News

Announcing the Underwater Tour Awards 2022

By Ian Bongso-Seldrup, August 19, 2022 @ 04:00 AM (EST)

The organizers of the Underwater Tour Awards have announced the opening of this year’s photography competition. This year, in addition to the previous photo categories—Underwater Characters, Underwater Scenes, Topside Scenes, Aquatic Abstracts and Underwater Black and White—the “Guru Awards” includes a sixth category: Reportage. The new category aims to attract images that address “threats, activism, and actions relating to the health of both marine and freshwater eco-systems.” As in previous editions, there’s also a People’s Choice prize and a Grand Guru prize for the shooter who does well across multiple categories.

As well as the Guru Awards, there’s an additional “novice” photo contest run in partnership with environmental movement Take 3 for the Sea. Open to anyone armed with a camera (even if it’s on a phone), the contest accepts submissions “above, in, around or under” water that best “communicate the Take 3 for the Sea story.”

The competition is open from now until the September 19th deadline. Check out the press release below for more details.

PRESS RELEASE

UNDERWATER TOUR AWARDS 2022 PARTNERS WITH TAKE 3 FOR THE SEA

Entries open August 15–September 19, 2022

The Underwater Tour Awards welcome photographers from around the globe to take part in a prestigious annual photography competition open for entries August 15–September 19, 2022.

Darren Jew, Canon Master and competition organiser shares the exciting news.

“The competition showcases and celebrates the art of aquatic photography, with stunning images guaranteed to take us on an underwater tour depicting the wonder of life in aquatic environments. As partners together, The Underwater Tour Awards and Take 3 for the Sea can amplify the wonder of the Underwater World and empower everyone to ‘take 3’ to protect it. It just makes sense.”

Jacquie Riddell, CEO of Take 3 for the Sea added

“We too are very excited. It’s a perfect match of like-minded organisations and people striving for the same outcome.”

The annual Awards competition engages with ocean lovers, inspiring adventure and discovery from behind the lens and is the only international underwater photography competition that incorporates an ethics review as part of the judging process plus terms and conditions approved by Photo Watch Dog to ensure fair terms and conditions for both entrants and organisers.

Grand Guru Award Winner 2021: Amanda Blanksby

What’s New for ’22?

A huge thank you to our 2022 prize partners for providing superb rewards for Underwater Tour Awards 2022 winners and there are more announcements to come!

This year we have an extraordinary array of prizes including an Underwater Drone that can take your imaging and exploration down to 100m. So far confirmed gear partners are QYSEA Underwater Drones, CameraPro, INON, SeaLife, Paralenz, Momento Pro and Henderson Greenprene—more to come—our amazing trip partners with more to come are Walindi Plantation Resort, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, Lady Musgrave Experience, Heron Island and Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort.

In addition to the annual image categories, photographers will find a brand new category—Reportage: threats, activism, and actions relating to the health of both marine and freshwater eco-systems. There’s an opt in for individual educational report cards for all participants for these six prize categories.

The ultimate prize, the Guru Grand Prize will be awarded to the photographer who attains a high level of achievement across 3 or more of the six competition categories.

We’re maintaining the entry fee at $25 per entry for the image categories, with $3 from every entry being donated to Take 3 for the Sea.

The People’s Choice Vote will be hotly contested again this year, as shortlisted entrants vie for the crown of most popular entry.

Add to which, a new Take 3 Contest will spur engagement amongst the broader ocean-loving community. Open to all, shot on any camera or device, this new novice contest embraces the Take 3 for the Sea message. Photos can be taken above, in, around or under any marine or freshwater area and will be judged by Take 3 on how best they communicate the “Take 3 for the Sea” story. 100% of the $3 entry fee for this particular contest will go to Take 3 for the Sea.

For more information on the competition timeline, categories and prizes, head over to underwatertourawards.com.au.

Thank you from the Underwater Tour & Awards Team—Juliette Myers, Tim Hochgrebe, Darren Jew, Jasmine Carey and Greg Crow.