entries—thank you for showing up and sharing your ocean stories:
- Freedoom & Wisdom
- Marin
- Yoyo123
- 不靠谱博士
- 海星
- 理不理查德
- 疗伤烧肉粽
- 若兮Vicky
- 小美May
- 野坡懒
Special Thanks
Our deepest appreciation goes to the professional judges and supporters who helped make this contest possible—thank you for the careful review, the thoughtful feedback, and the belief that mobile underwater storytelling deserves a global stage.
Join the next edition
This contest is only the beginning. Follow DIVEVOLK on RED (Xiaohongshu) to catch the next call for entries—and get inspired by creators around the world.
Want to understand the contest format and entry requirements? Start here:
How to Enter: “My Underwater Mobile Adventure” Contest →
To every diver who posted a frame, wrote a caption, and shared a moment: thank you. The ocean is endless—but the stories we tell about it bring us closer together.
