The Swiss Masters Underwater Photography Competition is taking place this week in the Verzasca Valley in the mountains of Ticino, Switzerland.
The crystal-clear water of the Verzasca River, which sports visibility of up to 164 feet/50 meters will see 10 underwater shutterbugs and their models compete between September 10-13 in three categories: “Wide Angle,” “Wide Angle with Model” and “Creative” (which could include but isn’t limited to macro and split shots).
According to the rules of live photo competitions, only the photos taken underwater with no computer editing can be submitted for judging, according to Ikelite, one of the event’s sponsors:
“This requires absolute mastery of the camera, photography techniques, and image composition.”
CMAS Swiss Diving is organizing the competition.
“The aim of the event is to give a wide audience access to an underwater world with crystal-clear water, unspoiled nature, and breathtaking rock formations through masterful photos. The Swiss Masters in Underwater Photography shows how important it is to take great care of our waters and our drinking water.”
Competitors will include Alex Mustard from the UK, Lisa Svensen from Denmark, Jos Broere from the Netherlands, Nuno Goncalves from Portugal, Steven Miller from the USA, Pedro Vasconcelos from Portugal, Guglielmo Cicerchia from Italy, Samir Zurub from Croatia, Stella Del Curio from Switzerland and Peter Borsch from Germany.
The jurors will include Harald Slauschek, Franco Banfi, Mirko Zanni, Jean Rydberg and Tom Peter.
The competition will also feature panel discussions on topics related to underwater photography. For more info, check out the competition’s Instagram page and website.
