DIVEVOLK, a manufacturer of underwater smartphone housings, is sponsoring the Smartphone Pictures & Videos (SMP) category at PICOTY 2026 (Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year), the largest underwater photography competition in the world. This is DIVEVOLK’s second year as a PICOTY sponsor.PICOTY draws entries from over 80 countries across 18 categories, with a $18,000 total prize pool exceeding USD $100,000. The top award, Master of Competition, is a polar expedition aboard the MV Sylvia Earle, an Aurora Expeditions vessel that sails to the Arctic and Antarctic.

The SMP category is open to anyone shooting on a smartphone with a waterproof housing. Entrants submit five images and a 30–60 second portrait-format video, all captured after January 1, 2023. The SMP winner receives the Jennifer Hayes Award of Excellence and automatically qualifies for Master of Competition. In other words, a phone photo could win you a trip to Antarctica.

DIVEVOLK’s sponsorship adds prize vouchers to the SMP category: $1,800 for first place, $800 for second, and three $300 vouchers for additional winners.

“We sponsor PICOTY because there’s now a category built around exactly what our users do,” said a DIVEVOLK spokesperson. “People are shooting serious underwater work on phones inside our SeaTouch 4 Max housing. A competition that recognizes that work is worth supporting.”

How to enter PICOTY 2026

Registration is open now and the process takes about 10 minutes. Here’s how it works:

1. Choose your entry tier. Go to the PICOTY registration page and select either Classic Entry (up to 20 images) or Premium Entry (up to 30 images plus a 30–60 second video). Either tier also allows an additional 15 images in other categories. For the SMP category alone, Classic is sufficient; Premium gives more room if you want to enter multiple categories.
2. Create your account. Complete the registration form to get a personal login for the PICOTY submission portal. Before proceeding, read the terms and conditions on the PICOTY website carefully — they cover image specifications, editing rules, and disqualification criteria.
3. Prepare your SMP submission. Select your 5 strongest underwater images and produce one 30–60 second portrait-format video, all captured and edited on a smartphone. All content must be shot after January 1, 2023. Keep the original unedited files — finalists must supply “as-shot” originals with intact EXIF data.
4. Log in and upload. Sign into the PICOTY portal with your registered credentials. Select the Smartphone Pictures & Videos (SMP) category and upload your 5 images and video. If you are also entering other categories (Wide Angle, Macro, Conservation, etc.), upload those from the same portal under the relevant category.
5. Review and confirm. Double-check that every file meets the format and size requirements. You can log back in and revise your submissions at any time before the deadline.

Submissions close March 28, 2026.

PICOTY 2025 Recap: DIVEVOLK Brand Ambassador Takes Top Prize

At PICOTY 2025, DIVEVOLK brand ambassador PJ Aristorenas won the Smart Phone category using the SeaTouch 4 Max Platinum Edition housing. His winning series featuring the Pikachu Nudibranch showcased the potential of smartphone underwater photography, earning jury praise for exceptional color and detail. The achievement validates DIVEVOLK’s technology while inspiring more users to explore underwater creation.

About DIVEVOLK

DIVEVOLK is a global pioneer in underwater imaging technology, best known for its full-screen touch waterproof housing that revolutionized the usability of smartphones underwater. Its SeaTouch series employs advanced gel membrane technology to enable full, responsive touchscreen operation at depths of up to 60 meters. The products are widely used in diving photography, ocean documentation, and creative content production—combining professional-grade performance with everyday accessibility.

For more information, please visit: www.divevolkdiving.com
For partnership inquiries, please contact: Collaboration@divevolk.com

About PICOTY

PICOTY (Pictures of the Year) is an annual underwater imaging competition organized by the Ocean Geographic Society. Founded in 2014 and now in its 12th edition, the competition champions ocean conservation as its core mission and has grown into one of the world’s most influential marine imagery contests.

The competition’s hallmark feature is its jury, composed of “luminaries of Ocean Arts and Science.” Moreover, most of its prestigious awards are named in honor of the world’s most celebrated ocean image-makers and scientists—a tribute designed to salute the pioneers while inspiring the next generation.Built on the belief that imagery is a powerful medium for driving conservation, the competition seeks to celebrate outstanding work that ignites a love for our blue planet and a desire to protect it.