Frequently asked questions
Partecipation
Q1. Who can enter the European Freediving Photography Award?
The contest is open to all photographers, professional and amateur, aged 18 or over, from any country in the world, unless prohibited by applicable local law.
This worldwide openness applies to the Wild Blue and Indoor Elegance categories. The Club Challenge category is instead reserved for Clubs and teams based in a Council of Europe member country (see below). Excluded are: employees, collaborators and family members (up to the second degree of kinship) of the Organizer, jury members, and their respective employers or agencies.
Q2. Do I need to be a professional photographer?
Absolutely not. The European Freediving Photography Award® welcomes photographers of all levels, from beginners to seasoned professionals. Our Jury evaluates artistic quality and vision, not credentials or equipment used.
Q3. Is there an entry fee?
Yes. An organizational contribution is required for each category you wish to enter. This fee is dedicated exclusively to covering direct operating costs (secretariat, platform, Jury management, prizes, exhibition and visibility) and is not-for-profit. Entry fee amounts are indicated in the Rules and at the time of registration on www.freedivingphotoaward.com. The fee is non-refundable, except in the event of contest cancellation by the Organizer.
Q4. How do I register and submit my work?
All registrations and submissions are handled exclusively through the official platform at www.freedivingphotoaward.com. Entries submitted through any other channel will not be considered. By completing your registration, you declare full and unconditional acceptance of the Official Rules & Regulations.
Q5. Can a club or team participate?
Absolutely yes, and we encourage it! The Club Challenge category is specifically designed for organized freediving Clubs and teams, to celebrate synergy, teamwork and the spirit of underwater freediving communities. Only one entry per Club is allowed, consistent with the category’s team spirit.
The Club Challenge category is reserved for Clubs and teams based in a Council of Europe member country (which includes, among others, European Union countries, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway and the Balkan countries).
Submissions & technical requirements
Q6. What are the three competition categories?
- Club Challenge, for organized freediving Clubs and teams.
- Wild Blue, for freediving in open water: sea, lakes, rivers and natural environments.
- Indoor Elegance, for freediving in indoor environments (pools, training tanks).
- You may enter one or more categories. Each category has its own prize.
Q7. How many photos can I submit?
The number of photographs varies by category. Club Challenge requires a fixed portfolio of 3 photographs. For Wild Blue and Indoor Elegance, each photograph is an independent entry: you may enter with 1, 3 or 5 photographs per category, according to the entry fees provided.
Q8. What are the technical requirements for submitted images?
- Format: JPEG / JPG only
- Minimum resolution: 3,000 px on the longest side
- File size: minimum 2 MB, maximum 10 MB
- Color profile: sRGB recommended
- Watermarks, signatures, logos, dates, overlaid text, frames or borders are not allowed
- Metadata (EXIF/IPTC) must be present and intact
Q9. What camera or device can I use?
Any photographic device is accepted, including DSLR and mirrorless cameras with underwater housing, dedicated underwater compact cameras, smartphones with underwater housing, and action cameras (GoPro and similar). Artistic quality and vision prevail over the device used.
Q10. Is post-processing allowed?
Standard post-processing (exposure, color, contrast, cropping, etc.) is fully permitted. Compositing, photomontages and the addition or removal of elements not present in the original scene are, however, prohibited.
Q11. Are AI-generated images accepted?
⚠️ No. Photographs generated, partially generated or substantially manipulated using artificial intelligence tools are strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification. The Organizer reserves the right to request RAW files, EXIF data or other technical documentation from finalists within 7 days; failure to submit within this timeframe results in disqualification. AI detection software may also be used as part of the verification process. Participation in the contest implies the participant’s acceptance of such verification procedures.
Q12. Do my photos need to show freediving specifically?
Yes. All photographs must depict freediving or breath-hold activities in or underwater, or be clearly connected to the world of freediving. Images must be authentic photographic works.
Only for the Club Challenge category is the scope broader: photographs taken outside the water are also allowed, provided they represent the Club’s life and activities related to freediving, such as pre-dive breathing exercises, poolside preparation, meditation by the sea, competitive gestures, or other moments reflecting the spirit and community of this sport. The group or Club can be represented in different ways, as long as a clear connection to the world of freediving is present.
Not allowed, even in the Club Challenge category: generic group portraits with no reference to freediving, social events unrelated to the sport, or images where the connection to freediving is absent or purely incidental.
Q13. Are there safety requirements for submitted photos?
Yes, and they are taken very seriously. Freediving must never be practiced alone. All photographs must have been taken under the supervision of at least one safety assistant or a qualified buddy at the surface. Images showing reckless behavior, or in which safety protocols are disregarded, will not be accepted and may lead to disqualification.
Q14. What are the environmental and ethical requirements?
By submitting entries, the participant certifies that:
- No marine animal was touched, chased, stressed, disturbed or harmed
- No marine habitat was damaged or defaced
- The photograph was taken in compliance with the environmental regulations of the country in which it was taken
- Any activity in protected marine areas or involving protected species was carried out with the necessary permits
Q15. Can I submit a photograph that has previously won another competition?
No. Among the requirements, the submitted photograph must not have previously won another photography contest. Images submitted elsewhere that did not win are allowed.
Q16. Can I submit older or archive photographs?
Yes. There is no limit on when the photograph was taken: archival images are also allowed, provided they comply with all requirements of these Rules (technical specifications, safety, ethical and environmental requirements, etc.).
Jury & judging
Q17. Who are the Judges?
The Jury is composed of internationally renowned professionals in underwater photography, freediving, marine biology and visual arts. Jury members are appointed by the Organizer and act in a personal capacity, in full independence from the Organizer itself. Full details on the Jury will be published on the official website.
Q18. Is the evaluation process anonymous?
Yes. Evaluation takes place completely anonymously: Jury members do not have access to the photographer’s identity during the evaluation phase. This ensures that each entry is judged solely on artistic and technical merit.
Q19. What criteria are used to judge the photographs?
Jury members evaluate each entry according to five criteria:
- Technical quality, focus, exposure, depth of field, underwater optical conditions.
- Artistic vision and originality, composition, use of light, creativity.
- Emotional impact, the image’s ability to move, inspire or communicate.
- Relevance to the category theme.
- Ethical value, respect for marine life, safety and environmental integrity.
Q20. What is the role of the Supervisor?
The President of ASD La Parola del Mare Club serves as Supervisor of the contest: they verify the correct conduct of the voting phases and check that submitted works meet the safety and ethical standards set out in the Rules. They take part in Jury sessions in an advisory and coordinating capacity, but have no vote on the artistic and technical evaluation of the photographs. Their veto power may be exercised exclusively for works that flagrantly violate freediving safety protocols or marine environmental protection principles.
Q21. When will winners be announced?
The complete calendar, including the opening of entries, the deadline, the Jury evaluation period and the announcement of winners, will be published on www.freedivingphotoaward.com before registration opens.
Prizes & fiscal treatment
Q22. What prizes are awarded?
Cash prizes are awarded to the first-place winner of each category. Amounts are published in the official Regulation. All amounts are expressed gross of taxes.
Q23. How are prizes taxed?
Individual photographers: a 25% withholding tax applies to the gross prize amount (Art. 30 D.P.R. 600/1973). The ASD acts as withholding agent, pays the withholding via F24 (code 1047) and issues the Certificazione Unica (CU) to the winner. The withholding applies to both Italian residents and non-residents, subject to any applicable Double Taxation Conventions.
Sports Clubs / ASD: the prize may be structured as a donation or contribution between third-sector entities for institutional purposes, not subject to withholding, provided the recipient supplies a written declaration on the use of the funds.
Q24. Can prizes be transferred to another person?
No. Prizes are personal and non-transferable. Winners who cannot be contacted within 90 days of the announcement will forfeit their right to the prize.
Copyright & privacy
Q25. Do I retain copyright over my photographs?
Yes, absolutely. Participants retain full copyright over the photographs submitted. Participation in the European Freediving Photography Award® does not in any way constitute a transfer of copyright to the Organizer.
Q26. What licence does the European Freediving Photography Award® receive over my photos?
By submitting entries, ASD La Parola del Mare Club is granted a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license, valid for 3 years from the submission date, for the display, publication, exhibition and use of the photographs in promotional materials for the European Freediving Photography Award®. All uses will credit authorship as: © [Photographer’s Name] / European Freediving Photography Award®.
Q27. Can my photograph include recognizable people?
Yes, under two conditions.
Adults: for each recognizable adult, you must obtain and keep their signed informed consent before submission, using the official forms available for download at www.freedivingphotoaward.com: Form A (Individual Release), signed by each recognizable person, and, for the Club Challenge category, Form B (Club Release), signed by the Club’s president or legal representative.
Minors: photographs must not depict any identifiable person under the age of 18. Entries showing identifiable minors will be disqualified.
The restriction applies only to identifiable people: subjects who cannot be recognized (shot from behind, too far away, or otherwise unidentifiable) are not subject to this limitation.
Q28. Can minors appear in my photographs?
No. Photographs must not depict any identifiable person under the age of 18, and entries showing identifiable minors will be disqualified. Note for Club Challenge: Clubs often have underage members, so make sure the submitted photos do not include recognizable minors.
Q29. How is my personal data handled?
Personal data is processed by ASD La Parola del Mare Club as Data Controller, in full compliance with EU Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) and applicable Italian law. Data is retained for 5 years after the conclusion of the contest. The complete Privacy Policy is available at www.freedivingphotoaward.com/privacy.
Q30. How do I report a suspicious or unofficial website?
⚠️ The only official website is www.freedivingphotoaward.com. The Organizer assumes no responsibility for unofficial websites or social media profiles claiming affiliation with the European Freediving Photography Award®. To report suspicious sites, write to info@freedivingphotoaward.com.
Charitable calendar
Q31. What is the European Freediving Photography Award charity calendar?
A selection of the most significant photographs will be used to produce a calendar distributed on a free-donation basis. All proceeds go to IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, the Children’s Hospital of Trieste, with no deduction for production costs: the entire amount raised is donated to the hospital.
Q32. Will I receive extra payment if my photo is included in the calendar?
No additional compensation is provided for inclusion in the charity calendar, as this use falls under the three-year license granted at the time of submission. By entering, participants explicitly consent to the possible inclusion of their work in the calendar for charitable purposes. The Organizer will publicly announce the amount donated at the end of each calendar cycle.
