Underwater photography guru Dr Alex Mustard is returning to the Main Stage at the GO Diving Show in March, announcing the winners of the prestigious Underwater Photographer of the Year awards on Saturday afternoon, as well as doing his own presentation on the Sunday.
Alex will be joining a host of star names on the Main Stage, including TV presenters Andy Torbet, Monty Halls and Miranda Krestovnikoff (the latter two making a welcome return after a one- and two-year hiatus from the show), freediving guru and key DEEP team member Kirk Krack, powerboat champion and stunt performer Sarah Donohue, and technical diving pioneer Jarrod Jablonski.
Dr Alex Mustard
Dr Alexander Mustard MBE has been widely regarded as one of the world’s leading underwater photographers for the last 20 years. He has been taking photographs underwater since he was nine years old and has worked as a full-time underwater photographer since 2004.
He has a PhD in marine ecology and still occasionally publishes peer-reviewed papers (most recently 2023).
His photographs have won many awards, including regularly in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year – being awarded in nine different categories and appearing in 15 different books of winning pictures in the last 20 years. He is also a six-time category winner in the British Wildlife Photography Awards.
His 2007 book Reefs Revealed, won the International Grand Prize for the best book of underwater photographs, while his 2016 instructional book Underwater Photography Masterclass remains the most sought after title on the subject and was reprinted just two weeks after its launch.
In 2013, Alex was named GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his image Night Moves and was the first underwater photographer to win this prestigious award.
His photographs have been displayed in exhibitions around the world and a particular highlight was personally presenting his work to Queen Elizabeth II in 2005.
In 2003, he received the Visions In the Sea Award for Outstanding Contributions to Underwater Photography, in 2016, the ADEX Award for Extraordinary Contribution to Underwater Photography and in 2020, the Tridente D’Oro – Underwater Academy Award.
In 2018, he received national recognition being made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for ‘services to underwater photography’.
He is a founder and chair of the jury for the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition and has acted as a judge for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the CMAS World Championship of Underwater Photography, the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the British Wildlife Photography Awards and most other contests.
Alex is a regular contributor to many publications in the marine, wildlife, diving and photographic media, and to date has published more than 700 articles. In particular, he is a sought after writer on all aspects of underwater photography, especially technique articles. In addition to various features, he currently writes monthly columns on underwater photography for Scuba Diver Magazine (UK and Australia/New Zealand).
The GO Diving Show
The GO Diving Show returns to the NAEC at Stoneleigh Park, near Kenilworth, on 2-3 March, this time taking in all three halls and expanding to 10,000 sq metres of exhibition space.
As well as the Main Stage, there are also dedicated stages for UK diving, technical diving, underwater photography and inspirational tales, plus the ever-popular Cave, the giant trydive pool. and, new for 2024, an interactive bouldering wall and a dual VR diving simulator so you and your ‘buddy' can venture off ‘underwater' together, all scattered among an ever-increasing array of stands from tourist boards, manufacturers, training agencies, resorts, liveaboards, dive centres, retailers and much more.
Tickets, which are valid for the entire weekend and include complementary parking, are available now, priced at £25.
Scuba Diver magazine subscribers receive a special discounted rate (£11.68), and those who have completed a Discover Scuba Diver session, or an open water/advanced open water (or equivalent – see website for full list of relevant courses from PADI, BSAC, NAUI, RAID, SAA, SSI and SDI) since 1 April 2023, are eligible for FREE tickets. Verification of subscription or course completion is required for these special offers.
BSAC, PADI, SDI, NAUI, RAID, SAA or SSI diver? Get in touch with your training agency for special member discounts on tickets!
The 2024 show also sees the Ocean Film Festival taking place on the Saturday evening – settle in and watch a host of award-winning films on our giant screen on the Main Stage. Entrance to the Ocean Film Festival is included in a weekend show ticket, meaning it represents even better value for money! (A ticket to just the Ocean Film Festival on the Saturday evening is £14.94).
