International Environmental Photo Contest Adds Underwater Category

Scuba diving underwater photographerThree-quarters of the world’s surface is water and almost half of the world’s population lives on or close to a coastline, but to many the wonders of the underwater world are virtually unknown. New for 2010, the Underwater World category in CIWEM’s Environmental Photographer of the Year allows you to share the incredible secrets the oceans, lakes and even ponds hold, as well as highlight the vital role they play in our world’s survival

In its fourth year, CIWEM’s Environmental Photographer of the Year is one of the fastest growing photographic competitions in the world, with 2,500 pictures entered in 2009 from over 60 countries. It is an international showcase for the very best in environmental photography, honouring amateur and professional photographers who use their ability to raise awareness of environmental and social issues.

EPOTY is open to international photographers of any age and encourages entries that are contemporary, creative, resonant, original and beautiful. The other categories are Mott MacDonald’s Changing Climates; The Natural World; Quality of Life; Innovation in the Environment (New for 2010); A View From the Western World (New for 2010); and CIWEM’s Young

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International Environmental Photo Contest Adds Underwater Category

Another World – Life Below the Waves

By Simon Andrew

Man by nature is not designed to breath underwater, and it has taken many years of experimentation for people to create stable, safe life support systems for us to do just that.

Nowadays, the underwater world is open to almost anyone, although it is recommended you have a basic medical first before undertaking any training.

Scuba diving is a multi-million pound leisure industry, and the range and style of equipment available publicly is vast. Should you wish, you can even customise your equipment with style and colour.

With a little special training, you too can experience life under the waves.

Many training agencies exist worldwide for people to gain the skills needed to dive safely.

You can even combine a holiday with your training. The choice of destinations with warm clear waters to dive in is huge. Typical destinations are Australia, The Maldives and Egypt; all are a haven for wildlife and an experience not to be missed.

Once your basic training is completed you are able to participate in any number of dives to wonderful destinations and dive sites. Divers trained to a basic standard however, are usually limited to the depth they can dive to.

You can extend your education beyond basic diving to many levels.

Learn more about advanced techniques that you would need for more challenging and deeper dives, how to cope in an emergency, or, how to train other people to dive too!

It is even possible now to capture memories from dives by using off the shelf camera equipment and housings for the cameras that are now a fraction of the price professionals would have paid just a few years ago. You can then share those memories with loved ones and friends in a variety of ways. The internet allows you to post your images online for all the world to see and comment on.

There are many resources on the Internet to find out more about scuba diving, including forums where people participate in a wide range of subjects from how to start to the very technical aspects of advanced diving.

I have been leisure diving for over eleven years and traveled to Egypt and South-East Asia on numerous occasions and even produced videos to promote tourism and diving in those locations.

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