Divers prepare for Monaco’s underwater photography contest

**Monaco Underwater Exploration Club Announces 21st National Underwater Photography Competition**

Monaco – The Monaco Underwater Exploration Club (Club d’Exploration Sous-Marine de Monaco, CESMM) will hold the 21st edition of its National Underwater Photography Competition on Saturday, 5 September. The one‑day event, conducted under the honorary presidency of Prince Albert II, will involve two dives at separate sites in the waters surrounding the Principality. Photographers will work with natural light and local marine life to capture images for judging.

The competition will be divided into four categories: macro, fish, wide‑angle, and a compulsory theme focusing on “Shellfish & Crustaceans.” After completing the dives, each participant may submit one photograph per category, for a total of four entries. In addition, the contest distinguishes between interchangeable‑lens and fixed‑lens camera equipment, allowing competitors to be evaluated against peers using comparable gear.

Roger Mullot, president of CESMM, said the event aims to “make the invisible visible,” noting that most observers see only the water’s surface and are unaware of the seabed’s beauty and fragility.

Alongside the senior competition, CESMM will run the 13th edition of its junior contest, “Regards sous la mer.” Open to participants aged 8 to 18, the junior competition differs in format: young photographers have two months over the summer to take photographs in Monaco’s waters, submitting a series of three images without a prescribed theme. The club organized two supervised sessions for the junior entrants during the summer.

Mullot added that the club supports the Munegu Photo‑Sub Academy, which offers introductory underwater‑photography courses for children, helping them develop observational skills and an understanding of the marine ecosystem from an early age.

The club highlighted recent environmental concerns, noting that the Mediterranean experienced unusually high sea temperatures this summer, leading to marine heatwaves that disrupt biodiversity several meters below the surface. Mullout emphasized that photography can convey the impact of human activities on the marine environment more emotionally than spoken messages alone.

Both the senior and junior contests position underwater photography as a blend of sport, art, education, and environmental advocacy, showcasing Monaco’s underwater heritage for a single day.

*Photo credit: Pascal Parry*

Article and image source: monacolife.net