News
Blue O Two announce the winners of DIVING LIFE Photography Competition
Blue O Two has announced the winners of their first amateur photography competition. Entitled, DIVING LIFE, it had two categories: Underwater Photograph and Divers Lifestyle Photograph. An overall winner was chosen from the two category winners and received the title: Diving Life Photographer of the Year 2020. A calendar of the winning photographs is being produced and will be released for sale in the coming weeks.
The team at Blue O Two were blown away by the response they had to the competition. Entries came in from all over the world. When they launched the competition, it was in part to lift the mood, spreading some joy among the Covid gloom. The idea was to remind divers of wonderful past experiences and to dream of those they will have again. Given the engagement from the global diving world and the standard of entries, the competition will now be annual.
From the hundreds of entries, there was an initial shortlist of 50 images. Each category had 2nd and 3rd places, alongside several runners up. The overall winner has a Liveaboard trip to Egypt to look forward to, the title of ‘Diving Life Photographer of the Year 2020’ and an assortment of Blue O Two goodies. Both category winners will receive a copy of their photograph printed on canvas, a copy of the Diving Life Calendar 2020 and a selection of branded goodies. The runners up will have their image printed in the calendar and will receive a free copy.
Dr Alex Mustard MBE, who judged the competition, said the following: “This collection of fabulous winning images reminds me why I love being underwater and going on diving adventures. It was a tough contest to judge because it was more than just an underwater picture competition, Diving Life was created for amateur photographers to share their love of diving, with pictures taken both above and below the surface. When judging I gave equal weighting to the feeling captured in the images and their photographic technique and quality. For me, all the winners capture the highs of dive trips: encounters with incredible creatures both big and small, amazing moments underwater, spending time with friends, visiting incredible places and having fun.
Special congratulations to the overall winner Masayuki Agawa from the USA, whose white knuckle image Hammer River will immediately transport anyone who has dived with hammerheads in the East Pacific back on those dives. The hammerhead schools are regularly most spectacular when the currents are fierce and the advice from the National Park guides is to stay low and hold onto the rocks, as anyone floating up in the water will spook the sharks. The picture places me right in the moment of this unforgettable experience as the hammerhead school magically materialises from the blue.”
The winner, Masayuki Agawa, said: “I am truly honored. Thank you very much for the compliments! It was hard to contain my excitement when I saw the announcement. Thank you again for such opportunity and motivation. I will continue to strive for better photos in the future!”
To see the winning images and learn more about the competition click here.
News
Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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