Underwater imaging is to enter a new golden age in Britain, with the introduction of a festival to celebrate the best in video and stills. The British Underwater Image Festival will run from 17 to 19 March next year at the Birmingham NEC as part of the Go Diving! Show. The competition has been designed to apply across a range of abilities, from professional television documentary makers to first-time photographers. Plans are underway for the entries to be exhibited and shown in an event that will mirror the Antibes underwater imaging festival in the South of France.

Organisers of the show are currently putting together a set of lavish prizes for the winners, which will include top-end liveaboard trips, holidays and diving equipment. The best 50 prints will be displayed on the walls outside the dive theatre, while six finalists in the film categories will be shown throughout the show on Friday and Saturday. ‘Britain used to have high-quality imaging festivals representing the work of divers, but there hasn’t been anything of note for a long time,’ said DIVE editor Simon Rogerson. ‘Now we are putting on something which could grow into a showcase for the incredible talent I know is out there. In France, they have the Antibes Festival, which is a red-letter day for anyone who makes pictures underwater. I believe the British Underwater Image Festival could grow into something just as important.’

THE RULES
A panel of high-profile judges includes legends Peter Scoones and David Doubilet lined up to lend their weight to the festival.

By entering the competition, entrants declare that they own copyright of the submitted photographs and films. DIVE magazine reserves the right to publish winning images both in the magazine and on the website. Winning mages will also be used in any future promotional material for the show and competition royalty free. The finalists will be displayed at the event in March 2006.

Print categories
1. Open - anything goes
2. Young photographers: you must be maximum 30 yrs old on 17th March 2006
3. Portfolio, six prints to be arranged in two rows of three

Rules for print stills
• Maximum of six prints per entrant and one portfolio per entrant
• There is no entry fee, but a payment of £5 will be required if you want the prints to be returned (cheques made payable to Circle Publishing Ltd)
• Prints must be A4 size with no exceptions, and will be mounted by DIVE
• Portfolios must be six A5 prints, accompanied by a guide showing in which order they should be viewed, with three images on top and three on the bottom - again, they will be mounted by DIVE