Call for entries: Our World Underwater and DEEP Indonesia

by adamhanlon Thursday, January 3rd, 2013

Article Summary:

In case you missed our original announcement, the 2013 Wetpixel/DivePhotoGuide competitions; Our World Underwater and DEEP Indonesia, and now up and running and accepting entries. Together, they will hand out over $80,000 worth of prizes, supplied by our amazing competition sponsors. Our World Underwater 2013 has categories for macro and wide-angle in both restricted and unrestricted classes, compact, novice, video and commercial, conceptual and fashion. DEEP Indonesia 2013 has categories for divers, animal portrait, animal behavior, reefscapes , compact cameras and two new ones for 2013: Surf and sharks.

OWU has a deadline of 19 January 2013 and DEEP Indonesia’s is 10 February 2012. Full details, rules and entry requirements are on the UnderwaterCompetition.com website.

Hi Adam, Yes, I did read the part of your reply where you gave the 85% figure and what it is used for in part. I would still be very interested in knowing the number of entries to each contest as it helps one decide whether to enter the contest or not. Depending on what you have for a picture, you can gauge this against what the odds are. Concerning your contention that the WPOTY contest prizes and airfares are paid for be the British taxpayers, I have doubts that this is so. The last numbers I saw suggested that about 30,000 images are entered in this contest. If you took and average entry of 15 images, this works out to 2,000 entry fees and about $60.000. And then there is the financial contribution of the contest's major sponsor - Veolia. I think the Natural History Museum makes a tidy profit with the contest and its spin-offs. I have no problem with that. But I am also happy to know that the WPOTY contest has about 30,000 entries which gives a perspective to both the entries and the prestige accorded to the winners, which is why it attracts entries from photographers like Frans Lanting and from Paul Nicklen whose new book Polar Obsession is one of the best underwater books I have ever seen. Fred
Posted by divegypsy on 2013-01-10 21:03:54 Hi Fred-thank you for correcting your mistake. I'm sure you are aware how damaging accusing people of things that are incorrect or misleading can be. You don't seem to have read my reply to your post in full though when you ask where the other 85% of the fees go: "Administering a major photographic contest takes up a great deal of time and ultimately this time does represent money. The folks administering WPOTY get paid by the UK taxpayer (ultimately), whereas, for OWU and DEEP, the entry fees are needed to fund the contests themselves." To contrast and compare WPOTY and our competitions is not fair. One is run by a governmental institution, with charitable status and vast funding. Your "free" flight was ultimately paid for by the UK taxpayer! OWU and DEEP are run by small businesses, with limited funding and resources, and as such, I think we do a pretty reasonable job. Both Wetpixel and DPG must show a profit in order to survive and grow (the Natural History Museum has no such constraints). Do the OWU and DEEP contests run at an overall profit? I honestly do not know, however I expect that this is so. Why is this an issue? I know of no implied or explicit characterization of them as a charity or non-profit. However, I don't think that either business is getting rich on the back of contest entry fees however:) OWU and DEEP attract some of the best underwater images that I have seen in over 25 years of photography. I am constantly humbled by the quality of the entries. I am very glad that people view them as being both worthwhile to enter and of sufficient status to warrant putting their best images into them.
Posted by adamhanlon on 2013-01-06 10:26:57 Yes, Adam, I did use the wrong word. I should have said that I believe that these and many other photo contests are primarily money-making tactics for the ORGANIZERS (not the sponsors who donate trips or equipment in return for the publicity they receive or out of good will). You have said that 15% of the entry proceeds go to chosen marine charities and causes. To help us understand the situation more clearly, can you tell us how many images in total were entered in last year's OWU and DEEP contests? And if 15% was donated to marine causes, where did the other 85% of the entrance fees go? I rarely enter photo contests either because the "fine print" conditions are unacceptable to me or because the prizes are not really attractive. The last time I entered the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest (10? 15? years ago) I received first place awards in two categories and an air ticket to Britain where I met David Attenborough. And saw the displays in the UK Natural History Museum.
Posted by divegypsy on 2013-01-06 07:16:33 Fred-I need to jump right in here. The sponsors gain no material benefit from our competitions at all, but generously give up products and services at no cost for prizes. OWU and DEEP are a cost to the sponsors, not a profit! I think you are confusing sponsors with organizers. WPOY is held under the auspices of the UK's Natural History Museum, which is a very large government funded organization, with resources and budgets that Wetpixel and DPG can only dream about. Administering a major photographic contest takes up a great deal of time and ultimately this time does represent money. The folks administering WPOTY get paid by the UK taxpayer (ultimately), whereas, for OWU and DEEP, the entry fees are needed to fund the contests themselves. Lastly, please bear in mind that 15% of the entry proceeds are donated directly to marine charities and causes.
Posted by adamhanlon on 2013-01-04 20:03:41 One has to wonder whether the WetPixel/DivePhotoGuide competitions are just money making schemes for the sponsors. The best wildlife competition I know of, the British Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest, allows an entrant to enter up to 20 images, in different categories, for £20, which is approximately $30 or $1.50 each if you enter the full 20 images. The Wetpixel/DivePhotoGuide contests charge you $10 per image. Entering a dozen images would cost you £20 for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest and $120 for the W/D contests. And in the WPoY contest, you can win more than one prize if you have more than one winning image.
Posted by divegypsy on 2013-01-04 19:47:01 No more super macro catagory?
Posted by Motek on 2013-01-04 12:15:30