About Gug
Regarded as America’s foremost underwater ocean photographer, Gug has been making waves in the art scene for well over a decade. With Chris being the most common name of his generation, “Gug” (pronounced “Goog”) has stuck since grade school. And since grade school, he has spent tens of thousands of hours creating marine life images that awe, inspire and sometimes confuse.
With no formal photography education, Gug felt that total immersion into his subject matter was the only way to master the art, and moved to the Caribbean to live on a boat where he could dive and shoot every day for seven years. After a year back in the USA where he exhibited his portfolio, he again took off, craving more exotic subject matter, and landed in Papua New Guinea, where he again lived on a boat, for two years shooting underwater every day. Gug has now created images in over 60 different countries, been published in numerous magazines, and been displayed in several of the world’s most prestigious museums. The result has been that his art is now being collected across the world, and the value of his limited edition photographs has seen a steady increase, making them a worthy investment for any art collector.
Based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he is now able to serve new clients and long-time collectors alike with a fine art gallery dedicated exclusively to his underwater images from around the world. Want to know more? Come meet Gug at the gallery or one of his upcoming exhibits. To receive updates for meeting him in person, “like” GugUnderwater on Facebook, or sign up for the monthly newsletter by sending a note to design@GugUnderwater.com.
Gug is a proud member and supporter of the mission of the Ocean Artists Society
2014 Awards
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International Pano Awards
Bronze medal (Candyland) -
International Pano Awards
Bronze medal (Pulse) -
West Shore Art Festival, Michigan
1st Place (Portfolio) -
Gold Coast Art Festival, Chicago
Award of Outstanding Achievement (Portfolio) -
Millennium Art Festival, Chicago
Award of Excellence (Portfolio) -
Barrington Art Festival, Chicago
Best In Show (Portfolio)
2013 Awards
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National Wildlife Federation Photo Contest
1st Place (Manatee Pile-On) -
PhotoNow!
3rd Place (Holy Waters) -
Art at the Glen, Chicago
Award of Outstanding Achievement (Portfolio) -
Gold Coast Art Festival, Chicago
Award of Outstanding Achievement (Portfolio)
2012 Awards
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Port Clinton Art Festival, Chicago
Barry Cohen Memorial Award -
Art At The Glen, Chicago
Award of Outstanding Achievement (Portfolio) -
Promenade of Art, Chicago
Award of Outstanding Achievement (Portfolio) -
Crocker Park Fine Art Festival, OH
Award of Excellence (Portfolio) -
North Shore Art Festival, Chicago
Award of Outstanding Achievement (Portfolio) -
Millennium Art Festival, Chicago
Award of Outstanding Achievement (Portfolio) -
Deerfield Beach Art Festival
Award of Excellence (Portfolio)
2011 Awards
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CIWEM Environmental Photographer of the Year
1st Place (The Ancient Wharf) -
Ocean Art Competition
Honorable Mention (Nudibranch Rhinophore Abstract) -
SFUPS
Photographer of the Year Runner-Up -
International Loupe Awards
Silver Medal (The Mighty Snorkeler) -
International Loupe Awards
Bronze Medal (Snug As A Bug) -
International Loupe Awards
Bronze Medal (Huggable) -
Scuba Diving Magazine’s International Photo Competition
1st Place (The Ancient Wharf variant) -
Scuba Diving Magazine’s International Photo Competition
2nd Place (Among Gorgonians) -
Beneath The Sea Underwater Photo Competition
1st Place (Squid Fiesta) -
Beneath The Sea Underwater Photo Competition
Honorable Mention (Sargassum Frogfish Reflection) -
Our World Underwater Photo Competition
Silver Medal (Squid Party)
2010 Awards
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Cairns UW Photo Competition
1st Place (Diver and Trevally) -
SDAA/MIME TTL Underwater Photo Competition
2nd Place WA (Squid Party)
2009 Awards
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SFUPS
Photographer of the Year -
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Highly Commended (Cuttlefish In Motion) and displayed at London’s Natural History Museum -
Art at the Glen Art Festival
Best of Photography (Portfolio) -
Buffalo Grove Art Festival
Best of Photography (Portfolio) -
Scuba Diving Magazine International Photo Competition
1st place (Snorkeler/Elephant Split) -
Deep Indonesia International Photo Competition
Bronze Medal (Queen Triggerfish Attack!) -
Moscow International Photo Festival (Golden Dolphin)
Bronze Medal (Queen Triggerfish Attack!) -
Our World Underwater Photo Competition
Honorable Mention (The Giant's Entourage) -
ArtiGras
Green Artist Award for Environmental Responsibility In Art -
Deerfield Beach Festival of the Arts
Best In Show (Portfolio)
2008 Awards
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In the Park With Art
1st Place (Portfolio) - Nature's Best Photography, Ocean Views Competition Winner (Turtle In Motion) and displayed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
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Art's Alive
Judge's Choice Award (Portfolio) -
Isle of 8 Flags Shrimp Festival
Patron's Award -
Deep Indonesia Photo Competition
Bronze Medal (Magic Mushroom) -
Delray Affair
Honorable Mention (Portfolio)
2007 Awards
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In the Park With Art
2nd Place (Portfolio) -
Deep Indonesia Photo Competition
2nd place Animal Behavior (A 2-Ton Hat) -
Deep Indonesia Photo Competition
2nd place Diver Portraits (Nice Stern) -
EPIC Photo Competition
1st Place Freshwater/Brackish (Nemesis) -
Turks & Caicos Underwater Photo Competition
2nd Place (Octopus)
2006 Awards
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Our World Underwater Photo Competition
Best In Show, 1st Place Wide Angle Traditional (Shark In Motion) -
Our World Underwater Photo Competition
2nd Place Environmental Concern (Nemesis) -
Beneath the Sea Photo Competition
Honorable Mention (Nemesis) -
Scuba Diving Magazine Photo Competition
3rd Place (Self-Portrait with Jellyfish)