Science | Algorithms | Underwater Ecology Documentary Cinematography & Photography

George Kao

Striped Marlin hunting bait ball - 2025 Ocean Art 2nd Place Wide Angle - George Kao
Latest Recognition

2025

Ocean Art

2nd Place — Wide Angle Category

Photographing striped marlins hunting bait balls in Magdalena Bay — where neuroscience meets split-second precision. A story of predicting creatures that process reality faster than we ever could.

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Three dimensions underwater. A curated archive spanning the silence of artistic composition, the chaos of open ocean expeditions, and the truth of ecological conservation.

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The Photographer

George Kao, PhD, received formal academic training in life sciences and engineering, with a background in biological research and scientific imaging.

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WORLD-CLASS RECOGNITION

2026 UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR (UPY) Commended - Portrait

2025 OCEAN ART 2nd Place - Wide Angle

2025 UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR (UPY)Highly Commended - Portrait

2024 UNITED NATIONS WORLD OCEANS DAY 2nd Place - Big and Small Faces

2023 UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR (UPY) Commended - Portrait

2022 OCEAN ART 1st Place - Portrait

2022 OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC1st Place - Emerging Photographer of the Year (The Dr ALEX MUSTARD Award of Excellence)

2019OCEAN ART 1st Place - Novice Wide Angle


George Kao (高國維) is an award-winning underwater imaging professional, having received over 30 national and international awards and recognitions to date

full award list until 2026 1/31

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Award winning (United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition) Underwater photography by George Kao (George Kuo-Wei Kao ) official website george-kao.com.
award winning image of a Close-up of a yellow-orange crab on a piece of wood in a watery environment. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Award winning ( UPY 2025 portrait )Underwater photography by George Kao (George Kuo-Wei Kao ) official website george-kao.com. Bubu fisher man in Alor, Indonesia.
ocean art award winning , Raja Ampat, Underwater scene with a school of colorful striped fish, a diver in the background, and coral reef at the bottom. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Award winning Underwater photography by George Kao (George Kuo-Wei Kao ) official website george-kao.com. yellow goby in a bottle, Anilao, Philippines.
A lobster with a curled tail and large claws on a rocky riverbed. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
award winning image, A small creek with two crabs on pebbles and autumn leaves, with green moss and water plants in the background. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Close-up of a white fish with bright orange markings around its eyes, surrounded by vivid blue coral, against a black background. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Olympus photo contest gold medal award winning, A baby sea turtle swimming underwater, with dark water background and some light reflection.photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
rare-albino-mola-mola-magdalena-bay photo by George Kao PhD
ocean art award winning photo, photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士, A scuba diver is swimming inside a large school of fish forming a tunnel-like swirl underwater.
This work was awarded a Merit Award in the Marine Ecology category of the "Ocean in Your Eyes" Photography Contest, hosted by Taiwan's Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA).
black water underwater photography, A translucent octopus with orange spots and a transparent bell, floating in black water. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Award winning photo, A dolphin swimming underwater above rocks in Japan. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Award winning photo, PNG, Walindi Bay , Split view of a tranquil ocean scene showing underwater coral with purple and yellow tones and a lush green island with a large tree under a bright blue sky with some clouds. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Black and white photo of an orca whale swimming in the water. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
black water underwater photography, A seahorse clinging to a piece of brown coral in a dark underwater environment. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
A small, spotted fish with a large, flowing fin and a prominent eye swimming in dark water. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Underwater photo of a bright orange sea creature with long, thin tentacle-like appendages, set against a dark background. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Close-up of a camouflaged orange frogfish blending with its surroundings underwater. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Close-up of a colorful fish with mouth full of eggs against a dark background. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Underwater scene with coral reef, a large fish with a wide mouth, and various colorful corals and marine life. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
A moray eel with a patterned body and open mouth, peeking out from a coral reef with pink and red soft coral around it. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Underwater scene with harliquin shimps, sunlight filtering through the water, and a colorful, patterned sea creature in the foreground. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
A bioluminescent octopus floating against a sunset background over a dark ocean. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Underwater photography by George Kao (George Kuo-Wei Kao ) official website george-kao.com. dogs over-under shot, split-shot.
Underwater photography by George Kao (George Kuo-Wei Kao ) official website george-kao.com. birds over-under shot, split-shot.
Underwater horse shoe crab and view of a beach with a flat fish partially buried in the sand and green aquatic plants in the foreground, with a sunset in the background. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
An underwater scene of Raja Ampat mangrove coral reef with various colorful corals and marine plants, including large mushroom corals, surrounded by small fish in clear blue water. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
A scuba diver swimming near a vibrant coral reef with large orange fan corals in Taiwan photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Award winning Underwater photography by George Kao (George Kuo-Wei Kao ) official website george-kao.com. Free diver, underwater over-under shot, split-shot.
A scuba diver exploring a colorful coral reef on ship wreck with various fish swimming around. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Underwater scene showing colorful coral formations, including large pink fan coral, and various small fish swimming around a shipwreck. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Underwater scene with coral-covered structures, small fish, and scuba divers in the background. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Underwater scene with a colorful coral reef, schools of fish swimming above, and a rocky formation. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Underwater scene with various coral formations and a nudibanch, a type of sea slug, on the ocean floor. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
Underwater scene with colorful coral and various fish, including a large pinkish-red soft coral on the right and a school of small fish swimming around it. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
School of silver fish swimming above coral and rocks in the ocean. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
A large school of silver fish swimming underwater, with a scuba diver visible in the background. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
A large marlin fish with a pointed snout swimming in the ocean among a school of smaller fish. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
A marlin fish with a long pointed bill swimming underwater among a school of smaller fish. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
A large whale shark swimming underwater in the ocean. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
A whale shark swimming in the ocean with two smaller whales nearby. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士
An underwater scene of a sunken shipwreck resting on the ocean floor, covered in coral and marine life, with a scuba diver exploring nearby and small fish swimming around. photo by George Kao PhD 高國維博士