LEICA Sport Optics USA is proud to announce its sponsorship of DIVERGE 14, the latest edition of SITKA’s renowned annual photo competition and one of the most influential visual storytelling platforms in the hunting world. Now entering its fourteenth year, DIVERGE has cemented SITKA as a leader in tasteful, high-quality outdoor imagery and continues to inspire elevated creativity across the hunting community. The contest has received more than 15,000 entries in recent years, reflecting its strong engagement and lasting influence.

The submission window for DIVERGE 14 runs from Saturday, 6 December 2025, to Thursday, 15 January 2026, giving creators six weeks to enter their best work. A public-facing judging period follows from 16 to 23 January, with winners being announced on 27 January 2026.

Entrants can submit their work in three categories: Pursuits, which includes Big Game, Waterfowl and Whitetail imagery, GTX Weather “Born from the Storms” and finally, Shot on an iPhone for entrants who don’t have access to photography equipment.

The DIVERGE 14 judging panel features five respected voices in contemporary hunting storytelling: Connor Gabbott, Bianca Germain, Adam Foss, Austin Thomas, and Aaron Blatt.

Judging is based on three core areas: in-camera, which includes composition, focus, lighting and exposure, photo editing and the moment. The latter refers to the emotion, connection, authenticity, and novelty of the image.

Each week, one judge will highlight a standout DIVERGE 14 submission, discuss what makes the image exceptional using the DIVERGE scorecard, and give away a favourite piece of SITKA gear. A total of five giveaways will be awarded during the submission period.

There are some superb prizes on offer for the Category Winners (five in total to include the three sub-categories in the Pursuit section) and an overall Grand Prize Winner who will net a a package worth over $17,500. The prizes are:

Big Game

• $3,000 in SITKA Gear

• LEICA Geovid Pro AB+

Whitetail

• $3,000 in SITKA Gear

• LEICA CRF Max Rangefinder

• LEICA Geovid 8×32 Binoculars

Waterfowl

• $3,000 in SITKA Gear

• LEICA Geovid 10×42 Binoculars

Born From the Storms

• $5,000 in SITKA Gear

Shot on iPhone

• $5,000 in SITKA Gear

Grand Prize

• $5,000 in SITKA Gear (if the Grand Prize winner is also a big game, whitetail or waterfowl winner their SITKA Gear will be increased to $5,000 total.)

• Photographer’s Go-Bag including:

– LEICA Q3 43

– LEICA APO-Televid 82 Spotting Scope + Q-Adapter

– Pelican 1510 Protector Carry-On Case packed with six memory cards, two travel hard drives, two Peak Design camera clips and two Peak Design straps, one Peak Design tripod, $250 gift card for a camera filter package, and a multi-tool.

– 1-year Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom subscription.

“DIVERGE has set the benchmark for visual storytelling in the hunting world for more than a decade, and LEICA is proud to support a competition that celebrates authenticity, innovation and craft”, said Ryan Holm, Director of Marketing, LEICA Sport Optics USA. “At its best, photography helps us connect more deeply to the landscapes and wildlife that move us, and SITKA has built a platform that inspires thousands of hunters and creators to push their skills further each year. We’re excited to help elevate that work and support the photographers shaping the future of storytelling through imagery.”

Haakon Johnson, Creative Production Lead for SITKA, added: “Partnering with LEICA for the SITKA DIVERGE Photo Contest is a chance to work directly with one of the most iconic optics and camera brands in the world. LEICA’s craftsmanship has defined how hunters document their pursuits for generations, and its glass delivers a level of truth and precision that can’t be faked. For hunters who are all-in on their trip of a lifetime, whether you’re scouting whitetails from a field edge or being dropped off-grid by float plane, this partnership is about creating imagery that shares the stoke, the suffering, the mountain tops and pits of despair, the moments of reflection and moments of triumph. These are the stories we live for.”

How to Enter & Vote

To submit photographs and to vote (from 16 January 2026), visit: www.sitkagear.com/diverge

SUBMISSIONS: 6 December 2025 – 15 January 2026

PUBLIC VOTING: 16–23 January 2026

WINNERS ANNOUNCED: 27 January 2026