2025 Sponsors & prizes
Prizes and sponsors for the 2025 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 high regard that everyone has for this particular competition and 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.
A-Z of sponsors and prizes
Agulhas House
1 person 7 nights 8 reef dives 2 baited dives package - allocated to winner of the British Waters Wide Angle category
Includes all transfers, meals, cylinder, weights, nitrox and Marine permit.
Location: South Africa.
Aiyanar Beach and Dive Resort, Anilao, Philippines
7 day, 6 night in resort with 10 dive package.
Prize cannot be claimed during Easter Holyweek or between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.
Location: Anilao, Philippines.
Alami Alor
7 nights with basic diver package (2 boat dive per day), for the 2025 season (March 15 - December 14).
Full board accommodation in ocean front AC bungalow (breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, tea, snacks, drinking water & airport transfers).
5 diving days with 2 morning boat dives per day, Complimentary Nitrox, unlimited unguided housereef diving.
Location: Alor, Indonesia.
Backscatter
Two separate prizes:
2 x $500 USD voucher for underwater camera equipment at Backscatter.com
BackscatterXTerminator
Two separate prizes:
- 2x licences for BackscatterXTerminator (each licence allows use on 2 computers)
Coral Eye
1 Person 5 night stay & 10 air dives.
Location: Sulawesi, Indonesia.
The Crown Estate
https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/
Three separate prizes:
- £500 GBP cash prize - allocated to the winner of the British Waters Living Together category
- £300 GBP cash prize - allocated to the runner-up of the British Waters Living Together category
- £200 GBP cash prize - allocated to third place of the British Waters Living Together category
Crystal Blue Resort, Philippines
7 Nights Full accommodation, 6 days x 3 dives (18 Guided boat dives).
Location: Anilao, Philippines.
Dive into Lembeh, Indonesia
All inclusive package of 6 nights with 5 days of 2 guided day dives by speedboat) in a seaview bungalow, for 1 person.
Includes full board accommodation, unlimited tea, local coffee, water, 2 guided day dives by speedboat per day, plus access to the house-reef between 8AM to 6PM
This prize is valid until April 2026 (and excludes Oct/Nov 2025).
Location: Sulawesi, Indonesia
Dive Into Raja Ampat, Indonesia
https://diveintorajaampat.com/
All inclusive package of 6 nights with 5 days of 2 day dives per day in a Garden View Room, for 1 person.
Includes full board accommodation, unlimited tea, local coffee, water, 2 guided day dives by speedboat per day, plus access to the house-reef between 8AM to 6PM
This prize is valid until April 2026 (and excludes Oct/Nov 2025).
Location: West Papua, Indonesia
Divevolk
Four separate prizes:
- 1 x Seatouch Max Ocean Kit (smartphone housing) - allocated to winner of the Compact category
- 1 x SeaTouch 4 Max Plus (smartphone housing) - allocated to runner-up in the Compact category
- 2 x SeaTouch 4 Max Plus (smartphone housing)
Fourth Element
Three separate prizes:
- 1 x £250 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element online shop - allocated to winner in the British Waters Macro category
- 1 x £100 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element online shop
- 1 x £50 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element online shop - allocated to third place in the British Waters Wide Angle category
- 1 x £50 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element online shop - allocated to third place in the British Waters Macro category
Magic Filters
Three separate prizes:
- 1x £100 GBP voucher to be spent on any Magic Filter products
- 1x £75 GBP voucher to be spent on any Magic Filter products - allocated to fourth in the Compact category
- 1x £50 GBP voucher to be spent on any Magic Filter products
Marelux
Two separate prizes:
- 1 x Pair of Marelux Apollo III strobes with Lumilink Wireless Trigger
- 1 x Soft Pro Snoot
Nauticam
1 x 50% discount Voucher Prize for Nauticam.com, upto a purchase of $3000 USD (which would be a $1500 discount).
PADI
Three separate prizes:
- £500 GBP cash prize - allocated to the winner of the Up & Coming category
- £300 GBP cash prize - allocated to the runner-up of the Up & Coming category
- £200 GBP cash prize - allocated to the third place of the Up & Coming category
Red Sea Diving, Egypt
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 excluding October and November.
Location: Southern Egypt.
Retra
Four separate prizes:
- 1 x 200 Euro vouchers for Retra-uwt.com - allocated to third place in the Coral Reefs category
- 1 x 200 Euro vouchers for Retra-uwt.com - allocated to third place in the Compact category
- 2 x 200 Euro vouchers for Retra-uwt.com
Save Our Seas Foundation
Three separate prizes:
- £500 GBP cash prize - allocated to winner of the Save Our Seas Foundation Marine Conservation category
- £300 GBP cash prize - allocated to runner-up of the Save Our Seas Foundation Marine Conservation category
- £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 - allocated to runner-up of the Coral Reefs category
- 1 x £500 GBP voucher
- 1 x £200 GBP vouchers - allocated to runner-up of the British Waters Macro category
- 1 x £200 GBP vouchers - allocated to runner-up of the British Waters Wide Angle category
- 4 x £100 GBP vouchers
Scubalamp
Three separate prizes:
- 1 x Voucher $600 USD for SUPE/ScubaLamp uw photo equipment
- 1 x Voucher $300 USD for SUPE/ScubaLamp uw photo equipment
- 1 x Voucher $100 USD for SUPE/ScubaLamp uw photo equipment - allocated to fourth place in the Up & Coming category
Siladen Resort, Indonesia
1 x 1 person 5 night stay & 10 air dives.
Location: Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Thresher Shark Divers, Philippines
1 x 10 Dive Package for 1 person.
Location: Malapascua, Philippines.
Triton Bay Divers, West Papua, Indonesia
1 week stay, including 3 dives per day (total 15 dives - allocated to winner of the Coral Reefs category
Location: West Papua, Indonesia.
Prize allocation for the 2025 competition:
- The Underwater Photographer of the Year will be given first choice from the prize pool, regardless of their points total
- The Up & Coming, British Waters Living Together and Marine Conservation categories all have fixed cash prizes for the top three awarded images
- Physical prizes may incur import duty. Vouchers have no cash value and cannot be exchanged for cash
- Full terms and conditions of each prize are not listed here
2025 Category specific prize allocations
Category 6 – Coral Reefs
- Triton Bay Divers, Indonesia (7N stay)
- £750 GBP voucher for use on holidays with Scuba Travel
- 200 Euro voucher for Retra-uwt.com
Category 8 - Up & Coming sponsored by PADI
- £500 GBP sponsored by PADI
- £300 GBP sponsored by PADI
- £200 GBP sponsored by PADI
- 1 x Voucher $100 USD for SUPE/ScubaLamp uw photo equipment
Category 9 - Compact
- Seatouch Max Ocean Kit (smartphone housing)
- SeaTouch 4 Max Plus (smartphone housing)
- 200 Euro voucher for Retra-uwt.com
- £75 GBP voucher for Magic-Filters.com
Category 10 – British Waters Wide Angle
- Agulhas House, South Africa (7N stay)
- £200 GBP voucher for use on holidays with Scuba Travel
- £50 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element Online Shop
Category 11 – British Waters Macro
- £250 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element Online Shop
- £200 GBP voucher for use on holidays with Scuba Travel
- £50 GBP vouchers for Fourth Element Online Shop
Category 12 - British Waters Living Together sponsored by The Crown Estate
- £500 GBP sponsored by The Crown Estate
- £300 GBP sponsored by The Crown Estate
- £200 GBP sponsored by The Crown Estate
Marine Conservation sponsored by Save Our Seas Foundation
- £500 GBP sponsored by Save Our Seas Foundation
- £300 GBP sponsored by Save Our Seas Foundation
- £200 GBP sponsored by Save Our Seas Foundation
