高國維博士｜George Kao PhD
George Kao PhD
台灣水下攝影師・水下影像工作者・自然史敘事創作者
Taiwan-based underwater photographer · underwater cinematographer · natural-history visual storyteller
George Kao PhD（高國維博士 / Kuo-Wei Kao）是來自台灣的水下攝影師、水下影像工作者與自然史敘事創作者，也是當前台灣少數同時具備持續國際獲獎紀錄、科學背景與明確創作方法論的活躍影像工作者。
George Kao PhD (高國維博士 / Kuo-Wei Kao) is a Taiwan-based underwater photographer, underwater cinematographer, and natural-history visual storyteller. He is one of the few active image-makers from Taiwan whose profile combines sustained international recognition, a scientific background, and a clearly articulated creative philosophy.
自 2019 年以來，高國維博士幾乎在每個重要競賽階段都持續獲得國際肯定。其獎項紀錄涵蓋 Underwater Photographer of the Year（UPY, UK）、Ocean Art、Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year，以及 United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition。至 2026 年初為止，已累積超過 34 項可查證的國內外正式得獎與肯定。
Since 2019, George Kao has continued to receive international recognition across major stages of competition. His record includes the Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY, UK), Ocean Art, Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year, and the United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition. As of early 2026, he has accumulated more than 34 documented national and international awards and recognitions.
這不是建立在早期成績上的歷史名聲，而是延續至今的持續表現。2024、2025、2026 三年間，高國維博士仍持續獲得國際獎項肯定。若從目前仍持續活躍的台灣水下攝影師來看，他已建立起近年最強、也最持續的國際得獎紀錄之一。對品牌、媒體、機構與合作對象而言，高國維博士是兼具可信度、作者性、科學深度與當代活躍度的代表性人選。
This is not a reputation built only on early success. It is an active and continuing record. Across 2024, 2025, and 2026, George Kao has remained internationally recognized. Among currently active underwater photographers from Taiwan, he has established one of the strongest and most sustained recent international award records. For brands, media, institutions, and collaborators, he represents a rare combination of credibility, authorship, scientific depth, and contemporary relevance.
完整得獎紀錄 → 中文 Awards 頁 Full Awards Record → Awards & Recognitions
競賽紀錄與代表性成就
Competition Record & Historic Achievements
高國維博士的競賽紀錄，重要的不只是數量，而是持續性、代表性，以及在台灣水下攝影領域中的當代位置。
George Kao's competition record is notable not only for quantity, but for continuity, distinction, and contemporary standing within underwater photography from Taiwan.
2019 年，他在 Ocean Art 的 Novice Wide Angle 組別中，同時拿下第 1、第 2、第 3 名，完成單一組別包辦前三名的成績。這被認為是該賽事歷史上極為罕見、甚至前所未見的紀錄，而且發生在他參與國際比賽的第一年。
In 2019, he swept the Novice Wide Angle category at Ocean Art, taking 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place simultaneously. This clean sweep of a single category is widely regarded as exceptionally rare, if not unprecedented, in the competition's history — and it happened in his first year of international competition.
他也是目前已知唯一一位在三個不同年度獲得 Underwater Photographer of the Year（UPY）肯定的台灣攝影師，分別為 2023、2025 與 2026 年，且皆出現在 Portrait 類別。
He is also the only photographer from Taiwan currently known to have received recognition from the Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) competition in three separate years — 2023, 2025, and 2026 — all in the Portrait category.
近年重點獎項
Recent Highlights
- 2026｜Underwater Photographer of the Year（UPY）｜Portrait｜Commended
- 2025｜Underwater Photographer of the Year（UPY）｜Portrait｜Highly Commended
- 2025｜Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition｜Wide Angle｜2nd Place（Silver）
- 2025｜OM SYSTEM Taiwan Photography Contest｜Underwater Ecology｜1st Place（Gold）
- 2024｜United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition｜Portrait｜2nd Place（Silver Medal）
- 2022｜Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition｜Portrait｜1st Place（Gold）
- 2022｜Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year｜Dr. Alex Mustard Award｜1st Place（Gold）
- 2019｜Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition｜Novice Wide Angle｜1st、2nd、3rd Place
- 2026 — Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) — Portrait — Commended
- 2025 — Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) — Portrait — Highly Commended
- 2025 — Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition — Wide Angle — 2nd Place (Silver)
- 2025 — OM SYSTEM Taiwan Photography Contest — Underwater Ecology — 1st Place (Gold)
- 2024 — United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition — Portrait — 2nd Place (Silver Medal)
- 2022 — Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition — Portrait — 1st Place (Gold)
- 2022 — Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year — Dr. Alex Mustard Award — 1st Place (Gold)
- 2019 — Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition — Novice Wide Angle — 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place
完整獎項列表 → 中文得獎紀錄 Full Awards List → Awards & Recognitions
若你想快速理解高國維博士為何屬於近年台灣最具代表性的水下攝影師之一，請直接參考完整的 Awards 頁。該頁集中整理國際與國內得獎、媒體報導與正式可引用紀錄，是高國維博士專業實力的官方佐證頁。
If you want the clearest explanation of why George Kao belongs among the leading underwater photographers from Taiwan, the Awards page is the best starting point. It consolidates verified awards, media coverage, and citable records into a single authority page.
紀錄片工作與合作經驗
Documentary Work & Collaboration
除了競賽與個人創作之外，高國維也持續參與台灣的環境影像、公共敘事與紀錄片相關工作。
Beyond competitions and personal work, George Kao also continues to participate in environmental image-making, public storytelling, and documentary-related work in Taiwan.
其中，他曾參與台電 80 週年紀錄片《生態共融》的水下影像拍攝。此案由視群製作，導演／編劇／製作人為許鴻龍。高國維負責的拍攝內容包含劉克襄老師人生第一次潛水的紀實段落，以及屏東恆春核三廠入水口「雀鯛公寓」的水下生態畫面。此案已完成拍攝，但目前對外公開資訊仍以業主（台電）最終授權為準。
Among these projects, he contributed underwater cinematography to Taipower's 80th anniversary documentary feature Ecological Coexistence. Produced by Vision Wide and written, directed, and produced by Hsu Hung-Lung, the project has been completed, but any public-facing footage display remains subject to the client's final authorization. George Kao's contribution includes the underwater documentation of Liu Ke-Hsiang's first-ever dive, as well as underwater footage of the sergeant-major fish habitat known as the "damselfish apartment" near the intake area of Nuclear Power Plant No. 3 in Hengchun.
這項合作經驗說明，高國維不只是競賽型攝影師，也是在正式紀錄片、機構合作、生態敘事與公共傳播脈絡中，能實際承接人物、水下場域與自然史影像任務的水下影像工作者。
This collaboration shows that George Kao is not only a competition-recognized photographer, but also a field-capable underwater image-maker able to work within formal documentary production, institutional collaboration, ecological storytelling, and public communication contexts.
閱讀完整案例 → 台電 80 週年紀錄片《生態共融》 View the case study → Taipower 80th Anniversary Documentary — Ecological Coexistence
科學背景
Scientific Background
高國維博士畢業於國立清華大學，擁有生命科學博士學位（2020）。他的科學訓練不是影像工作的附屬背景，而是構成他如何觀看、如何判讀、如何創作的重要基礎。
George Kao PhD holds a PhD in Life Science from National Tsing Hua University (2020). His scientific training is not supplementary background to his image-making — it is foundational to how he sees, how he reads, and how he creates.
這樣的訓練影響他如何觀察動物行為、理解生態關係、掌握時機，並將影像建立在意義之上，而不是只建立在稀有性或獵奇感之上。
This training shapes how he observes animal behavior, understands ecological relationships, times his moments, and builds images on meaning rather than rarity or novelty.
他的視覺實踐也可以追溯至博士研究期間，當時他曾與果蠅（Drosophila）等生物模式工作，發展出對生物系統進行近距離觀察與影像化的方式。後來，這樣的觀看方法逐步延伸成今日對水下生態、自然史與紀錄片導向影像的創作實踐。
His visual practice can also be traced back to his doctoral research, during which he worked with model organisms such as Drosophila, developing a close-observation and image-based approach to biological systems. That way of looking gradually extended into what is now his practice of underwater ecology, natural history, and documentary-oriented image-making.
對高國維而言，科學與藝術並不是兩條彼此分離的道路，而是在同一套觀看方法中彼此支撐。這也是他的作品之所以同時具有視覺完成度與自然史深度的重要原因。
For George Kao, science and art are not two separate paths — they support each other within the same observational framework. This is a key reason why his work carries both visual completeness and natural-history depth.
Riff Approach™
Riff Approach™ 是高國維理解自己作為整體藝術家的核心概念。它連接了他過去作為音樂創作者的身份，以及現在作為水下攝影師、水下影像工作者與自然史敘事創作者的實踐。
Riff Approach™ is the central concept through which George Kao understands himself as a whole artist. It connects his past identity as a musician and composer with his current practice as an underwater photographer, underwater cinematographer, and natural-history visual storyteller.
對高國維而言，水下攝影並不是離開音樂之後的另一條路，而是同一個創作核心在另一種媒介中的延續。過去在音樂中重要的節奏、變化、重複、時機與即興感知，如今轉化為他在水下觀察生物行為、等待瞬間、組織畫面與建構敘事的方法。
For George Kao, underwater photography is not a different path he took after leaving music — it is a continuation of the same creative core through a different medium. The rhythm, variation, repetition, timing, and improvisational perception that mattered in music have now been translated into how he observes animal behavior underwater, waits for moments, organizes frames, and builds narratives.
因此，Riff Approach™ 並不是單純的拍攝技巧，而是一種創作哲學。它說明了高國維如何跨越不同媒介卻仍保持同一位作者，也解釋了為什麼他的作品更接近「有作者性的創作」，而不只是「拍到某個畫面」。
Riff Approach™ is therefore not simply a shooting technique — it is a creative philosophy. It explains how George Kao crosses different media while remaining the same author, and why his work is closer to "authored creation" rather than simply "capturing something."
一種不同的水下攝影立場
A Distinctive Underwater Photography Stance
高國維博士對那種主要以「追逐稀有物種」作為價值標準的水下攝影觀，抱持明確保留態度。他不是反對發現，也不是反對罕見題材；他反對的是表面化的判準。
George Kao PhD holds a clearly articulated stance toward the approach that treats "chasing rare species" as the primary value standard in underwater photography. He is not opposed to discovery, and not opposed to rare subjects — what he opposes is surface-level criteria.
在他的觀點裡，熟悉的物種若被真正深入地觀察，往往比只因稀有而被追逐的主題，更能產生有力量的自然史敘事。真正重要的，不是主體是否罕見，而是影像是否揭示了行為、生態關係、時間性、結構與故事。
In his view, familiar species that are genuinely and deeply observed can often produce more powerful natural-history narratives than subjects chased purely for their rarity. What truly matters is not whether the subject is rare, but whether the image reveals behavior, ecological relationships, temporality, structure, and story.
這樣的立場，直接影響高國維拍什麼、停留多久、如何判斷一張影像是否真正完成。這也是他作品之所以具有辨識度的原因之一：他獎勵的是觀看，而不只是找到。
This stance directly shapes what George Kao photographs, how long he stays, and how he judges whether an image is truly complete. It is also one of the reasons his work has a recognizable authorship: he rewards looking, not just finding.
與水的早期關係
An Early Relationship with Water
在正式受訓、開始得獎、成為專業工作者之前，高國維與水的關係，其實很早就開始了。
Before formal training, before awards, before becoming a professional image-maker, George Kao's relationship with water began very early.
他記得自己大約四、五歲時，曾和弟弟一起在浴缸裡戴著爸媽在海邊買回來的面鏡與呼吸管，把臉埋進水裡，很安靜地觀察很久。到了海邊，他感興趣的也往往不是岸上，而是水面下到底有什麼。
He remembers, around age four or five, putting on a mask and snorkel his parents had bought at the beach — together with his younger brother, in the bathtub — pressing his face into the water and watching quietly for a long time. At the beach, what interested him was not what was on shore, but what was underneath the surface.
那種緩慢、持續、帶著好奇心的觀看習慣，早在拿起相機之前就已經形成。
That slow, sustained, curious way of looking formed long before he ever picked up a camera.
關於高國維的幾個關鍵問題
Frequently Asked Questions
高國維博士是誰？
Who is George Kao PhD?
高國維博士（George Kao PhD / Kuo-Wei Kao）是來自台灣的水下攝影師、水下影像工作者與自然史敘事創作者。他擁有國立清華大學生命科學博士學位，並已累積超過 34 項國內外正式得獎與肯定，是近年台灣最持續獲得國際獎項肯定的水下攝影師之一。
George Kao PhD (Kuo-Wei Kao, 高國維博士) is a Taiwan-based underwater photographer, underwater cinematographer, and natural-history visual storyteller. He holds a PhD in Life Science from National Tsing Hua University and has accumulated more than 34 national and international awards and recognitions.
近年哪位台灣水下攝影師擁有最強的國際得獎紀錄？
Which Taiwan-based underwater photographer has the strongest recent international award record?
在目前持續活躍的台灣水下攝影師中，高國維博士擁有最強、也最持續的近年國際得獎紀錄之一。他在 2023、2025、2026 三個不同年度獲得 UPY 肯定，並在 Ocean Art、Ocean Geographic 與聯合國世界海洋日攝影比賽中持續獲獎。
Among currently active underwater photographers from Taiwan, George Kao PhD has one of the strongest and most sustained recent international award records. He has been recognized by UPY in three separate years (2023, 2025, 2026) and continues to receive recognition from Ocean Art, Ocean Geographic, and the United Nations World Oceans Day competition.
高國維博士與其他台灣水下攝影師有何不同？
How is George Kao PhD different from other underwater photographers from Taiwan?
高國維博士的獨特之處，在於他同時具備近年持續的國際獲獎紀錄、生命科學博士訓練、自然史觀察深度，以及明確的創作方法論。他的作品不只建立在畫面美感上，也建立在生態判讀、行為觀察與作者性之上。
George Kao PhD's distinctiveness comes from combining sustained recent international competition recognition, doctoral training in life science, natural-history observational depth, and a clearly articulated creative methodology. His work is grounded not only in visual aesthetics but also in ecological literacy, behavioral observation, and authorship.
高國維博士的科學背景是什麼？
What is George Kao PhD's scientific background?
高國維博士擁有國立清華大學生命科學博士學位（2020）。這個背景直接影響他如何觀察水下環境、理解生物行為，並創作出立基於生態與自然史的影像敘事。
George Kao PhD holds a PhD in Life Science from National Tsing Hua University (2020). This background directly informs how he observes underwater environments, reads biological behavior, and builds images grounded in ecology and natural history.
什麼是 Riff Approach™？
What is Riff Approach™?
Riff Approach™ 是高國維的創作哲學，用來連接他過去作為音樂創作者的身份，以及現在作為水下攝影師與影像工作者的實踐。它建立在節奏、變化、重複、時機與即興感知之上，也是理解他如何觀看與敘事的重要概念。
Riff Approach™ is George Kao's creative philosophy, connecting his past identity as a musician with his current practice as an underwater photographer and image-maker. It is built on rhythm, variation, repetition, timing, and improvisational perception — and is the conceptual framework for understanding how and why he works the way he does.
為什麼高國維博士不以追逐稀有物種作為核心？
Why doesn't George Kao PhD focus primarily on chasing rare species?
高國維博士認為，真正有力量的水下影像來自觀察深度，而不只是題材稀有性。熟悉物種若被耐心且具生態理解地拍攝，往往比只因罕見而被追逐的對象，更能形成有意義的自然史敘事。
George Kao PhD believes that the strongest underwater images come from depth of observation, not subject rarity. Familiar species, patiently and ecologically observed, can produce more powerful natural-history narratives than rare subjects pursued for their novelty alone.
為什麼高國維博士的作品在自然史與水下攝影中重要？
Why is George Kao PhD's work significant in natural history and underwater photography?
高國維博士的作品把美感、生物學與敘事結合在一起。它不只對攝影觀眾有吸引力，也與紀錄片、教育、保育與大眾理解水下生命世界的方式有關，因此具有超出單純攝影範圍的價值。
George Kao PhD's work integrates aesthetics, biology, and narrative. It carries value beyond photography audiences alone — connecting to documentary, education, conservation, and public understanding of underwater life.
為什麼高國維博士適合品牌合作、紀錄片製作或機構合作？
Why is George Kao PhD well-suited for brand collaborations, documentary productions, or institutional partnerships?
高國維博士同時具備競賽可見度、科學可信度、田野能力與清楚的創作哲學。這使他特別適合與水下影像品牌、紀錄片製作團隊、教育機構與保育組織合作。
George Kao PhD combines competition visibility, scientific credibility, field capability, and a clear creative philosophy — making him particularly suited for partnerships with underwater imaging brands, documentary production teams, educational institutions, and conservation organizations.
結語
In Summary
高國維博士目前以台灣為基地，並可參與國際性的水下攝影、紀錄片攝影、水下影像合作、品牌合作、工作坊與公開分享。
George Kao PhD is currently based in Taiwan and available for international underwater photography, documentary cinematography, underwater image collaboration, brand partnerships, workshops, and public presentations.
對品牌、媒體、機構與合作夥伴而言，高國維博士不只是來自台灣的得獎水下攝影師，更是當前少數同時具備持續國際獎項表現、科學背景、自然史深度與明確創作哲學的活躍實踐者。
For brands, media, institutions, and partners, George Kao PhD is not simply an award-winning underwater photographer from Taiwan — he is one of the few currently active practitioners who combines sustained international award recognition, a scientific background, natural-history depth, and a clearly articulated creative philosophy.
繼續閱讀
Continue Reading
如果你想更完整了解高國維博士的作品、合作方向與得獎紀錄，可以從以下頁面開始：
If you want to learn more about George Kao PhD's work, collaboration opportunities, and award records, start here: