Ocean Art Photo Competition 2011 - now accepting entries

[SeaInFocus]

I wanted to announce the 2nd Annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition.

There are over $82,000 in prizes, including over 35 liveaboard & resort packages, which makes it one of the largest underwater photo competition ever held.

We tried to make it accessible to everyone, so there are 12 categories including 'Novice dSLR' and 3 Compact Camera categories. Other categories include Macro, Wide-angle, Behavior, Portrait, Supermacro, Nudibranchs, Cold/ Temperate water, and Divers/ Fashion/ Commercial shots.

I think this is an incredible opportunity for Compact Camera users (and everyone else) to win some great prizes.

Deadline is Nov 20th, 2011. Details are here: 2011 Ocean Art Photo Competition | Underwater Photography Guide

Below is the official press release:

Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition Announced; Over $82,000 in Prizes will be Awarded

Underwater Photography Guide is pleased to announce that the prestigious Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition 2011 is accepting images until November 20, 2011.

Marina Del Rey, CA

Underwater Photography Guide is proud to announce it is accepting entries for the second annual Ocean Art Photo Competition 2011.

There are over $82,000 worth of prizes, including over 35 liveaboard and scuba diving resort packages, dive equipment, and much more. Grand prizes include an all-inclusive 10-night stay at Kungkungan Bay Resort in Indonesia, an 18-night stay in Papua New Guinea including a trip on the M/V Febrina, an 11-day voyage on the SMY Ondina, a cruise on the Rocio Del Mar to the Socorro Islands, an 11-night cruise with Kararu Dive Voyages, a 7-day charter on the Nai’a in Fiji, a 5-night stay at Wananavu Beach Resort in Fiji, a week-long stay for two with Maluku Divers in Ambon, and a voyage on the Nautilus Explorer.

This is one of the largest underwater photography competitions held in terms of prizes.

The competition has 12 categories, including a Novice dSLR category and 3 compact camera categories, giving underwater photographers of all levels a chance to win a great prize. Unique categories include SuperMacro, Cold/ Temperate Water, Nudibranchs, and Divers/ Fashion. The more traditional categories include Wide-Angle, Macro, Marine Life Portraits, and Marine Life Behavior.

Winners from each category will be awarded a package at a fantastic resort or on a liveaboard. Winners will be able to rank the prizes they would like to receive, making it more likely for winners to receive a prize they want.

Judges include world-renowned underwater photographers Martin Edge, Marty Snyderman, Tony Wu, and Bonnie Pelnar. Martin Edge is the author of The Underwater Photographer, a top-selling book on underwater photography. Marty Snyderman has won an Emmy and has been published in dozens of top publications such as National Geographic. Tony Wu is a renowned underwater photographer and author of Silent Symphony. Bonnie Pelnar has been published in numerous diving and travel magazines, and conducts photography workshops at tropical destinations around the world

Photos must be submitted before the deadline on November 20, 2011.

We look forward to your participation. Information can be found on our Ocean Art Photo Competition page at 2011 Ocean Art Photo Competition | Underwater Photography Guide. Looking for inspiration? Here are the winning photographs from the 2010 Ocean Art Photo Competition.

Underwater Photography Guide is a website and online magazine dedicated to helping underwater photographers and scuba divers learn and improve their underwater photography. For more information, please visit Guide to Underwater Photography | Underwater Photography Guide.