News

The organizers of the second Underwater Tour Awards, have announced the winners of this year’s underwater photo competition, the Guru Awards, as well as an additional “novice” photo contest run in partnership with environmental movement Take 3 for the Sea.

The top prize—the Grand Guru Prize—went to DPG Photographer of the Week Jake Wilton for his superb mini-portfolio of images in each of the contest categories, while the category prizes went to Anthony Brown (Topside Scenes), Jake Wilton (Underwater Characters), Cameron McFarlane (Underwater Scenes), Wade Hughes (Aquatic Abstract), Pavlos Evangelidis (Underwater Black and White), and Jørgen Rasmussen (Reportage). This year’s People’s Choice Award went to Anthony Brown for his Topside Scenes winner. The organizers also handed out an inaugural special award—the Packer’s Prize—to Helen Walne for a beautiful image of coral-encrusted boulders among a kelp grove in South Africa.

For the Take 3 Contest—which was open to anyone “who snaps pictures on any device”—the winning images had to embrace the Take 3 for the Sea message, promoting real actions that are helping improve the health of the oceans. Two winners were selected: Emma Turner and Jules Casey.

Well done to all the winners and runners-up!
 

PRESS RELEASE

Winners Announced: The Underwater Tour Awards 2022

Australia: 18 Dec 2022: The winners of the third annual Underwater Tour Awards have been announced. The prestigious annual international competition encourages and inspires passion for photography, exploration and discovery from behind the lens and helps raise awareness of the world’s incredible, fragile marine and aquatic inhabitants and their environments. For the first time the Underwater Tour Awards partnered with environmental education and action organisation, Take 3, and introduced a new novice category, The Take 3 for the Sea Contest. Proceeds from registration fees and additional donations were given to Take 3.

Led by Convenor Darren Jew, Canon Master and six-time winner of the AIPP’s Professional Nature Photographer of the Year, the international judging panel: Amanda Blanksby, William Tan, Dr Richard Smith, Russell Ord and Brett Lobwein judged hundreds of images submitted by photographers from all over the world.  

“Each year the competition grows, and we are delighted with the high calibre of submissions,” said Darren Jew. “The finalists’ gallery takes us on a remarkable underwater tour, showcasing the fine work of competing underwater wildlife photographers and celebrating the natural wonders of the underwater world”.

The Guru Awards – Photographic Competition

The only international photography competition of its kind to incorporate a systematic Ethical Review for images submitted, the Underwater Tour Awards Team is committed to ensuring the natural world is depicted both creatively and honestly, with due regard shown to the welfare of all marine life and habitats. All shortlisted images entered were subject to the competition’s Ethics Review process, conducted by renowned Marine biologist and author, Dr Richard Smith, before moving to the first round of judging.  

And the winners are…

The Guru Grand Prize

The Guru Grand Prize celebrates a great photographer, not just one great photo and is awarded to the photographer who attains the highest level of achievement from six entries across three or more of the six competition categories.

The Guru Grand Prize Winner: Jake Wilton, Australia

Finalists:

• Gabriel Guzman, Australia
• Jørgen Rasmussen, Singapore
• Jake Wilton, Australia

Individual Guru Image Categories:

Underwater Scenes

Winner: Cameron McFarlane

Finalists:

• Helen Walne, South Africa
• Gabriel Guzman, Australia
• Wayne Osborn, Australia
• Talia Greis, Australia

Underwater Characters

Winner: Jake Wilton

Finalists:

• Gabriel Guzman, Australia
• Dave Levasseur, Canada
• Josh Blank, Australia
• Nicolas Remy, Australia

Aquatic Abstract

Winner: Wade Hughes, Australia

Finalists:

• Derek Firman, Australia
• Richard Condlyffe, USA
• Karen Ho, Papua New Guinea
• Walter Drechsler, Germany

Topside Scenes

Winner: Anthony Brown

Finalists:

• Jørgen Rasmussen, Singapore
• Reed Plummer, Australia
• Pam Osborn, Australia
• Cameron McFarlane, Australia

Underwater Black and White

Winner: Pavlos Evangelidis

Finalists:

• Gabriel Guzman, Australia
• Katie Clewett, Australia
• Ellen Cuylaerts, United Kingdom
• Karen Ho, Papua New Guinea

Reportage

Winner: Jørgen Rasmussen, Singapore

Finalists:

• Sam Glenn-Smith, Australia
• Jodi Frediani, USA

The People’s Choice Award

Winner: Anthony Brown, Australia

Runner Up: Mel Wu, Australia

Two new awards were introduced in 2022:  

The Packer’s Prize (chosen by the Underwater Tour Team) goes to Helen Walne, Cape Town, South Africa

The Take3 Contest

Winner 1: Emma Turner, NSW

Runner Up: Jean-Louis Lebreux, QLD

Winner 2: Jules Casey, VIC   

Runner Up: Cathy Finch, QLD

“Congratulations to all winners and well done to all entrants,” Darren Jew encouraged. “We’d like to thank all our valued Partners – Take 3 and their fabulous prize partners, and our generous friends at CameraPro, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions, Momento Pro, Heron Island, Walindi Plantation Resort, Lady Elliot Island, Lady Musgrave Experience, QySEA FIFISH,  Henderson Greenpreene, Inon and SeaLife.”

Co-founder Tim Hochgrebe added, “Thank you to everyone who has taken part and supported the Awards this year. Planning for the Underwater Tour Awards 2023 is already in full swing and we are looking forward to seeing you next year”.
 

GRAND GURU PRIZE
 

Winner: Jake Wilton

GURU CATEGORY WINNERS

Underwater Scenes
 

Winner: Cameron McFarlane

Underwater Characters
 

Winner: Jake Wilton

Aquatic Abstract
 

Winner: Wade Hughes

Topside Scenes
 

Winner (and People’s Choice Award Winner): Anthony Brown

Underwater Black and White
 

Winner: Pavlos Evangelidis

Reportage
 

Winner: Jørgen Rasmussen

PACKER’S PRIZE
 

Winner: Helen Walne

TAKE3 CONTEST
 

Winner 1: Emma Turner

Winner 2: Jules Casey