Michael AW saturated colour imageries have earns him more than 61 international awards. In 2010, Outdoor Photography named Michael AW as one of the world’s most influential nature photographer. His essays and images have been featured in BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, Nature, Ocean GEOGRAPHIC, Asian Geographic, Nature Focus etc. In 2010 he won the the prestigious Gold Diver award for the highly contested Portfolio category at the World Festival of Underwater Pictures in France. This is the first time an Asian has won this category. In 2011, Michael was a judge for the BBC Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition – the world’s most prestigious nature photographic competition.

 His book “Philippines- Heart of the Ocean”, was awarded the Palme D’or at the world FESTIVAL MONDIAL DE Images Sous Marine in France 2009. To date he is a five times Palme D’or winners at the world's biggest underwater imagery competition now in its 38 years.  He is also a recipient of three awards from the Natural History Museum BBC Photographer of the Year Wildlife Competition in 2000, 2010 and in 2006 he won the Best Winner award in the underwater category. 

In 2008 Stan Waterman conferred Michael with the Peter Benchley Shark Conservation Award by Sharks Research Institute in recognition of his highly-effective and unrelenting campaign against shark fin soup consumption in the Asia Pacific region. Michael is also a recipient of the prestigious WYLAND ICON award for Conservation.

 Michael is the project director of the Elysium Epic imagery expedition with 57 team members comprising of the world’s best image makers and scientists to document the flora and fauna for a movie and climate change index of the Antarctic Peninsula to South Georgia, following the footstep of Sir Ernest Shackleton 1914-17 Trans Antarctic Expedition.  (www.ElysiumEpic.org) Michael AW is the founder of OceanNEnvironment’s a charity organization registered with Environment Australia. Michael is also the founder of Asian Geographic and Ocean Geographic. www.OceanGeographic.org.

MILESTONE 

In 2002, with the launch of his book he founded the first Celebrate the Sea Festival in Singapore. His vision was to inspire nations and countries to take a day each year to celebrate the sea.  A day like New Year, birthday, Christmas day set aside to celebrate the beauty and splendor of our ocean. In September 2007, he lobbied to Usec Cynthia Carrion and in March 2008 he wrote officially to Her Excellency Gloria Arroyo, President of the Republic of Philippines. On 13 May 2008, President Arroyo made an official proclamation declaring June as Celebrate the Sea month and every 2^nd Saturday of June as Celebrate the Sea day.  This is his personal milestone and he wish move forward to make celebrate the sea day a global event.

 

 

•  Major Awards

• 1985 THE GONG GOLD AWARD – TV Commercial “That’s Life”  Singapore
• 1989 Best of Show, Malayan Nature Society Underwater Photo Competition
• 1989 First Place Best Picture - Photographer of the Year, Malayan Nature Society
• 1990 2nd Place, Wide Angle, Flores International Underwater Photographic Competition
• 1991 2nd runner-up, Animal Life, Flores International Underwater Photographic Competition
• 1992 Finalist, Sportdiving Magazine, "Ultimate Photographic" Competition
• 1992 3rd Place, Close Up, New Zealand Ocean Society International Photographic Competition
• 1992 Highest Commendation, Antibes Festival, France International Photographic Festival
• 1993 Honorable Mentioned and Bronze Medallion, Nikon International Photographic Competition
• 1993 3rd Place - Top Side, New Zealand Ocean Society Underwater Photographic Competition.
• 1994 Silver, Marine Animal Life, OCEAN SOCIETY Photographic Competition, New Zealand
• 1994 Highest Commendation, Aquatic Seascapes, OCEAN SOCIETY Photographic Competition, NZ.
• 1994 First Place, Close Up, 32nd International Underwater Photographic Society Competition. USA
• 1995 Highest Commendation Awards (Seascapes), Ocean Society NZ
• 1995 Best Superb Close-Up Award , Nikon International Photographic Contest
• 1996 People of the Sea - Silver award - Ocean Society NZ 
• 1997 Seascapes - First Place, Ocean Society, NZ
• 1999 Best Music Adaptation for Music Documentary – World Underwater Film Festival, Antibes
• 1999  1^st  Place Open Section Marine Photographic Festival Japan
• 1999 Silver – Ocean NZ People Underwater
• 2000 BBC Photographer of the Year Competition - Highest  Commendation
• 2000 Gold Ocean NZ - Marine Life - Static
• 2000 Silver Ocean NZ - People Underwater
• 2000 Silver Ocean NZ - Video "Rainbow Sea"
• 2000 Bronze Ocean NZ - Marine Topside
• 2001 Nikon International Photographic Competition - Open Section - Highest Commendation
• 2001 Silver Ocean NZ - Plight of Napoleon Wrasse Video
• 2005 Gold Diver: B/W Print - 32th World Underwater Pictures Festival, Antibes
• 2006 Silver Video - Open Category Mediterranean Underwater Film Festival
• 2006 BBC Natural History Museum - SHELL Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2006 competition - Winner: underwater category
• 2006 Bronze Diver - Portfolio: 33th World Underwater Pictures Festival, Antibes
• 2008 – recipient of SRI Peter Benchley Shark Conservation Award – Media
• 2008 Silver Diver -  Slide Show AV 35th World Underwater Pictures Festival, Antibes
• 2008 Bronze Diver - Portfolio: 35th World Underwater Pictures Festival, Antibes
• 2009 Silver Diver – Slide show AV “Wonderful World” 36th World Underwater Pictures Festival
• 2009 International Book of the Year Palme D’or 36th World Underwater Pictures Festival
• 2010 BBC Photographer of the Year Competition - High Commendation
• 2010  Gold Diver: Portfolio - 37th World Underwater Pictures Festival, Marseille
• 2010  Gold Diver: Diaporama - 37th World Underwater Pictures Festival, Marseille
• 2010, Recipient of the WYLAND ICON award for Conservation

•  

• Published Books - principal author

• Michael AW is also the founder of Asian Geographic Magazine – he was the publisher from 1998 to 2005. He also acquired Scuba Diver Australasia in 2001 and successfully launched the title into South East Asia and become the official magazine for the PADI Diving Society in 2004.  

•  

• "Beneath Bunaken" coffee table concept anthology - Accepted as Gift of State by the Indonesian Department of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication and Consulate General Office. - 1993
• "How to Shoot this Picture"- basic underwater photography training manual 1989
• 'Tropical Reef Fishes- A marine awareness guide" 1994
• "Tropical Reef Life - A marine awareness guide"1997  - 2nd Edition 2001
• 'Layang Layang - Jewel in the Blue Wilderness" 1995
• " The Great Barrier Reef"- A Pictorial Guide.1995
• "Tanah Air - Bio-diversity of Indonesia" 1995
• "Ningaloo Reef - Australia's Best Kept Secret." 1996
• 'Pohnpei - the heart of the Pacific." 1997 - 2nd ed 2001
• 'METAMORPHOSEA' 1995
• ONEOCEAN Portraits - 1999
• “Dreams from a Rainbow Sea –
  

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  Maldives” - 1997 - Accepted as official Gift of Republic
• "24-hours Beneath a Rainbow Sea” - 2000 - Accepted as official Gift of Republic
• Tropical Reef Fishes - 2000 Edition  
• In-depth Guide and Sea Life Festival Maldives 2000
• A Day in the Life of the Great Barrier Reef 2000
• Acropora - Staghorn Corals - Identification and Marine Awareness Guide - Dr. Carden Wallace / Michael AW
• Sea Life of South East Asia - New Holland
• Celebrate the Sea - Michael AW / Stephen Wong
• Underwater Jungles - Sarawak
• Richest Reefs Indonesia
• Journey of Dreams DVD - 2003
• An Essential Guide for DIGITAL underwater photography - 2004, 2006 editions
• Richest Reefs Indonesia Special edition 2006
• Beneath North SulaweSea 2006
• An Advanced Guide for Digital underwater photography 2007
• Heart of the Ocean – Philippines – 2009
• Essential Guide to Coral Reef Fishes & Invertebrates 2011

Books - Major Contributing Author / photographer

• Dive Sites of the Indian Ocean - New Holland
• Reef Fishes of South East Asia - New Holland
• Diving Australia - Periplus
• Diving Great Barrier Reef Guide - Periplus
• Marine Life of South East Asia - Periplus
• Great Barrier Reef - Lonely Planet
• Encyclopedia of Indonesia - Marine Vol. EDM
• Encyclopedia of Malaysia - Marine Vol. EDM
• Faces of Fishing - Monterey Bay Aquarium Press
• The Enchanted Braid - Ohsa Davidson Gray
• Dive Atlas of the World - New Holland

Consultancy - Projects

• 1988 member, University of Singapore Coral Reef Survey Team, Singapore off shore islands
• 1988 member, Marine Park Survey, Pulau Tioman, Malayan Nature Society
• 1988 Diving Consultant, Project Battleship, NZ Forces Singapore
• 1989 Master Diver, Americ Marine, Phuket Marine Park Tourism Survey
• 1992 Project Leader, Marine Tourism Potential, Environmental Impact Survey for Indonesian Marine Tourism Federation. Sulawesi and Moluccas
• 1992/93 Chapter Leader- Reef Keeper Projects
• 1992 for the Indonesian Marine Tourism Federation and the Department of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication, led two coral reef survey expeditions to the Moluccas Islands and Manado, North Sulawesi.
• 1992 consult for 'The Serenade' Live-on board diving vessel.
• 1992 consultant for Murex Resort Manado
• 1993 International Consultant for the marine tourism for Maluku Tourism Board- Ambon Marine Festival.
• 1994 Expedition Leader and teacher for the Australian Museum Society' eco-tourism tours.
• 1995 Layang Layang Resort (Malaysia) - Diving management and recruitment consultant.
• 1995 consult for the 'Baruna Adventurer' Live-aboard vessel (Bali) Management and international marketing.
• 1996 Organizer and Co-ordinator for DEMA Asia 1996 - Ocean Futures Photographic Gallery Silent Auction
• 1996 Expedition organizer for David Doubilet of National Geographic to East Indonesia  

• 1997 Derawan Sea Turtle Nest Adoption Project
• 1996 Derawan International Shoot Out Festival - Consultant
• 1997 Derawan International Shoot Out Festival - Consultant
• 1998 Consulting for Pohnpei Tourism Bureau , Micronesia
• 1998 Organiser OceanNEnvironment ‘s Mimpi SEA LIFE WEEK Bali
• 1999 Project Director and Producer – the “24-hour dive” project in the Maldives – management of live web broadcast and film documentary
• 2000 Consult for MSV Wind Cheeteh in the West Pacific
• 2000 Consult for MSV Flying Fish Maldives
• 2000 - organizer - Sea Life Festival Maldives
• 2002 - organiser - Outback Coast Sea Life Festival
• 2002 Celebrate the Sea –
• 2002 President of Jury Team - Video / Marmara Sea Festival - Turkey
• 2003 - Celebrate the Sea Malaysia
• 2004 - Celebrate the Sea  - Malaysia
• 2005 - Celebrate the Sea  - Singapore
• Consultant for MV Odyssea 1 – live-aboard in North Sulawesi
• 2006 – Celebrate the Sea – Singapore
• 2007 – Celebrate the Sea – Manila
• 2007 – explorer member – Inner Space Speciation Project – Celebes Sea, Philippines – a National Geographic, National Science Foundation and NOAA expedition
• 2008  - jury member Festival of Underwater Imagery – Oceanographic Centre – Valencia, Spain
• 2008 – Celebrate the Sea, Manila
• 2009 – Celebrate the Sea, Manila
• 2010 - Celebrate the Sea Manila
• 2011 - Celebrate the Sea, Manado, Indonesia

 

  Published instructions, programs, courses

• NAUI Marine Awareness Program
• NAUI Deep / Wreck Diving
• Rescue Diving Techniques
• NAUI Creative Underwater Photography
• Underwater Videography
• Search and Salvage
• Cavern Diving
• Submarine Volcano Ecology Program
• Author -NAUI Marine Awareness Program
• Author -NAUI Marine Research Program
• Author -NAUI Deep / Wreck Diving Program
• Author -NAUI Ecology of Submarine Volcano Program
• Author- PATCH REEF AWARENESS program