Following the enormous success of the first ever British Underwater Image Festival (BUIF) in 2006, images are now being accepted for the 2007 event which promises to be even bigger and better. BUIF is to be held on the 16-18 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. Finalists will be exhibited and shown at the NEC during the Outdoors Show in an event that will mirror the much-celebrated Antibes underwater imaging festival held in the South of France.

Thousands of pounds worth of prizes are on offer to the winners, and will be announced in the coming months. The best 50 prints from the Open Category, ten from the Portfolio Category and ten from the Digital Compact Category 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, Saturday and Sunday.

‘Last year’s inaugural BUIF showed just how much talent there is out there and this year we want to uncover even more so we’ve raised the stakes,’ said DIVE editor Simon Rogerson. ‘It will be another magnificent showcase of new and existing talent in underwater imaging.’

THE RULES

A panel of high-profile judges from the world of underwater photography and film will be present throughout 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 2007.

Print categories

1. The Suunto Open Category - anything goes
2. The PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Category - Images must have been taken with a digital compact camera
3. Portfolio, six prints to be arranged in two rows of three

Special prizes

1. The Suunto Best British Image of show
2. The people’s choice (chosen from the last 12 months Hot Shots and voted for by you on the web - www.divemagazine.co.uk).

Rules for print stills

Maximum of six prints per entrant per category (Suunto Open and PADI Digital).
Maximum of one entry per person for the portfolio category.
There is no entry fee
Prints must be 10 x 7 with a border of at least 3mm on each edge, and will be mounted by DIVE
Portfolios must be six 5 x 7 with a border of at least 3mm on each edge, 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
All prints must be labeled on the reverse with photographer’s name, category, where the picture was taken and equipment used.

Video categories

1. Professional category: 30-minute maximum documentary-style
2. The Apeks Liveaboard category: ten-minute maximum open style (must have been filmed by a resident liveaboard or dive centre videographer)
3. Amateur category: ten-minute maximum short, open to all comers - suggested categories include scientific; imaginative; humorous; storyboard and holiday

Rules for video

• All submissions must be PAL format on DVD
• Films must have been shot or broadcast during 2006/7
• The six finalists’ films will be shown throughout the show on Friday and Saturday, interspersing documentaries with shorts
• Judging will take place in advance of the Go Diving! show and the decision of the judges will be final.

Send your entries with a completed entry form to:

DIVE Magazine
British Underwater Image Festival
83-84 George Street
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 1HE.

Download the BUIF Entry form here.