ADEX Asian Photographer of the Year 2019

Registering to the competition automatically implies the photographer’s agreement and acceptance of all competition rules as set and stated by the competition production below.

2019 ShootOut Categories

1. 5 Best Images
2. Wide Angle
3. Macro & Super Macro
4. Amateurs
5. UW Fashion
6. Sharks
7. Underwater Photography Global Championship
8. Video Clips of the World

Registration can be carried out until November 1st, 2019.

Categories and Participation Fees are as following:

• 5 Best Images – 35 Euro
• Wide Angle – 25 Euro
• Macro & Super-Macro – 25 Euro
• Amateurs – Free registration for 1 set
• UW Fashion – 35 Euro
• Black Water – 25 Euro
• Underwater Photography Global Championship – 60 Euro
• Underwater Video Clip – 45 Euro

Participation Fees Notes

1. Participation fees for each category and number of sets are listed on the registration page.
2. Submission fee for each additional set of images (up to 3 sets) on each of the categories is 10 Euro.
3.  SPECIAL BONUS – Participants who register to any of the categories (excluded Video Clip and Championship) before August 1st, get the second set FREE
4. Cancellation Policy: Any participant withdrawing from registration before October 2nd, 2019, will receive a full refund of submission fees.

Competition Images Submission

1. Images submitted to any of the categories should comply with all category requirements, as described in detail on the specific category’s page.
2. Final images can be submitted until November 1st, 2019.
3. Images submitted to the competition should be uploaded through the competition website using the username and password provided upon registration. Images must be saved in jpeg format and should be sized up to 1.5 MB
4. Participants reaching semi-final stages during the judging process will be asked to provide original image files in RAW and JPEG using any of the online transfer services. Note that these files are requested for validation purposes and participants who fail to provide these original files as requested will be disqualified.

General Rules

1. Only images featuring a date stamp of November 2nd, 2018 – November 1st, 2019 will be accepted to the competition.
2. Competition registration and images submission must be completed through the competition website no later than Thursday, November 1st, 2019.
3. Upon registering to the competition, each participant will receive a participation number, which later should be used in order to login and upload the images submitted to the competition.
4. All competition categories are open to all participants, aside from one exception: images taken with DSLR or Mirrorless camera systems cannot be submitted to the Amateurs category.
5. Images submitted to any of the categories should comply with all category requirements, as described in detail on the specific category’s page.
6. Images submitted to the competition must be taken either underwater or half-half.
7. Participants must shoot in RAW format in addition to corresponding JPEG files (please consult with the organizers upon registration if this option is not available for you).
8. Minor editing of images using any imaging software is allowed.
   This includes color and contrast enhancements, backscatter removal, up to 15 % cropping allowed,
   minor flaws fixes and background consolidation. Image editing that alters the main content of the image, such as moving, removing models and/or implanting foreign elements, is not permitted.
9. Any photo revealed as been altered will be disqualified and the photographer himself may also be disqualified. The organizers and the judges have the authority to determine whether a photo has been manipulated according to their judgment. The decision of the Jury to disqualify a photo or a photographer is final and indisputable.
10. Upon registering to the competition, each participant signs an environmental conservation commitment, according to which he/she are obligated to follow environmental conservation regulations and to share respect to the underwater world while shooting images or videos underwater. This applies to any participant, wherever they might be scuba diving, free diving or snorkeling. As per this commitment, the photographer understands that he/she are the only one responsible for their behavior underwater while capturing images. Any damage to the protected underwater world, including the disruption of the natural habitat of creatures, provocation through touching, feeding or annoying, is prohibited and might disqualify the images or the photographer.
11. Participants who have reached semi-final stages will be asked to provide original image files in RAW and JPEG using any of the online transfer services. Note that these files are requested for validation purposes and participants who fail to provide these original files as requested will be disqualified.
12. The production is entitled to disqualify a participant who acts against the rules, is involved in undue conduct, has caused harm to another participant, acted in any way that is contradictory to the spirit of the competition, or for any other reason that the production team seems fit. The decision to remove a participant from the competition is final and indisputable and does not entitle the participant to receive compensation or refund of any kind.
13. It is absolutely forbidden to submit images in the name of a photographer that hasn’t captured them. The competition is conducted individually, and rules of ethics must be adhered to.
14. The decisions made by the jury panel are final in all aspects of the competition and may not be challenged.
15. Legal issues of any kind, if result in lawsuits, shall be solely held at the Tel Aviv courthouse.

Prizes

• The final list of prizes will be published on the competition website only on January 1st, 2020. Prizes published prior to this date may vary and cannot be considered as final.
• Prizes are awarded to the winners in person and only the winners themselves are permitted to make use of them. It is prohibited to attempt selling prizes.
• Dive safaris and trips awarded as prizes do not include air travel, taxes and other expenses, unless stated otherwise by the relevant sponsor.
• Prizes do not include shipment and potential import tax fees in the respective home countries of participants.
• For the sake of eliminating possible misunderstandings, at the time of the winning ceremony, only symbolic vouchers or letters will be awarded to the winners. The actual prize will be provided later in accordance with the voucher sponsor.

Use of Photographs

• By enrolling the competition, participants agree that the submitted photos and videos in all categories may be used or reproduced for the media coverage of this event and for the promotion of future competitions in all media channels, including TV, Internet, written publications and more.
• Competition organizers reserve the right to make use of images and videos submitted to the competition for the purpose of publishing a competition album, calendars, and any other use that promotes future competitions or found useful by the production.
• Submitted materials shall indefinitely remain in the producers’ archives without the requirement of further permission for usage.
• Photo and video credits will be given to the photographer when applicable.
• Submission of materials and participation in the competition entails an automatic acceptance of all the above.
• Use of images as described above will require no additional written or verbal permissions from the photographer.

Personal Safety

Participants are responsible for their own safety and for the proper use of their diving and photography equipment. Divers must dive within the limits of their own dive certification level and according to the local diving regulations (remember to bring your dive certification and diving insurance along). Competition organizers and sponsors do not accept responsibility for the safety of participants during their diving activity, nor do they accept responsibility for any damage to personal equipment that may occur as a result of diving activities. Dive Safely!

Signing the official competition registration form states the photographer’s agreement to the rules stated above.

Our productions have started in 2005 with the Eilat Red Sea Shootout, and ever since we have awarded underwater photographers with prestigious prizes valued over $1,000,000, including over $260,000 prizes in cash.

Producer David Pilosof initiated the first World ShootOut online competition in 2011, breaking all boundaries and introducing an international competition as never produced before.

Hundreds of photographers from around around the world take part in the World ShootOut competition year after year, submitting thousands of images and videos, ranging from those that capture the calm lakes of the Nordic countries and Canada, showcase the exotic secrets hidden in Alaska and introduce the great dramatic white shark in the Gulf of Mexico.

Pilosof is also responsible for a variety of other impressive underwater photo productions, based on our vision to stretch technological boundaries, introduce stunning visuals and to realize dreams which initially seem as nearly impossible.

• 0n 2010- 3 days of Live Underwater Broadcasts in full HD from the bottom of the Red Sea straight to the Photokina Fair, Cologne, Germany.
• 0n 2011 – Underwater 3D breathtaking videos at the Red Sea in cooperation with FTV
• 0n 2014 – STORM IN THE SEA – an unbelievable underwater live broadcast of 281 divers at the Satil wreck, Eilat, Israel.
• 0n 2015 – SILENCE OF THE SHARKS – A global underwater protest against shark hunting which will conclude with a festive event on October 2017,
• 2019 – starting “Photographer of the Year” in 5 countries and Asia area.

We are proud to invite all divers, underwater photographers, diving centers, live aboard and media partners to take part in one of the most innovative, creative, international and festive competitions ever produced!

World ShootOut 2019 winners will be announced on a festive winning ceremony which takes place on January 25th, 2020, at the boot Düsseldorf dive show in Germany.