Plymouth-based charity the Shark Trust has launched a photography competition and is asking divers and others to submit their favourite photographs on any theme embracing not only sharks but rays, skates, chimaera or even eggcases.
Not to be confused with the Great Shark Snapshot, run by the trust each summer to obtain new images for its database, the Shark Trust Photography Competition is for images that could have been taken at any time.
To find its outright shark-photo champion, the trust is inviting underwater photographers to enter up to four images over the course of the next six weeks.
It’s a single-category contest in terms of entry, though there will be awards not only for the overall winner but under the headings British Isles & Overseas, Best Eggcase, Young Shark Photographer (under-18s), and entries relating to the Shark Trust’s Mediterranean, Living With Sharks and Oceanics programmes.
Judges Charles Hood, Nick Robertson-Brown and Simon Rogerson will select the finalists, whose work will be printed for display at Ocean Studios in Plymouth's Royal William Yard during July, which is designated “Shark Month”. Visiting members of the public will then have the opportunity to vote for their favourite images.
The main prize is a “Shark Dive & Stay” package for two in Nassau with accommodation at Breezes and diving with Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas. This is provided by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Diverse Travel (flights excluded).
Other prizes include two Mares Quad 2 computers, a Scapa Joe beach-trash shark sculpture, Shark Trust Teemill merchandise, a guided ray and catshark ultraviolet night-dive for two in Pembrokeshire with Haven Diving Services and an In Deep evening dive-trip for two in Plymouth.
Photographers have until 15 May this year to enter the competition at the Shark Trust site and entry is free, though donations are welcome. The winners will be revealed at the end of July.
Also on Divernet: Diverse Travel becomes Shark Trust patron, Wanted: Divers’ oceanic & basking shark sightings, The Bahamas’ big shark trifecta, Divers snapshot 2,000 sharks & rays
