Open Category Winner 2006 Zac Macaulay Young Photographer Winner 2006 Justin Gilligan Portfolio Winner 2006 Gavin Newman

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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 are listed below. 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

The panel of judges for the stills will be Colin Doeg, Alexander Mustard, Simon Rogerson and Charles Hood.

The panel of the judges for the films will be Peter Scoones, Colin Doeg, Mark Evans and Simon Rogerson.

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. The Sea and Sea Portfolio Category. Six prints to be arranged in two rows of three

Special prizes

1. The Suunto Best British Image of show
2. Digital Depot Hotshots Image of the Year (chosen from the last 12 months Hot Shots and voted for by you on the web - www.divemagazine.co.uk).
3. The Olympus best image of show chosen by the public at Go Diving!

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 inches x 7 inches or 10 inches x 8 inches with a border of at least 3mm on each edge, and will be mounted by DIVE
Portfolios must be six 5 inches x 7 inches 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. The Mares 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. The CPS 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.

ENTRY DEADLINE 31 JANUARY 2007

PRIZES:

The Suunto Open Category
Prize 1: Suunto D9 with bracelet, + transmitter.  RRP £1150
Prize 2: Suunto D9 with straps, + transmitter. RRP £1020
Prize 3: Suunto D6. RRP £470

The PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Category (compact only)
Prize 1: £500
Prize 2: £300
Prize 3: £200

The Sea and Sea Portfolio Category
Prize 1: YS250 strobe. RRP £499
Prize 2: YS110 strobe. RRP £329
Prize 3: YS27 strobe. RRP £227

The Suunto Best British Image of show
Prize: Suunto D9 with bracelet, + transmitter.  RRP £1150

The Olympus best image of show
Prize: £1,000 voucher for Cameras Underwater

Digital Depot Hotshots Image of the Year
Prize: Olympus 700 bundle. RRP £259

The Mares Professional category
Prize1: Abyss regulator, rebel octopus, mission 2D gauges. RRP 505  
Prize 2: Vector epic jacket and technonmad 135 bag . RRP £365
Prize 3: Quattro Excel fins, Demon mask and Hydrex snorkel RRP £165

The Apeks Liveaboard category
Prize 1: XTX200 regulator. RRP £448
Prize 2: XTX50 regulator. RRP £350
Prize 3: XTX20 regulator. RRP £235

The CPS Amateur category
Prize 1: Metalsub KL1255 cable lamp, battery pack and charger. RRP £443
Prize 2: TUSA DC-SAPIENCE Wrist Computer. RRP £275
Prize 3: HPRC Protective Case. RRP £191

Send your entries with a completed entry form to:

DIVE Magazine
British Underwater Image Festival
One Victoria Villas,
Richmond,
Surrey,
TW9 2GW.

Download the BUIF Entry form here.