RULES 2025

16th SEE IN THE SEA INTERNATIONAL UNDERWATER PHOTOCONTEST ORTONAMARE 2025
MEMORIAL DAVID SALVATORI

The Contest is open to all underwater photographers and is free-themed. The sections of the Contest are as follows:

Wide Angle (WA):
The color image must represent the underwater environment or the species inhabiting it through the use of wide-angle lenses or add-ons. Wide shots and backlighting are allowed, and human presence may be included as a complementary element. The photographer is free to interpret the theme according to their own compositional taste, using any technique. Split-shot images are also permitted, provided that the underwater portion is not less than 50%.

Macro:
The color image must capture entire aquatic subjects or details of subjects or underwater life that highlight the best aesthetic taste through composition and color choices. The images must be taken exclusively with macro lenses; fisheye lenses for close-up macro are excluded. Any technique is allowed, provided that the main subject of the image represents the theme.

Black and White:
All free-themed underwater images in black and white taken with wide-angle or macro lenses are allowed.

Mediterranean Portfolio:
One or two series of 3 color or B/W images, highlighting the environment and fauna typical of the Mediterranean Sea. Each portfolio must be composed as follows: one Macro, one WA, and one of free choice. Identical or similar Macro or WA images to those submitted in the other sections are not permitted (see ref. Art.1). Authors submitting two series must indicate with a title or other identifying form to which Portfolio each image belongs.

Memorial David Salvatori Trophy

The Memorial was created to remember a great lover of the sea, a photographer whose every image was a tribute to the immense beauty of the sea, and a dear friend.
The organization reserves the right to assign the trophy to an image chosen among those awarded in each category.

Technical Director of the Contest: Giuseppe Pignataro
The jury will meet for evaluation of the works in January 2026

FILE SUBMISSION

Art. 1)
Authors may submit a maximum of 2 files per section and 2 series for the Mediterranean Portfolio. The same photo cannot be submitted in multiple sections. To participate, it is necessary to log in from 01/10/2025 to 31/12/2025 to the official contest page www.seeintheseauw.com and access the section dedicated to photo submission. No extensions for submission deadlines will be granted.

All works already awarded in other National and International contests by December 31, 2024, will be excluded.

To submit works, registration on www.seeintheseauw.com via the Enter the contest button in the navigation bar is required. By registering, consent to data processing for purposes strictly related to site functionality is considered implicit. Once registration is completed, access will be automatic, and the user will be redirected to the submission section, where they can upload and manage their contest photos and pay the entry fee.

For each successfully uploaded file, the system will automatically send a confirmation email to the email address provided during registration.

For any technical issues, contact Lucio D’Alessandro at lucio.dalessa@gmail.com.

Each work must:

  • Be in JPG format (the only accepted format).
  • Have a file size between 5Mb and 10Mb.
  • Have the following dimensions: 30Ă—40 or 30Ă—45 at 200 dpi.
  • Have a title.
  • Contain exif data as proof of the category of submission. Any information that could identify the author must be removed. Exif data will not be accessible to the jury during evaluation, but in case of need, only by the organization.

Art. 2)
For digital images, the following are permitted:

  • A maximum crop of 20% of the original image area.
  • Limited use of the clone stamp to clean small defects.
  • Small adjustments to brightness, contrast, color temperature, sharpness, and saturation.
  • Photomontages or image overlays are not allowed.
  • Multiple exposures are allowed only if permitted by the camera used and provided they generate a single RAW file.
  • Images processed with AI (Artificial Intelligence) are not allowed.

Images must be free of frames, mats, watermarks, logos, or signatures that may identify the photographer.

Images taken through underwater portholes, aquariums, and swimming pools are not allowed.

Images showing damaged seabeds, frightened or stressed animals, or unnatural situations will not be admitted, except when intended to document or denounce negative human impacts.

The organization, in agreement with the jury, reserves the right to exclude images that, during verification, do not comply with Art. 2.

For all classified images, the RAW file will be requested without exception.

The jury’s decision is final and will be based on technical, naturalistic, artistic, and documentary aspects of the image. Images with significant technical or artistic shortcomings, even if with high naturalistic content, may receive a negative evaluation.

Art. 3)
As reimbursement of expenses, an entry fee is required:

  • €20.00 for those registering in one category only.
  • €30.00 for those registering in multiple categories.

Payment may be made via Stripe after uploading the works in the chosen categories.

In case of problems with payment through Stripe, contact the organizational secretariat at info@ortonasub.com or info@ortonamare.org, or Mr. Fabrizio Pompilio at +393803919121.

Art. 4)
The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each section will be awarded. Each participant may win only one prize offered by the sponsors. In case of multiple wins by the same participant, priority will be given to the prize of greater value.

If an author wins in multiple sections, they will receive the trophy for the highest placement, with an additional plaque indicating other results.

NOTE: At the sole discretion of the Jury, awards may be assigned, regardless of category and theme, also to photos classified as “MENTIONED.”

Art. 5)
During the Award Ceremony, the organization will present all winning photos, the mentioned ones, and those deemed of particular technical and emotional interest by the Jury.

Winning, mentioned, and most significant photos will be published on the official website seeintheseauw.com and on the Contest’s Facebook and Instagram pages at the same time as the official rankings are published.

Art. 6)
Works will be admitted to the Contest only and exclusively after payment of the entry fee referred to in Art. 3.

AWARD CEREMONY

The Contest awards will take place during the EUDI Show in Bologna 2026.

As the presence of authors at the Award Ceremony is especially appreciated, the Organization will inform all winners in advance of the detailed program.

For participants unable to attend the Award Ceremony, the Organization will prepare a format (video clip) allowing the author to be present virtually and briefly present their awarded image. The Organization, in compliance with regulations, reserves the right to publish the videos on the Contest’s web and social channels.

NOTE: Uncollected prizes, due to the absence of winners or their delegates, will be shipped at the Organization’s expense only for international authors residing abroad. For all others, shipment may be arranged, subject to prior agreement with the Organization, exclusively by cash on delivery at the recipient’s full expense.

For info contact via email: info@ortonasub.com

RANKINGS

The rankings will be published after prior notification via mailing list on the website seeintheseauw.com.
For further information contact the Contest Secretariat at info@ortonasub.com.

PRIZES

Prize pool: Trophy, diving trips, underwater photo equipment and accessories, scuba gear, etc.

NOTE 1: The terms of use of the prizes (cruises – stays – full days – equipment, etc.) and their features are regulated directly by the providers offering their collaboration to ORTONA SUB for the management of the “SEE in the SEA UW Photo Contest OrtonAmare” 2025/2026. Anyone interested in further details or specific information must contact the prize providers directly.

The organizing secretariat reserves the right to ship uncollected prizes within 60 days from the award ceremony date.

NOTE 2:
Prizes are not cumulative.
Prizes not collected and left with the Organization without being claimed, after one month from the award ceremony date, will automatically become part of the prize pool for the following year’s contest.

The organization, in compliance with copyright laws, considers works submitted to the Contest free from any artistic property rights or rights belonging to third parties. Contestants authorize the Organization to use their works for the promotion of the Contest itself, including posters, brochures, calendars (non-profit), and web publications.

Images, free of royalties or any other form of compensation, will always be used with credit to the author. In no case will the organizers make commercial use of these works, and persons interested in purchasing an image will be put directly in contact with the author.

By participating in the Contest, contestants authorize the Organization to process their data for updates related to the initiative, ensuring that such data will never be disclosed to third parties, in compliance with Law 196/2003 on personal data protection.

NOTE: Registration and participation in the Contest implies unconditional acceptance of these Regulations. Files and prints in their respective categories will not be returned and will become part of the exhibition archive.

INFORMATION – Art. 13 of Legislative Decree 196 of 30/06/2003 (personal data protection code)

Pursuant to Article 13 of the above decree, we INFORM that ORTONA SUB processes personal data of supporters, collaborators, suppliers, and individuals who have voluntarily communicated their personal data (in person, by phone, fax, e-mail, or by registering on the website www.seeintheseauw.com) to our representatives, for the purpose of receiving information on our services and/or initiatives.

According to the law (ref. Art. 2 – Purpose), ORTONA SUB guarantees that the processing of personal data is carried out with respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, as well as the dignity of the person, with particular regard to privacy, personal identity, and the right to personal data protection.

Purpose of personal data processing: tasks related to the association’s economic activity, in particular for compiling records, internal statistics, invoicing, bookkeeping, compliance with legal, regulatory, and EU requirements, as well as civil and tax regulations.

Data collected by representatives related to ORTONA SUB’s initiatives will be stored for sending information and advertising material regarding ORTONA SUB’s activities (by mail, fax, SMS, and e-mail). Data processing is carried out using paper and/or electronic means, telematically, including automated tools designed to store, manage, and transmit such data, in compliance with all necessary precautions ensuring security and confidentiality.

Personal data, if necessary, may also be communicated to all entities entitled to access such data under legal provisions.

Data are stored at the association’s headquarters, for the time prescribed by civil and tax regulations.

Data controller: ORTONA SUB – Ortona (CH). Providing personal data for establishing a relationship with our association, even if merely informative regarding our activities/services, is optional, but failure to provide data may prevent the continuation of the relationship, its correct management, and compliance with legal obligations, including fiscal ones. We also inform that, regarding the above processing, the data subjects may exercise their rights under Art. 7 and Art. 8, in the manner set forth by Art. 9 of Legislative Decree No. 196 of June 30, 2003, by contacting the Data Manager directly by mail, fax, or e-mail.

With reference to the above request, having acknowledged the information notice, in particular the rights under Art. 7 of Legislative Decree 196/2003:

  1. The data subject has the right to obtain confirmation of the existence or non-existence of personal data concerning them, even if not yet registered, and their communication in intelligible form.

  2. The data subject has the right to obtain information on:

    • the origin of the personal data;
    • the purposes and methods of processing;
    • the logic applied in case of processing carried out with electronic means;
    • the identification details of the controller, the managers, and the representative designated pursuant to Article 5, paragraph 2;

  3. The data subject has the right to obtain: a) The update, rectification, or, when interested, integration of data; For the purposes for which the data were collected or subsequently processed:

  4. The data subject has the right to object, in whole or in part:

We hereby give our consent, pursuant to Article 23 of the aforementioned Legislative Decree, to the processing of our personal data and to their communication and dissemination, for the purposes and within the limits of the above information notice.

ORTONA SUB
C/o Sports Hall – Via Giovanni XXIII – 66026 – Ortona (CH)
Tel. 339/6577950 – 380/3919121
info@ortonasub.com