AWARDS, PUBLICATIONS & EXHIBITIONS

Conservation photographer and filmmaker Tom Vierus speaking at a public event.

Over the past decade, Tom’s photography and films have been published internationally, screened at film festivals and recognised in major nature and underwater photography competitions. His editorial work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Oceanographic and World Wildlife.

With a background in marine biology, he also remains actively involved in research and has co-authored scientific publications on sharks, rays and Pacific birdlife.

Selected recognition

2016 — German Prize for Science Photography

First place in the reportage category for your shark-research series.

2022 — World Nature Photography Awards

First place in the Animal Portraits category.

2024 — Festival Sublimage

Tortue d’Or for Manta Conservation at Wakaya Island.

2025 — Ocean Art

Second place in the Underwater Conservation category

AWARDS & FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

Awards & Screenings

2025

  • 2nd Place in the Underwater Conservation Category at the Ocean Art 2024

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2016

2015

Publications

2025

2024

2023

2021

2020

  • Oceanographic (Web, Worldwide)

  • WWF-US Magazine (United States)

  • Cosmopolitan (Germany)

  • Der Spiegel (Germany)

  • Oceanographic (Print & Web, Worldwide)

2019

  • FIJITIME | Fiji Airways In-Flight Magazine (Fiji)

  • Island Spirit | Fly Vanuatu Inflight Magazine (Vanuatu)

  • FIJITIME | Fiji Airways In-Flight Magazine (Fiji)

  • Unterwasser (Germany)

  • FIJITIME | Fiji Airways In-Flight Magazine (Fiji)

  • Bild der Wissenschaft (Germany)

  • FIJITIME | Fiji Airways In-Flight Magazine (Fiji)

  • FIJITIME | Fiji Airways In-Flight Magazine (Fiji)

2018

  • VDA-Aktuell (Germany)

  • FIJITIME | Fiji Airways In-flight magazine  (Fiji)

  • TAUCHEN  (Germany)

  • DIVER (United Kingdom)

  • Welt am Sonntag (Germany)

2017

  • The Guardian (UK)

  • TAUCHEN (Germany)

  • Divemaster (Germany)

  • Leibniz-Magazine (Germany)

  • DIVER (United Kingdom)

2016

  •  TAUCHEN (Germany)

  •  Unterwasser (Germany)

  •  Fiji Times (Fiji)

Scientific Publications

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Tom Vierus doing shark research in Fiji 1.jpg
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Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

  • 2021: “Closeness” at Alliance Française de Suva, Fiji    

  • 2020: “Being Alive - The Pacific Environment Above and Below the Water Surface” at Alliance Française de Suva, Fiji

  • 2018: “Threatened oasis -  Tropical Coral Reefs” at the Palaeontological Museum in Munich, Germany

  • 2017: “Fascination sharks: hunters or hunted?” at the House of Science, Bremen, Germany

Group Exhibitions

  • 2022: “Dancers in the Sky, Caring for Nature”. China Cultural Centre, Suva, Fiji

  • 2021: Fiji Arts Council, Display of Local Artists’ Work, Fiji

  • 2018: “Images of the South Pacific” at the IUCN Oceania Regional Conservation Forum, Fiji

  • 2018: “20. Internationalen Fürstenfelder Naturfototage” Germany

  • 2016: “Fiji and New Caledonia Underwater” at Alliance Française de Suva, Fiji

Interviews & Honorary Work

Interviews

Honorary Work

Fields of work.

 

Science

 

Covering scientific expeditions, documenting scientists in the laboratory or in the field and helping communicate science to the public is one of Tom’s key strength. Having graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology and a Master’s degree in Tropical Marine Ecology with a focus on sharks helps Tom approach topics with additional storytelling angles.

 

Environment

 

Often intertwined with scientific storytelling, environmental visual content is the major component of Tom’s visual work. Showcasing anthropogenic impact on the natural world and man-made destruction of ecosystems, but also conservation success stories and highlighting positive efforts by individuals, NGOs, and governments, are all components of environmental storytelling. The ultimate goal is always to inspire positive change.

 

Tourism

 

Creating promotional content of tourism activities, high-end resorts, or private islands, can have a major impact in driving more revenue. Sustainability and eco-conscious tourism operators can have a great impact in inspiring change in their clients and creating sustainable revenue streams in their respective countries.

 

In the past, Tom has completed several commercial assignments that involved real-estate and architecture shootings, corporate and product shootings, and promotional short films advertising commercial services of various clients.

Commercial

Press.

Cosmopolitan logo in black and white.
The word 'oceanographic' in bold black text on a white background with a thin red line underneath.
Text reads 'bild der wissenschaft' on a blue background.
Big red square with the word BIG written in large white capital letters
The Fiji Times newspaper masthead
Logo of Weser Kurier, a German newspaper, featuring the name with a circular emblem between the words.
A colorful pie chart with five sections in red, blue, green, purple, and orange, next to black text that reads 'Market Share Distribution'.
Logo of Frankfurter Rundschau with black text on a white background, underlined with green.
Funk Haus Europa logo with black and green text and a star, includes logos of WDR, Radio Bremen, rbb, and others.
Red background with white lowercase text 'taz' and a white paw print next to it
Text that reads 'The Guardian' in black font on a white background.
Cover of DiveMaster magazine with the title in white text on a blue background.
Diver Magazine logo with red and black text
Logo for Breakfast @ Fiji ONE with a sun, a coffee cup, and stylized text.
Logo of 'unterwasser DAS TAUCHMAGAZIN', a diving magazine.
Logo of Welt am Sonntag with globe icon and bold text.
Cover of Island Spirit magazine with the title in large yellow and white letters against a blue sky background, dated July - September 2013.
Logo for Pacific Island Living with stylized text in navy blue and black.
Logo with three colored squares containing white letters: red square with R, yellow square with T, blue square with L.
Close-up of the word 'TAUCHEN' in bold, dark blue letters.
Fiji Sun logo with red background and white text reading "Fiji Sun" and slogan "Bigger. Brighter. Better."
Fiji Time logo with the slogan 'time to discover'

Press Mentions.

Photograph of a man with a backpack and camera, standing outdoors on a sunny day, with a mountainous landscape in the background.
A screenshot of a German-language newsletter or article discussing scientific photography, climate change, and a project about the Pacific Islands, including a photograph showing a group of people near a small boat on a waterfront with trees and wate
Overwater bungalow and a small boat with two people on a body of water, under a partly cloudy sky.
Front page of a German newspaper, titled "Bremen", features a large photograph of a large fish underwater, with the headline "Der mit dem Haiacht," about a shark. Additional images include a diver, a man holding a fish, and a woman with fishing gear,
Underwater photo of a scuba diver holding hands with a large fish, with various smaller fish swimming nearby.
Photo of a fish with a person in protective gear holding it, taken during a scientific diving expedition.
A man wearing a gray beanie and blue shirt smiling and standing with crossed arms in front of a colorful painting.
A newspaper article featuring a large photograph of a shark swimming in dark water, with a smaller photo of a man smiling on a boat and another close-up of the shark's head. The headline reads "Gepard Jäger Ganz Nah."
Blacktip reef shark swimming in the clear ocean water.
The front page of Nordwest Zeitung, showing a headline about fishing enthusiasts, a photo of three men on a boat with fishing gear, and an article about fish protection and research.
Close-up of a young man with short dark hair and a slight smile, wearing a denim shirt and a necklace, standing outdoors with blurred greenery in the background.
Man processing a large fish on a wooden surface outdoors.
Screenshot of a website titled 'DIE JURY' with information about a jury for a Casio award, featuring a portrait of a man, a shark, and a magnifying glass
Man with tanned skin working at a table with a fish, using a tool on its back.
Newspaper article titled "Ins aufgerissene Maul fotografiert" featuring a photograph of a woman with dark hair and a black shirt underwater, with pink fishes around her. The article discusses marine biologist Tom Vierus and his underwater photography
Two hammerhead sharks swimming in the ocean near a coral reef in Fidschi.
A newspaper article with a black and white photo of a young man holding a fish in a fishbowl. The article appears to be in German, discussing an achievement or event related to the young man and fishing.
A man with a tattoo on his arm looks at underwater photographs of sharks in a gallery.