AWARDS, PUBLICATIONS & EXHIBITIONS
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 & REcognitions
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2025
2nd Place in the Underwater Conservation Category at the Ocean Art 2024
2024
1st Place ‘Tortue D’Or’ in the video category for Manta Conservation at Wakaya Island at the 2024 Festival Sublimage
Honorary Mention in the video category for Manta Conservation at Wakaya Island at Nature’s Best Photography Awards 2024
Special Mention in'Portfolio' category at the Ocean Geographic Picture of the Year Competition
Runner Up in'Conservation' category at the Ocean Geographic Picture of the Year Competition
Third Place in'Environmental' category at the World Shootout Competition
2023
Highly Honoured at the Nature’s Best International Photography Awards for Searching for the Kulawai - Bird Conservation in Fiji
Honourable Mention in the 'Photo Journalist Award' category at Ocean Geographic Picture of the Year Competition
Finalist in the 'Human & Ocean’ category at the Ocean Geographic Picture of the Year Competition
1st Place in the ‘Underwater’ category at the Tommy Schultz Photography Contest
Semifinals in'Conservation' and ‘Sharks’ category at the World Shootout Competition
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2022
Second Place in the 'Nature-based Solutions & Ocean Exploration' category at the United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Contest
Two selected images among the 100 photograph ‘Ocean Visuals Collection’ by Climate Outreach
Finalist in the ‘Human Connection Award’ of the ‘Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022 Competition
Official Selection at Wildlife Conservation Film Festival 2022 in New York for “Discovery of Oceanic Manta Rays in Fiji // Manta Project Fiji 2022”
Official Selection at Wildlife Conservation Film Festival 2022 in New York for “Coral Spawning in Fiji”
1st Place in the ‘Animal Portraits’ category at the World Nature Photography Awards
2021
Semifinals in 'Conservation' category at the World Shootout Competition
Runner Up at the Howard Hall Award of Excellence at the 2021 Ocean Geographic Picture of the Year Competition for the film MY FIJI SHARK
Honourable Mention as a Photo Journalist at the Ocean Geographic Award of Excellence for my article about Fiji’s Great Sea Reef published by Oceanographic at the 2021 Ocean Geographic Picture of the Year Competition
Official Selection at the Earth Photo 2021 Competition for Searching for the Kulawai // Bird Conservation in Fiji
Honorary Mention in the video category for Physioshark | Baby sharks and climate change at Nature’s Best Photography Awards 2020
Official Selection at Wildlife Conservation Film Festival 2021 in New York for Searching for the Kulawai // Bird Conservation in Fiji
Official Selection at CINEMARE Int'l Ocean Film Festival KIEL for Physioshark | Baby sharks and climate change
2020
Bronze Trophy in 'Short Film' Category at International Underwater Festival of New Caledonia
Semifinals in 'Sharks' category at the World Shootout Competition
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2019
Official Selection at Moving Waters Film Festival 2019 in India for FishAct | Fighting Illegal Fishing
Official Selection at Ocean Coast Film Festival in Portugal for Physioshark | Baby sharks and climate change
Official Selection'at Wildlife Conservation Film Festival 2019 in New York for FishAct | Fighting Illegal Fishing
First Prize (Gold Manta) in 'Black & White' Category at International Underwater Festival of New Caledonia
Special Mention in the The Howard Hall Award for Outstanding Achievement Categoryat the Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year Contest for Physioshark | Baby sharks and climate change
Official Selection at DEEPWAVE Film Festival for REPICORE | Research in Melanesia
Official Selection at Ocean City Film Festival for REPICORE | Research in Melanesia
Official Selection at Raw Science Film Festival for REPICORE | Research in Melanesia
Official Selection at Raw Science Film Festival for Physioshark | Baby sharks and climate change
2018
Semifinals in the ‘Sharks' category at the World Shootout Competition
Best Cinematography at A Show For A Change Film Festival for REPICORE | Research in Melanesia
Best Cinematography at A Show For A Change Film Festival for Physioshark | Baby sharks and climate change
Official Selection Barbados Independent Film Festival for Physioshark | Baby sharks and climate change
Official Selection Wildlife Conservation Film Festival in New York for Physioshark | Baby sharks and climate change
Finalist at Siena International Photo Awards
2nd Place in Video category at Lens beyond Ocean
2016
Semifinals in the ‘sharks' category at the World Shootout Competition
1st place at the German Science Photography award in the 'reportage' category
2015
Final Round of the HIPA Award
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2025
Nikon Magazine, Beneath the surface: Tom Vierus on the power of underwater photography to drive change
Feature Article (14 pages) in World Wildlife (WWF) Magazine: Land, Home, Village, Self
The interwoven effort to save reefs, corals, and a modern but traditional way of life
Nikon Magazine, Conservation storyteller Tom Vierus on his most historic shot yet
2024
In Waves, A CD/Book by Samy Thiebault & Tom Vierus, ISBN: 352-138-189-866-8
Digit! Das Profi Magazin (Six-page Interview about Tom’s work)
Fiji Traveller magazine (Interview with Tom)
2023
The Shark Reef Marine Reserve In Fiji (Photobook), ISBN: 978-982-101-441-0
The Guardian, Photostory about World Turtle Day
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2021
The Guardian (Web, photos and text)
Nereus, Swiss Diving Magazine (Photo contributor, Switzerland)
The Guardian (Print & Web, United Kingdom)
Oceanographic (Print & Web, Worldwide)
2020
Oceanographic (Web, Worldwide)
WWF-US Magazine (United States)
Cosmopolitan (Germany)
Der Spiegel (Germany)
Oceanographic (Print & Web, Worldwide)
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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)
Publications
2025
Nikon Magazine, Beneath the surface: Tom Vierus on the power of underwater photography to drive change
Feature Article (14 pages) in World Wildlife (WWF) Magazine: Land, Home, Village, Self
The interwoven effort to save reefs, corals, and a modern but traditional way of life
Nikon Magazine, Conservation storyteller Tom Vierus on his most historic shot yet
2024
In Waves, A CD/Book by Samy Thiebault & Tom Vierus, ISBN: 352-138-189-866-8
Digit! Das Profi Magazin (Six-page Interview about Tom’s work)
Fiji Traveller magazine (Interview with Tom)
2023
The Shark Reef Marine Reserve In Fiji (Photobook), ISBN: 978-982-101-441-0
The Guardian, Photostory about World Turtle Day
2021
The Guardian (Web, photos and text)
Nereus, Swiss Diving Magazine (Photo contributor, Switzerland)
The Guardian (Print & Web, United Kingdom)
Oceanographic (Print & Web, Worldwide)
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
2025: Tom Vierus. Photographically confirmed sighting of the New Britain Goshawk Tachyspiza princeps. Australian Field Ornithology 2025, 42, 14–16
2024: Tom Vierus, Kerstin GLaus, Luke Gordon: Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) - Ba Estuary (Fiji). DOI:
2024: Glaus, Kerstin, Tom Vierus, Robert Macfarlane. Observational data on the reproductive condition of female Oceania fantail rays, Taeniura lessoni, from Drawaqa Island, Fiji. Frontiers in Marine Science 11.
2024: Glaus, Kerstin, Luke Gordon, Tom Vierus, Natasha D. Marosi, and Helen Sykes. Rays in the Shadows: Batoid Diversity, Occurrence, and Conservation Status in Fiji. Biology 13, no. 2: 73.
2022: Gordon, Luke & Vierus, Tom. First photographic evidence of oceanic manta rays (Mobula birostris) at two locations in the Fiji islands. PeerJ, 10, e13883.
2019: Paris, Andrew, Vierus, Tom, Gehrig, Stefan. Vanua o Votua Shark and Ray Survey Report: Activity 1.1.1.2. Fiji Ridge to Reef Project. University of the South Pacific Institute of Applied Science.
2018: Vierus, Tom, Gehrig, Stefan, Brunnschweiler, Juerg. M., Glaus, Kerstin, Zimmer, Martin, Marie, Amandine. D., & Rico, Ciro. Discovery of a multispecies shark aggregation and parturition area in the Ba Estuary, Fiji Islands. Ecology and evolution, 8(14), 7079-7093.
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
Nikon Magazine, Beneath the surface: Tom Vierus on the power of underwater photography to drive change
Nikon Magazine, Conservation storyteller Tom Vierus on his most historic shot yet
Riffreporter.de - Interview mit Tom über das erste Foto des Prinzenhabichts
Fiji Traveller magazine - Interview about Tom’s Photo Book on sharks
Make the Oceans Great Again - Interview: Marine Conservationist and Storyteller Tom Vierus
Honorary Work
2022 - ongoing: Photo/Video/Website Design for Animal Shelter SPCA Fiji Islands
2021: Jury Member for Photography competition at ICYMARE 2021
2019: Jury Member for the SCIENCE FILM EXPOSURE HACKATHON in Switzerland
2018: Jury Member for the G7 OCEAN YOUTH INNOVATION CHALLENGE 2018
2017: Jury Member for the CASIO VEKTORIA AWARD 2017