The 2016 Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) contest is now open for entries. It is soliciting entries for 5 international categories, which include: Wide Angle, Macro, Wrecks, Behavior, Up & Coming. In addition, there are 3 categories for images shot in the UK: British Waters Wide Angle, Macro and Compacts. The deadline for entries is 4 January, with the winers being announced on stage at the London Dive Show on 12 February.

Full entry details and contest rules area vaialble on the competition’s website

Press release

Could You Be The Next Underwater Photographer Of The Year?

The search is on for the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2016, with the return of the prestigious UPY competition, which opens for entries on 1st November. Deadline is 4th January 2016 with the winners announced on stage at the London International Dive Show on 12th February 2016.

The competition will be judged by Martin Edge, Peter Rowlands and Alex Mustard. Major prizes come from APEKS, Fourth Element, Nauticam and Scuba Travel.

The competition is divided into 8 categories:

• Wide Angle
• Macro
• Wrecks
• Behavior
• Up & Coming
• British Waters Wide Angle
• British Waters Macro
• British Waters Compacts

And the competition will make four special awards:

• The Underwater Photographer of the Year
• British Underwater Photographer of Year
• Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year
• Most Promising British Underwater Photographer of the Year

Full details are available on the contest’s website.

Chair of the UPY judges, Alex Mustard said, “this is a competition run by photographers for photographers, to give our community the competition it deserves to celebrate excellence in all branches of underwater photography.”

Following the success of the inaugural Underwater Photographer of the Year competition, which was immediately established as one of the largest annual events in our community’s calendar, UPY 2016 continues with the same format. Alex adding “we plan to evolve the competition in the coming years, but we were so overwhelmed by the response in year one that it does not need reinventing.”

“We have tried to keep entry fees as low as possible, provide prizes that photographers really want to win and select the winners with a face to face judging process you can really believe in.”

“We are very grateful for the continued support of Apeks Regulators, Fourth Element, Nauticam, Magic Filters, Scuba Travel, the National Marine Aquarium, the London International Dive Show, the Telegraph Outdoor show, Diver Magazine, Underwater Photography Magazine and the British Society of Underwater Photographers, which makes this event possible.”

Last year’s winning images can still be enjoyed and studied in the free UPY 2015 Yearbook.