Competition Categories
UPY has eight categories for images:
1) International Wide Angle: for wide angle images shot anywhere in the world. Wreck photos are
welcome in this category, but you will probably want to enter them in category 3. Open to all.
2) International Macro: for close-up/macro images shot anywhere in the world. Open to all.
3) International Wrecks: for wide angle to macro images shot on wrecks. The wreck can be the main
subject, or simply the setting for a marine life, macro or diver photograph. Photos can be taken
anywhere in the world. Open to all.
4) International Behaviour: for wide angle to close-up and macro images showing interesting natural
behaviour of underwater life. These images can be shot anywhere in the world. Open to all.
5) Up & Coming World-Wide: for wide angle or close-up/macro images shot anywhere in the world
(including the UK). Open only to underwater photographers who have not previously been awarded in
an underwater photography competition or been published.
The aim of this category is to showcase the work of new talent.
6) British Waters Wide Angle: for images shot anywhere in UK waters*. Open to all.
7) British Waters Macro: for close-up/macro images shot anywhere in UK waters*. Open to all.
8) British Waters Compact: for wide angle or close-up/macro images shot in British Waters with a
compact camera (includes stills from GoPro and other action cameras, does not include
interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras). Open to all.
The aim of this category is to encourage more photographers to take photos in British waters, and
demonstrate what can be achieved with modest camera equipment.
You can enter as many as the categories as you wish and can enter multiple images into the categories
(up to the allowed number of images you chose on registration). Each image can only be entered in
one category. All nationalities of photographers can enter all categories.
* UK Waters are defined as coastal seas, lakes, rivers etc within the United Kingdom (England,
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) and the waters of British Channel Islands, Isle of Man. It does
not include aquariums or swimming pools. It does not include the waters of British overseas
territories. We are not featuring video categories in UPY-2015, but we hope to in future editions.
Points Make Prizes
The competition is open to all photographers: professionals and amateurs. A single photographer can
win all the categories they enter. A single photographer, can theoretically (if they are British and have
never won a contest before), win all three special awards. However, a single photographer can only
take home one prize. This will not affect the published results or placings in the categories.
Each photographer will receive points for each photo that places in the top 10 of each category. And
as all Brits can tell you: "What do points make? Points make Prizes!"
The photographer with the most points (in total across all categories) will get first choice of prize
from our sponsors, the photographer with the second highest points total will get second choice, and
so on until the prize fund is exhausted. This system has two advantages, first winners get to choose
their prizes, so end up with prizes they really need. And second more individuals will take home
prizes from the festival.
The 6 main categories (1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & 7) will award points for the top 10 places as follows:
25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1
The 2 other categories (5 & 8) will award less points as these categories typically attract less entrants
and are often dominated by relatively few photographers:
12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Please note that we won’t publish the results as a top 10 in each category, this is just for the points.
Instead the top 10 will be published as Winner, Runner Up, Third Place, 4x highly commended (4th7th), 3 x commended (8th-10th).
The Rules
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All photos must be taken underwater. Photos for the British Categories (categories 6-8) must be taken in
the waters of the UK.
Categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & 7 are open to all photographers. Category 5 is open only to photographers who
have never won an underwater photography award nor had their work published by 5th January 2015.
Category 8 is open to all photographers using a compact camera to shoot photographs in British Waters.
Upon paying the entry fee of either £5 GBP or £15 GBP, photographers may enter up to 3 or upto 15
images across the categories. Payment via PayPal, major credit/debit card.
The deadline for entries is strictly 5th January 2015 23:59 (GMT).
All photos must be the work of the photographer entering.
Photographs that have previously won or be awarded in major international competitions and are well
known to the judges are highly unlikely to be successful.
For simplicity, there are no restrictions on post processing. However, this is not a Photoshop contest and
winning images are expected to represent reality. Black and white images are accepted in all categories.
Cropping is permitted, but winning images must still have sufficient resolution for production of the
exhibition prints. Photographers placing in the top 10 in each category will be asked to provide higher
resolution files before the final results are confirmed.
Do not put your name your the picture. The judging is anonymous and images containing a
photographer’s watermark will be excluded.
The judges' decision on all matters is final.
Image Usage
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The copyright of all image will remain with the photographer.
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UPY reserves the right to reproduce the best images royalty free, but only in connection with sharing the
competition results and promoting the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest. Photos will always
be used with credit to the photographer (e.g. "Peter Rowlands/UPY 2015 etc").
We hope that many publications and our sponsors will showcase the results of this competition and
benefit the photographers with high profile exposure for their talents.
Preparing Images
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Our bespoke entry form will rename your files so that judging remains anonymous.
All entries must be resized to 1500 pixels in the longest dimension.
Images should be entered as JPG files, saved at best quality.
Colour space should ideally be Adobe 1998 RGB, however the judging will use software that can read
any standard colour profile.
Entries cannot be changed once they are uploaded.
Please mark the boxes on the entry form if you are eligible for the British photographer and/or the Most
Promising photographer awards.
Please contact us through the contact form if you have any queries.
DO NOT watermark images with your name.
Your Information
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While we have required you to enter using your email address, we will NEVER share this with anyone
outside the organisers.
We will only contact you with regard to this competition, and for no other reason.
At no point will we hold any payment information, which will be handled by PayPal.