The organizers of the Underwater Awards Australasia 2024—DPG, Underwater Australasia, and UW Images—are proud to announce the winners of the inaugural edition of the underwater imaging competition focused on the Australasian region. The winning entries were revealed on September 28th, 2024, at Go Diving Show ANZ in Sydney, Australia.
The competition called for passionate underwater shooters from around the world to submit their most captivating and compelling images and videos from the Australasian region. Shooters were invited to immerse themselves in the challenge of capturing the essence of this extraordinary realm, where every frame tells a story of the delicate balance and breathtaking beauty that characterises our oceans.
Entrants competed in eight categories for prizes worth more than A$50,000 in total, including dive trips with the world’s top resorts and liveaboards, as well as the latest underwater photo and video gear. The prestigious judging panel comprised Tobias Friedrich, Jayne Jenkins, Brett Lobwein, Ross Long, Matty Smith and William Tan.
The overall winner of the competition—the “Best of Show”—was Gabriel Guzman, with his captivating collection of beautifully executed sunburst images, which took the top spot in the Portfolio category. The other category winners were Talia Greis (Sydney), Jenny Stock (Over-Under), Selanie Waddilove (Smartphone), Emma Turner (Environmental), Lewis Burnett (Australian), Luc Rooman (International Waters), and Ste Everington (Reels Showcase).
The organizers would like to extend their congratulations to all the winners, runners-up and honorable mentions, as well as their thanks to everyone that entered the competition. The organizers would also like to express their immense gratitude to the contest’s esteemed judges and generous sponsors, without whom the competition would not have been possible. The exhibited metal prints of the winners and runners-up were available for purchase at the show, with the generous permission of the photographers. Half of the proceeds will be donated to the competition’s environmental partner Take 3 For The Sea.
The winners will be published by supporting media partners worldwide. Visit underwatercompetition.com for more info on the prizewinners. For detailed location information, equipment and settings, and photographers’ comments accompanying each of the winning entries, please view the announcement on DPG