Two main underwater imagery contests launch firstly of November – the UK-based Underwater Photographer of the Yr (UPY) 2025 and, from throughout the Atlantic, the DPG Masters Underwater Imaging Competitors 2024, which locations extra retailer on massive prizes and contains videography.
The UPY contest, which emphasises status and suggestions, is open for entries from now till 4 January. “UPY is crucial contest for underwater photographers, and is at all times full of astonishing photos being revealed for the primary time,” says chair of the judges Alex Mustard.
“2025 marks 60 years since Phil Smith was first awarded the title Underwater Photographer of the Yr. As we speak the competition is actually worldwide, with profitable photos coming from throughout the globe. Our final three total winners had been taken underneath ice within the Arctic Ocean, within the tannin-stained waters of the Amazon River, and at evening near the Equator within the Maldives.
“The competition is open to all kinds of underwater images; photos taken in flooded mines to swimming swimming pools have been awarded beforehand.”
A brand new addition is a Coral Reefs class, reflecting the habitat with arguably “probably the most vibrant and highest concentrations of life on our planet, but additionally present on the knife-edge of the local weather disaster”.
The opposite 12 classes are Large Angle, Macro, Wrecks, Behaviour, Portrait, Black & White, Compact, Up & Coming and three British Waters sections, for Large Angle, Macro and Residing Collectively, together with Save Our Seas Basis Marine Conservation.
The competition incorporates a bespoke outcomes system, offering suggestions to the photographers on how far via the competition each picture has progressed, so that every one entrants profit from participating. Detailed judges’ feedback are additionally posted with the profitable entries.
The judging panel consists as regular of photographers Mustard, Peter Rowlands and Tobias Friedrich, and the winners might be introduced at an awards ceremony in London’s Mayfair.
Entry charges are £20, £35 or £45 for as much as three, 10 or or 20 photos respectively throughout the classes (besides Marine Conservation, which is free for as much as 5 entries). Discover particulars of find out how to enter right here,
DPG Masters underwater imaging competitors
In the meantime the DPG Masters Underwater Imaging Competitors 2024 has additionally opened for entries from underwater photographers and videographers in any respect ranges – with a fund of dive-vacation and camera-gear prizes price greater than US $80,000.
Entrants on this contest can compete in 9 classes: Conventional, Macro, Large Angle, Over-Below, Conservation, Blackwater, Portfolio, Compact and Brief Movie.
The image-maker behind the highest entry among the many class winners will now be topped DPG Grand Grasp 2024 (the award was beforehand for “Greatest Of Present”). This particular person wins each the highest journey and prime gear prizes.
“The whole prize pool is the most important we’ve had, with unbelievable dive-trips and imaging gear up for grabs,” say competitors organisers Joe Tepper and Ian Bongso-Seldrup. “And our report 9 classes give amateurs and execs alike a possibility to win, regardless of their speciality or digicam system.
“We’re additionally thrilled to bestow a brand new title on the general winner – DPG Grand Grasp – and now we have little question that our judges could have a troublesome time selecting her or him from all of the proficient entrants.”
For eagle-eyed divers who thought {a photograph} aside from the one proven above had been the 2023 outright winner, that is as a result of Marco Gargiulo turned out to not have complied with the competitors guidelines. His picture was later disqualified and the award rescinded, with Suliman Alatiqi and Wishing Properly entering into the breach.
Because of this incident, for the newest competitors DPG (DivePhotoGuide) has appointed a chair of the jury to hitch the judges in “scrutinising photos extra rigorously than ever”.
As earlier than, 15% of entry proceeds might be donated to marine-conservation efforts. Entries value US $10 (£7.80) per picture or video, and the competitors closes for entries on 31 December, with full particulars on the DPG Masters 2024 web site.
Additionally on Divernet: Sub-ice whale skeleton shot brings UPY triumph, UPY celebrates 10 years of picture competitors, The Passenger strikes gold in DPG Masters, Planet Ocean: Tides Are Altering winners
