The third Underwater Awards Australasia (UWAA) imaging competition is now accepting submissions. The contest is open to underwater photographers and videographers from around the world but the submissions required are their most compelling work from the Australasian region (though there is also an International Waters category).
The contest is a three-way collaboration between the long-established online dive-site Underwater Australasia, online photography and videography resource DivePhotoGuide and underwater imaging and dive-gear distributor UW Images.
This year’s UWAA entrants will compete for prizes in nine categories including a new one called Only Water, and one outstanding image or video will be accorded the title of Best of Show.
The categories are Sydney, Conservation, Australian, International Waters, Tough TG (for Olympus compacts), Portfolio (six images), Smartphone/Action Cam, Only Water (no humans or wildlife). The Reels Showcase category for videos calls for any Instagram Reel of 90sec or less, with at least 50% consisting of underwater video clips.
The photo judges are Tobias Friedrich, Matty Smith, Scott Portelli and Jayne Jenkins, while the video judge is Ross Long and special category guest judge Ray Collins.
Prizes worth almost AU $70,000 (£37,400) comprise resort and liveaboard dive trips as well as the underwater imaging and dive gear, including an underwater photography drone and a DPV with photo platform.
The organisers will also choose one of the category winners to have their work featured in an exclusive cover story in Scuba Diver magazine (ANZ Edition).
The competition will culminate in an exhibition and awards ceremony at the Go Diving Show ANZ in Sydney, which runs on the 5/6 September, featuring high-quality metal prints of the photo finalist entries.
Prints will also be available for purchase at the show, with half of the proceeds going to environmental partners the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and Take 3 For The Sea.
Winners will be published in the 2027 AMCS calendar, with proceeds from sales going to marine conservation, while all entry fees from the Conservation category will be donated to environmental partners.
Entry fees are US $10 per image or video entered, and entries close on 19 July. Find out more here, and the winning images at the same site in September.
