2022 Sponsors & prizes
Prizes and sponsors for the 2022 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition
We at the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition believe that, while prizes are an important part of any serious photography contest, it is the prize that money can-not buy which makes our awards uniquely attractive to underwater photographers. This comes from the worldwide media exposure that we generate for our winners and their photography.
That said, we are very proud that many of the leading companies in the diving and underwater photography world choose to sponsor UPY and we hope all entrants will consider using their products in the future.
If your company wants to sponsor a prize in a future UPY competition, please get in touch.
Placings in UPY categories that do not have dedicated prizes get you points, and points get you prizes!
A single photographer can only take home one prize from the prize pool and as many of the fixed category prizes that they win. Photographers with the most points get first pick, we will contact you in order to get your selection.
Prize allocation for the 2022 competition:
- The Underwater Photographer of the Year will be given first choice from the prize pool, regardless of their points total
- The two Compact Camera categories (Compact and British Waters Compact) have their own dedicated prize-pools (see below) and winning images will not accrue 'points' towards the overall prizes
- The winner of the Wrecks category will have an allocated prize. All other awarded images in this category will be eligible for points, and therefore pool prizes
- All other UK categories also have their own dedicated prize-pools (prize allocation yet to be confirmed) and winning images will not accrue 'points' towards the overall prizes
- All remaining prizes will be given on a 'points-make-prizes' basis, with each photographer only receiving one prize (with the exception of those awarded in the Compact or UK Categories, see above)
- Please note: physical prizes may incur import duty. Vouchers have no cash value and cannot be exchanged for cash
- Note full terms and conditions of each prize is not listed here
2022 Category specific prize allocations
Category 3. Wrecks
Winner: MV Halton
Category 7. Compacts
Winner: Backscatter $500
Runner up: Scubalamp $300
Third: Magic Filters £75
Category 8. Up & Coming
Winner: Nauticam MWL-1 lens
Runner up: Scuba Travel £200
Third: Magic Filters £100
Category 9. British Waters Wide Angle
Winner: Scuba Travel £500
Runner up: Dive Stay
Third: Fourth Element £50
Category 10. British Waters Macro
Winner: Fourth Element £250 + Scuba Travel £200
Runner up: Divers Down
Third: Fourth Element £50
Category 11. British Waters Living Together
Winner: £500 sponsored by The Crown Estate
Runner up: £300 sponsored by The Crown Estate
Third: £200 sponsored by The Crown Estate
Category 12. British Waters Compact
Winner: Sound Diving
Runner up: Nautilus £250 Fantasea Lens
Third: Scuba Travel £100
'Save Our Seas Foundation' Marine Conservation
Winner: £500 sponsored by Save Our Seas Foundation
Runner up: £300 sponsored by Save Our Seas Foundation
Third: £200 sponsored by Save Our Seas Foundation
A-Z of sponsors and prizes
Agulhas House
1 person, 7 nights with 8 reef dives and 2 baited dives package.
Includes all transfers, meals, cylinder, weights, nitrox and Marine permit.
Aiyanar Beach and Dive Resort, Anilao, Philippines
1 x 7 day, 6 night in resort with 10 dive package (approx $1500 USD).
(Prize to be claimed only after Philippines fully open to international tourism. Prize cannot be claimed during Easter Holyweek or between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.)
Backscatter
Two separate prizes:
1 x $500 USD voucher for underwater camera equipment at Backscatter.com - allocated to the winner of the Compact category.
1 x $500 USD voucher for underwater camera equipment at Backscatter.com
Crystal Blue Resort, Philippines
7 Nights Full accommodation, 6 days x 3 dives (18 Guided boat dives).
Must be claimed during first year after Philippines and Crystal Blue Resort are fully open international tourists.
Dive into Lembeh
1 x 6 night stay with 5 days of diving (2 day boat dives per day).
This is full board and includes transfers and Nitrox (published price value of USD$1835).
This prize not valid during October or Xmas / New Year week.
Dive Stay, eyemouth, Scotland
Weekend diving – 2 days diving with 2 Nights accommodation (Friday/Saturday) - allocated to the runner up of the the British Waters Wide Angle category.
Divers Down, Swanage, England
https://www.diversdownswanage.co.uk/
1 days diving (2 dives) for 2 people (Midweek) - allocated to the runner up of the British Waters Macro category.
Fourth Element
Three separate prizes:
1 x £250 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element Online Shop - allocated to the winner of the British Waters Macro category.
1 x £50 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element online shop - allocated to third place of the British Waters Macro category.
1 x £50 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element online shop - allocated to third place of the British Waters Wide Angle category.
Go Aqaba
1 x 2 people, 4 days dive package for a couple, the prize includes
- Daily diving with two dives a day
- Accommodation
- Nitrox 32%
- Lunch, water and soft drink
- Wadi Rum Excursion include one night accommodation at Rahayeb Desert Camp F.B
- Petra Excursion include transfer, and lunch (Entrance fees is not included 50JD per Person)
Gulen Dive Resort, Norway
https://www.gulendiveresort.com/
1 x 10 Nights Nudibranch Safari, with Macro/Nudibranch diving on our house reef and local sites in the strait outside the resort.
Included in your stay:10 Nights (self-catered) Accommodation in shared twin rooms.
20 Macro Dives. Tanks, weights and air for all dives. Airport Transfers from Bergen.
Magic Filters
Three separate prizes:
1x £100 GBP voucher to be spent on any Magic Filter products - allocated to third place of the Up & Coming category.
1x £75 GBP voucher to be spent on any Magic Filter products - allocated to third place of the Compact category.
1x £50 GBP voucher to be spent on any Magic Filter products
MV Halton
7 night Scapa Diving for 2 people to be taken in 2022. - allocated to the winner of the Wrecks category.
Nauticam
Three separate prizes:
1 x Nauticam MWL-1 lens - allocated to the winner of the Up & Coming category.
1 x Nauticam SMC-1 lens
1 x Nauticam CMC-1 lens
Nautilus UK
£250 GBP voucher towards a Fantasea lens - allocated to the runner up of the British Waters Compact category.
Red Sea Diving
1 x 7 nights accommodation in a deluxe chalet for one person at Marsa Shagra, Marsa Nakari or Wadi Lahami, plus 5 days diving and transfers from Marsa Alam airport for one person.
Valid for 12 months.
Save Our Seas Foundation
Three separate prizes:
1 x £500 GBP Cash prize - allocated to the winner of the Save Our Seas Foundation Marine Conservation category.
1 x £300 GBP Cash prize - allocated to the runner up of the Save Our Seas Foundation Marine Conservation category.
1 x £200 GBP Cash prize - allocated to third place of the Save Our Seas Foundation Marine Conservation category.
Scuba Travel
Eight separate prizes:
1 x £750 GBP voucher
1 x £500 GBP voucher - allocated to the winner of the British Waters Wide Angle category.
1 x £200 GBP voucher - allocated to the runner up of the Up & Coming category
1 x £200 GBP voucher- allocated to the winner of the British Waters Macro category.
1 x £100 GBP voucher - allocated to the runner up of the British Waters Compact category.
3 x £100 GBP vouchers
Scubalamp
Three separate prizes:
1 x $600 USD voucher for ScubaLamp products
1 x $300 USD voucher for ScubaLamp products - allocated to the runner up of the Compact category.
1 x $100 USD voucher for ScubaLamp products
Sound Diving, Plymouth, England
https://www.sounddivingplymouth.co.uk/
Weekend diving for 2 - allocated to the winner of the British Waters Compact category.
The Crown Estate
https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/
Three separate prizes:
1 x £500 GBP Cash prize - allocated to the winner of the British Waters Living Together category.
1 x £300 GBP Cash prize - allocated to the runner up of the British Waters Living Together category.
1 x £200 GBP Cash prize - allocated to third place of the British Waters Living Together category.
Thresher Shark Divers, Philippines
1 x 10 Dive Package for 1 person with Thresher Shark Divers. Accomodation not included.
Triton Bay Divers, West Papua, Indonesia,
1 week stay, including 3 dives per day (total 15 dives) with Triton Bay Divers.