OFFICIAL RULES & REGULATIONS First Edition – 2026

The photography contest called European Freediving Photography Award® (hereinafter the Contest or EFPA) is organized by ASD La Parola del Mare Club, an amateur sports association without profit purpose established and operating under Italian law, based in Trieste (hereinafter the Organizer).
The name “European Freediving Photography Award®” is a trademark registered with EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office, application no. 019341572). The acronym “EFPA” is used in these Rules and in all related communications solely for ease of reference.
This contest is established and governed pursuant to art. 6, paragraph 1, letters a) and e) of D.P.R. 26 October 2001, no. 430 (Exclusion from the prize-competition regime), being a contest for the production of artistic works in which the award of the prize represents recognition of personal merit and an encouragement in the interest of the community, as confirmed by MISE Circular no. 205930 of 20/11/2014. The tax treatment of prizes is governed by art. 30 of D.P.R. 600/1973.
Being a non-profit association, ASD La Parola del Mare Club does not pursue commercial goals through the organization of the contest. Proceeds from organizational fees, net of expenses, are allocated to enhancing prizes and to charitable purposes as specified in Art. 15.
The European Freediving Photography Award® aims to:
celebrate and promote the art of underwater and freediving photography at an international level.
raise awareness about ocean conservation, marine ecosystems and responsible practices at sea.
promote a culture of safety, ethics and environmental respect among freedivers and underwater photographers.
support charitable initiatives related to the sea and health.
build an international community of photographers united by a passion for the underwater world.
3.1 – Who can participate
The competition is open to all photographers, professional and amateur, aged 18 or over, from any country in the world, except where prohibited by applicable local regulations.
Photographers using any diving technique may participate, including:
  • freediver photographers
  • scuba photographers (divers using self-contained breathing apparatus)
  • photographers operating from the surface or using other methods, provided they comply with the Rules
Photographs are accepted regardless of the date they were taken, including archive images, provided they comply with the requirements of these Rules.
Employees, collaborators and family members (up to the second degree of kinship) of the Organizer, members of the Jury and their respective employers or agencies are excluded from participation.
3.2 – Organizational contribution
Participation in the competition is subject to payment of an organizational contribution (a contribution towards management and application processing costs), the amount of which is:
  • Club Challenge (portfolio of 3 photos): €20.
  • Wild Blue (1 photo): €15.
  • Wild Blue (3 photos): €25.
  • Wild Blue (5 photos): €35.
  • Indoor Elegance (1 photo): €15.
  • Indoor Elegance (3 photos): €25.
  • Indoor Elegance (5 photos): €35.
The organizational contribution is intended exclusively to cover the competition’s actual costs (secretariat, platform management, prizes, exhibition setup, visibility) with no profit purpose for the ASD. Participation is not conditional on the purchase of goods or services from third parties.
The contribution is non-refundable, except in the event of cancellation of the competition by the Organizer.
3.3 – Registration
Participants must register through the official website www.freedivingphotoaward.com and submit their works exclusively through the official platform. By registering and submitting their works, participants declare that they have read, understood and fully accepted these Rules.
The contest features the following three categories:
The Wild Blue and Indoor Elegance categories are open to photographers worldwide. The Club Challenge category is reserved for Clubs and teams based in one of the following Council of Europe member countries: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
CLUB CHALLENGE
Dedicated to organized freediving Clubs and teams. It celebrates synergy, teamwork and the spirit of freediving communities. Only one entry per Club is allowed. For the purposes of the Club Challenge category, Clubs and teams based in one of the Council of Europe member countries listed above are eligible.
WILD BLUE
Dedicated to freediving in open water: sea, lakes, rivers and natural environments. It captures the freedom, depth and authentic beauty of the underwater world in its wild state.
INDOOR ELEGANCE
Dedicated to freediving in indoor settings (pools, training tanks). It highlights the elegance, control and artistry of the discipline in a controlled aquatic environment.
5.1 – Subject
All photographs must depict freediving activities, in or underwater, or be clearly connected to the world of freediving. Images must be authentic photographic works.
5.2 – Permitted devices
Photographs taken with any photographic device are accepted, including:
  • DSLR and mirrorless cameras with dedicated underwater lenses or housing.
  • Dedicated waterproof compact cameras.
  • Smartphones with underwater housing.
  • Action cams (GoPro and similar) with underwater housing.
The quality and artistic vision of the work take precedence over the device used.
5.3 – Number of entries
Club Challenge: fixed portfolio of 3 (three) photographs per entry.
Wild Blue and Indoor Elegance: each photograph constitutes an independent entry. You may enter with 1, 3 or 5 photographs per category, according to the entry fees set out in Art. 3.
5.4 – Technical requirements
  • Format: JPEG / JPG.
  • Resolution: minimum 3,000 px, maximum 5,000 px on the longest side.
  • Minimum size: 2 MB; maximum size: 10 MB.
  • Color profile: sRGB recommended.
  • No watermark, signature, logo, date, overlaid text, frame or border (see Art. 5.7).
  • Metadata (EXIF/IPTC) must be present and intact.
5.5 – Post-processing
Standard post-processing techniques are permitted. Compositing, montage, and the addition or removal of elements not present in the original scene are not permitted.
5.6 – Absolute ban on AI images
Important – Absolute ban on AI images
Photographs generated, partially generated or substantially manipulated using artificial intelligence tools are strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification. The Organizer may request from finalists, at any time, RAW files, EXIF data or other technical documentation supporting the authenticity of the shot. The finalist must provide the requested material within 7 (seven) days of the request, on pain of disqualification.
5.7 – Image integrity and anonymity
(a) In all categories, it is forbidden to add to the photograph any element in post-processing that compromises its anonymity or integrity, including signatures, watermarks, logos, text, frames or borders. Photographs featuring such elements will be excluded.
(b) Brands, logos or distinctive marks naturally present in the photographed scene (e.g. equipment, clothing, facility fittings) are permitted. For the Wild Blue and Indoor Elegance categories, where each individual photograph is judged anonymously, it is recommended to avoid their visible presence as far as possible. For the Club Challenge category they are permitted, consistent with the nature of the category dedicated to Clubs.
Given the nature of freediving, which requires preparation, training and adherence to specific safety protocols, the Organizer attaches the utmost importance to the principles of responsible practice and environmental respect.
6.1 – Safety
Freediving must never be practiced alone. All photographs must have been taken under the supervision of at least one qualified safety buddy or a surface assistant.
Photographs in which the context shows that safety protocols were disregarded will not be accepted.
The depiction of reckless or irresponsible behavior results in disqualification.
6.2 – Marine ethics and environmental protection
  • No marine animal must be touched, chased, stressed, disturbed or harmed.
  • No marine habitat must be damaged or defaced.
  • The photograph must have been taken in compliance with the environmental regulations of the country where it was taken.
  • Any activity in protected marine areas or involving protected species must have taken place with the necessary permits.
6.3 – Ethical conduct
Any fraudulent, deceptive or abusive behavior will result in immediate disqualification and, where applicable, referral to the relevant authorities.

Entry opening: August 27, 2026
Entry deadline: October 31, 2026
Jury evaluation: November 2026
Winners announcement: November 19, 2026

8.1 – Composition and independence
The Jury is composed of internationally renowned professionals in the fields of underwater photography, freediving, marine biology and visual arts. Jury members are appointed by the Organizer and act in a personal capacity.
The Jury is fully independent from the Organizer in its evaluation activity. Jury members receive no compensation proportional to the number of contest entries, nor any commercial benefits linked to entry volumes, in order to ensure the absence of any commercial purpose in the selection process.
Evaluation takes place anonymously: Jury members do not have access to the photographer’s name or identity during the evaluation phase. Jury members may not participate as competitors.
Art. 8.2 – Supervisor and coordination
The President of the organizing ASD acts as Supervisor of the contest. This role oversees the correct conduct of the voting phases and verifies that entries comply with the safety and ethical standards set out in Art. 6. The Supervisor takes part in Jury sessions in an advisory and coordinating capacity, but has no vote on the artistic and technical evaluation of the photographs. The Supervisor may exercise veto power exclusively in relation to: (a) entries showing evident violations of freediving safety protocols (Art. 6.1); (b) entries showing violations of environmental and marine wildlife protection principles (Art. 6.2). This veto in no case extends to the artistic evaluation of the works.
8.3 – Evaluation 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 wildlife, safety and environmental integrity.
8.4 – Evaluation process (two phases)
Evaluation takes place in two successive phases, both conducted anonymously.
Phase 1, Selection: the Jury reviews all eligible entries on the official platform and assigns each a single overall score (Overall Quality, scale of 1 to 10). Based on the average scores, a shortlist of up to 10 (ten) finalists per category is formed. Where the number of eligible entries in a category is limited, the Organizer may proportionally reduce the number of finalists.
Phase 2, Final evaluation: finalists are evaluated by the Jury according to the criteria set out in Art. 8.3, with a score of 1 to 5 for each criterion. The individual Jury members’ scores are averaged, and the entry with the highest overall result is declared the winner of its category.
In the Wild Blue and Indoor Elegance categories, each photograph competes individually and the prize is awarded to the single best photograph. In the Club Challenge category, the unit of evaluation is the portfolio as a whole, and the evaluation also takes into account its coherence as a unified body of work.
Anonymity is preserved in both phases: entries are shown only as “Submission” or “Finalist” followed by a number, with no identifying information about the author.
8.5 – Tiebreaker
In the event of a tie in the final score between two or more entries, the tie is resolved in favor of the entry with the highest score in Technical quality; if the tie persists, in favor of the highest score in Artistic vision and originality; if it still persists, the Jury decides by majority vote.
The Jury’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
9.1 – Amounts
The cash prizes for each category, to be understood as gross amounts*, are:
  • Club Challenge: 1,000 euros (to the winning Club).
  • Wild Blue: 800 euros.
  • Indoor Elegance: 800 euros.
Example of net prize calculation (individual, Wild Blue / Indoor Elegance)
Gross prize: 800 euros. Withholding tax 25% (Art. 30 D.P.R. 600/1973): 200 euros. Net amount paid by bank transfer: 600 euros. Amounts are always indicated gross. The ASD acts as withholding agent and pays the withholding tax via F24 (code 1047).

* Gross amount. The Club Challenge prize is paid to the winning entity/Club, which is responsible for it according to its own legal nature (see Art. 9.2.A). For the Wild Blue and Indoor Elegance prizes, paid to an individual, the ASD acts as withholding agent pursuant to Art. 9.2.B.

9.2 – Tax treatment of prizes
A) Prize for the winning Club
The prize is paid to the winning Club in the technical form most suited to its legal nature (e.g. donation, voluntary contribution, prize payment), to be agreed with the Organizer at the time of the award.
The tax treatment of the prize (including any withholding at source) follows the applicable regulations based on the legal nature of the receiving Club and is the responsibility of the Club itself, which undertakes to provide the Organizer with the documentation needed for correct payment.
B) Prize to an individual
  • A 25% withholding tax applies to the gross value of the prize.
  • The ASD acts as withholding agent: it pays the withholding tax via F24 (code 1047) and issues the Certificazione Unica (CU) to the winner.
  • The 25% withholding applies to both residents and non-residents, subject to any applicable double taxation treaties.
9.3 – Other provisions
Prizes are personal and non-transferable. A winner who cannot be reached within 90 days of the announcement forfeits the right to the prize.
10.1 – Consent and Indemnity Obligation
Where the submitted photograph depicts identifiable individuals, the participant is required to obtain and retain the informed consent of each person portrayed. By submitting the work, the participant declares and warrants that the consent obtained expressly covers:
  • Participation in the contest and publication of the work during the selection phases.
  • Publication and display of the work on the organization’s digital channels, social media, and official platforms for the entire duration of the license (3 years).
  • Use of the work in any promotional and editorial materials of the contest for the entire duration of the license.
Where the photograph depicts athletes or persons with disabilities, the informed consent must expressly also cover representation in that context.
Consent to the possible inclusion of the work in the charity calendar (a product distributed by the Organizer for fundraising purposes) is optional and separate from the consents indicated above: it is collected through a dedicated checkbox in the release form. Only works for which this specific consent has been given are eligible for the charity calendar.
The participant undertakes to indemnify and hold the Organizer harmless from any claim raised by persons portrayed for uses of the work compliant with these Regulations and occurring during the license period.
10.2 – Official Release Forms
The Organizer makes two official forms available for download at [www.freedivingphotoaward.com](https://www.freedivingphotoaward.com):
Form A
Individual Release
For individual photographers or subjects portrayed individually. Signed by each identifiable subject. The consent covers participation, publication, and social media for 3 years; consent for the charity calendar is collected separately through a dedicated optional checkbox in the same form.
Form B
Club Release
For the Club Challenge category. Signed by the club president or legal representative, with releasing effect for all members portrayed. The consent covers participation, publication, and social media for 3 years; consent for the charity calendar is collected separately through a dedicated optional checkbox in the same form.
The Organizer reserves the right to request finalists to provide documentation proving consent. Failure to submit it within 7 days results in disqualification.
10.3 – Minors
Photographs must not depict minors (persons under 18 years of age) in a recognizable form. The Organizer reserves the right to exclude any photograph depicting one or more recognizable minors, regardless of any consent that may have been provided.
11.1 – Ownership
Participants retain full ownership of copyright. Participation does not entail any transfer of copyright to the Organizer.
11.2 – License granted to the Organizer
By submitting, each participant grants ASD La Parola del Mare Club a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license, for 3 (three) years from the submission date, to:
  • Publish the photograph on the contest’s website, social media channels and digital platforms.
  • Display the photograph in physical and virtual exhibitions related to the European Freediving Photography Award®.
  • Use it in promotional and editorial materials of the European Freediving Photography Award®.
  • Include it in the EFPA charity calendar (see Art. 15).
The 3-year period refers to the ability to initiate new uses of the photographs. Content already published on social and digital channels during the license period may remain online for historical purposes even after expiry, with no obligation to remove it.
In every instance of use, the photograph will always be credited as: © [Photographer’s Name] / European Freediving Photography Award®.
No commercial exploitation beyond what is described here is permitted.
11.3 – Participant warranties
  • Is the sole author and copyright holder, or holds all necessary authorizations.
  • The photograph does not infringe third-party rights.
  • Depicted individuals have given the extended consent required under Art. 10.
  • The photograph has not already won prizes in other photography contests. Prior publication on the participant’s personal or social media channels does not constitute grounds for exclusion.
The Organizer may disqualify an entry at any stage, even after the announcement of winners, in the event of:
  • Violation of any provision of these Rules.
  • Photographs generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence.
  • Fraud, false statements or deceptive conduct.
  • Violation of safety or ethical standards in taking the photograph.
  • Failure to provide verification materials (RAW, EXIF, release forms) within the required timeframe.
  • Violation of applicable law.
In the event of disqualification after the prize has been awarded, the participant is required to return it.
Important – Limitation of liability
ASD La Parola del Mare Club, its officers, volunteers, Jury members and collaborators cannot be held liable for losses, damages, injuries, deaths or other negative consequences arising from participation in the contest, including the act of photographing in or underwater.
By participating, each participant expressly and irrevocably:
  • Acknowledges that freediving requires specific preparation and adherence to safety protocols, and assumes full personal responsibility for their own safety and that of any third parties involved.
  • Waives any claim against the Organizer arising from participation.
  • Undertakes to indemnify and hold the Organizer harmless from any claim, damage, loss or expense (including legal costs) arising from violations of these Rules or from third-party claims.
Notice – Only the official website is authorized
The only official website of the European Freediving Photography Award® is www.freedivingphotoaward.com. The Organizer disclaims all responsibility for websites, social media profiles or unauthorized platforms presenting themselves as affiliated with the European Freediving Photography Award® without explicit written authorization.
To report suspicious sites: info@freedivingphotoaward.com
A selection of the most significant photographs will be used to produce the European Freediving Photography Award® charity calendar. The entire amount raised will be donated to IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Children’s Hospital of Trieste, with no deduction for production costs.
By submitting their photos, participants give explicit consent to the possible inclusion of their work in the charity calendar under the terms of Art. 11.2. No additional compensation is due for this use.
The Organizer will publicly disclose the amount donated after each calendar cycle.
Personal data is processed by ASD La Parola del Mare Club as Data Controller, in compliance with EU Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) and applicable Italian law. Data is retained for 5 years from the conclusion of the contest.
To exercise the rights of access, rectification, erasure and objection: info@freedivingphotoaward.com. Full Privacy Policy: www.freedivingphotoaward.com/privacy.
The Organizer reserves the right to modify, suspend or cancel the contest in the event of force majeure, communicating any changes with at least 15 days’ notice. Participants who disagree may withdraw within 7 days of the notification.
These Rules are governed by Italian law. For any dispute, the Court of Trieste has exclusive jurisdiction. For EU residents: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr.
Participation in the European Freediving Photography Award implies full and unconditional acceptance of these Rules. The Rules are available in full at www.freedivingphotoaward.com/rules. In the event of any discrepancy between translations and the Italian version, the Italian version shall prevail.
2026 European Freediving Photography Award®. All rights reserved. Founded & curated by ASD La Parola Del Mare Club, Via di Chiadino 58, 34141 Trieste (TS), Italia · C.F. 90170520325 · P.IVA 01413020320
National Register of Amateur Sports Activities (RASD) No. 0320130 • FIPSAS Affiliated
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