British Underwater Image Festival 2009

The British Underwater Image Festival (BUIF) 2009 sponsored by Canon and Cameras Underwater is now officially open to entries from underwater photographers and film-makers throughout the world.

Organisers are pleased to announce that camera manufacturer Canon and Cameras Underwater are to continue with their overall sponsorship of the event, following the success of the competition in 2008.

Thousands of pounds worth of prizes will be available to winners and runners-up across the underwater stills and video photography categories. For the first time, the prestigious competition has introduced a stills and video category dedicated to British waters. DIVE editor Simon Rogerson said: ‘It is only right that BUIF should have a dedicated section for underwater photography taken in British waters. Last year, we received a lot of high-quality entries taken in Britain, so creating a special section of the festival was a natural step.

‘Taking competition-quality photographs in British waters is a true test of diving skill – all the factors that make marine photography so challenging are magnified in UK conditions, but it also makes success all the more satisfying. With plans for a system of protected marine parks around the UK, there couldn’t be a more important time for photographers to communicate the fragile beauty of our underwater environment. I’m really looking forward to seeing the entries.’

All shortlisted images and videos will be showcased at the DIVE FEST in Cornwall on 15–17 May 2009, while prints will go on a month-long public display at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth in the summer. Confirmed prize sponsors include Mares, Denney Diving, Scuba Travel, Sea & Sea, Apeks, Poseidon and PADI.

First launched in 2005, the BUIF has become one of the most prestigious international underwater photography competitions in the world. BUIF 2008 saw more than 1,300 entries sent in by underwater photographers and film-makers from 30 different countries. Entrants competed in seven categories in the stills competition and three categories in the videography section (see www.divemagazine.co.uk/buif2008).

The stills photography section is judged by award-winning photographer Alex Mustard, co-founder of the British Society of Underwater Photographers (BSoUP) Colin Doeg, DIVE editor Simon Rogerson and celebrated British photographer Charles Hood. The DVD section is judged by BBC natural history film-maker Peter Scoones, Simon Rogerson and Colin Doeg.

The 2009 BUIF competition will also include another first: an on-the-day shootout in the waters of Cornwall. Underwater photographers from across the UK will be battling it out to be named the British Underwater Image Festival Splash-In Champion at the UK’s new dive beach festival in May 2009. Hundreds of pounds’ worth of prizes will be up for grabs to winners of the shootout in the three categories of Wide-angle, Close-up and Fish Portrait.

ENTRIES FOR BUIF MUST BE RECEIVED BY 31 MARCH 2009.

CATEGORIES

STILLS

SEA & SEA OPEN
FIRST: £800 Sea & Sea voucher
SECOND: £500 Sea & Sea voucher
THIRD: £350 Sea & Sea voucher

POSEIDON PORTFOLIO
FIRST: Poseidon Besea W100 wing, worth £500
SECOND: Poseidon Jetstream Mk3 regulator, worth £380
THIRD: Poseidon Force Fins, worth £200

APEKS BRITISH
FIRST: Apeks XTX 200 regulator, worth £452.12
SECOND: Apeks XTX 50 regulator, worth £352.72
THIRD: Apeks XTX 20 regulator, worth £237.03

THE PADI DIGITAL UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER
FIRST: £500 cheque
SECOND: £300 cheque
THIRD: £200 cheque

DVD

MARES PROFESSIONAL
FIRST: Mares Prestige package, worth £1,009.80, including: Prestige 22 NTT regulator, Prestige NTT octopus, Prestige MRS Plus BC, Puck 2 computer and console
SECOND: Mares Abyss package, worth £519.90, including: Mares Abyss 22 regulator, Mares Abyss octopus regulator
THIRD: Puck Mission 3 computer and gauge, worth £309.95

DENNEY DIVING BRITISH
FIRST: Explorer 10840 hard case, worth £417.70 
SECOND: Explorer 5833 hard case, worth £221.24
THIRD: Explorer 4419 hard case, worth £106.19

SCUBA TRAVEL AMATEUR
FIRST: Red Sea liveaboard trip aboard MV Whirlwind, worth up to £1,075
SECOND: Dive holiday to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt with Emperor/Oxygene and Bay View Hotel, worth £650
THIRD: £200 Scuba Travel voucher

Download the BUIF entry form here


BRITISH UNDERWATER IMAGE FESTIVAL SPLASH-IN

Underwater photographers will do battle in a one-day shoot-out during Dive Fest at Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, Cornwall, on 16 May. The British Underwater Image Festival (BUIF) Splash-in competition, which is sponsored by Canon and Cameras Underwater and is open to all underwater photographers, will see competitors vying for top prizes in the three categories: Wide-angle, Close-up and Fish Portrait.

All images entered must be taken on the day and submitted to the Dive Fest Splash-in organisers by 7pm on Saturday 16 May.

BUIF judges will name the winner at the festival’s award ceremony on Sunday 17 May. Prizes include a Canon Ixus 85 compact digital camera with full housing worth £350 and Inon 105 wide-angle lens and Cameras Underwater vouchers.

Photographers wishing to take part in the Dive Fest Splash-in on 16 May must register with the organisers before they go diving. The registration desk will be open between 7pm and 9pm on the Friday evening in the BUIF theatre on the first floor of the Pentewan Sands Holiday Park clubhouse. Registration will open again between 7am and 10am at the dive hut on the Saturday. All images must be submitted to the Splash-in desk in the BUIF theatre by 7pm.