Alessandro Pagano

Born in Italy in 1968, I started my diving activity at the age of 11, following my father's passion for the sea. My first photographic equipment was an old Pentax with a polycarbonate case and then an analogue Nikon with which I obtained several needle-like titles, including the title of Italian Safari Championship Photoshop and the second place in the World Championship of safari photosub. With the digital I started to use the Nikon D300 with Hugyfot case, then I took the Nikon D700 always in Hugyfot case and finally the Nikon D800E always in Hugyfot case. I have been using the eCCR rebreather for my dives for several years now.

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Barry Field

Relatively new to underwater photography but with a passion for nature and the environment since a young child, Barry is committed to sharing images of the oceans to those that have never experienced its beauty, with a hope that it will help people consider their actions for the future of our seas.

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Davy De Smet

Na de jaarlijkse zomervakanties in Kroatie, waar ik altijd snorkelde (freedive), besloot ik in de zomer van 1995 om me lid te maken van een duikclub (momenteel lid bij Barracuda Brugge).
Tijdens de eerste jaren deed ik vooral ervaring op en genoot ik van het onderwater gebeuren. In 1998 kocht ik een Ikelite behuizing voor wegwerp fototoestellen. Hiermee maakte ik mijn eerste onderwaterfoto's van zeepaddestoelen in Tunesië. Toen ik een liveaboard boekte op de Rode zee investeerde ik in een simpel analoog toestel met onderwaterbehuizing. De 4 filmrolletjes van 36 frames, leverden toch een tiental mooie foto's.
In 2003 maakte ik de overstap naar een digitale Sony Cybershot met onderwaterbehuizing. Het speeltje mocht mee naar Mexico, Turkije, Ierland, Egypte, Kroatie en onze Oosterschelde.
Het smaakte naar meer wanneer ik 2009 een nikon D90 kocht. Na jaren oefenen boven water kocht ik in 2015 de Hugyfot behuizing. Sindsdien is het mijn trouwe metgezel tijdens mijn duiken.
De meeste van mijn fotoduiken zijn in het zwembad, in de Oosterschelde of in steengroeven
 Men voorkeur gaat naar portret met groothoek en vaste lichtinval, gezien dit bovenwater men verslaving is :-), maar evengoed vind je me met mijn 60mm Macro.
Sinds 2017 werk ik ook bij Revo als technieker. Misschien zie je me dan binnenkort wel met een Revo rebreather en  mijn Hugyfot :-)

Copyright Davy De Smet

Edwar Herreño

Ever since Edwar was born in Colombia in 1976, he has shown a special interest in the ocean. His fascination and love for the sea led him to become a Marine Biologist in 2002 at the University of Bogota Jorge Tadeo Lozano.
Edwar has been living, traveling and working as a photographer, videographer, recreational scuba instructor, technical diving instructor, & yacht captain over the years in different countries and has a wide range of experience to guide all types of underwater expeditions. His greatest passion is wildlife and nature photography, especially if it’s in the water. He strives to capture the most compelling images to show off the creatures and environment in ways that amaze and inspire. In addition, he has been working with different underwater film productions including: Mayan Blue (movie), CNN (Anderson Cooper 360, shark finning), BBC - Animal Planet (Caught in the Moment), National Geographic, French TV (Ushuaia Nature), Marine Investigators, Japanese TV. He has also guided numerous underwater expeditions with the most famous underwater photographers, due to his vast knowledge and expertise of local regions. His commitment to the ocean has made him active in marine conservation with several organizations.
Over the past eleven years he has spent thousands of hours diving, filming & photographing the wildlife off the coast of Colombia and Costa Rica at Malpelo, Papagayo Gulf, Bat & Catalina Island and Cocos Island; the last one, his favorite place on earth, documenting all aspects of the marine world there.
Edwar is currently a freelance photographer and videographer based in southern France and has practiced photography for more than 17 years.

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Emilio Mancuso

Emilio Mancuso: marine biologist, scientific communicator, member of the Institute for the Sea' studies since 2005, diving instructor since 1999, deeply in love with the sea since the beginning!
Passionate about photography, it becomes for me a way to have my own material for conferences, project etc..and first of all a way to communicate the beauty, the gentleness and the importance of our beloved seas..for us and our future.

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Frank Rossow

Born in Germany, Frank was inspired by the movies from Jaques-Ives Costeau and Hans Hass. He always wished to become an underwater photographer and a guardian of the oceans. Since 1996 he works as a Scuba Instructor and made his career in different diving organisations. Since 2013 he is at top of Instructor level – he became a CMAS Course Director. Frank is a free journalist working for different magazines and he is also an author of a childrens book about diving „Entdecke das Tauchen“. His dive logbook stands for the moment at a bit more than 4000 dives. Frank owns a D800 and a D7000 Hugyfot housing.

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Harry Klerks

Ik ben begonnen met OW- fotograferen in 1980 met Nikonos
In 1980 ontmoete ik René Hugensmith die mij een onderwater huis verkocht.
Er volgde er nog 6 allemaal Hugy. De resultaten laten niet op zich wachten.
Ik denk dat ik zowat de meeste medailles en toffees bijeen heb gewonnen in OWF en dat natuurlijk in 40 jaar ... :o)

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Jean de Saint Victor de Saint Blancard

Plongeur depuis 1974 aprés un baptême de plongée dans la piscine de l’Université de Paris X lorsqu’il etait étudiant en droit. Il a réalisé des films au format super 8mm, des vidéos subaquatiques…mais c’est l’option « photo » qui a pris le dessus au hasard d’une rencontre décisive en 1996 avec un Instructeur photo Robert Pakiela à l’enthousiasme trés communicatif pour l’image et la participation aux compétitions fédérales. Un 1er prix amateur à un « Rendez-vous de l’Emotion » à Bonifacio pour une surimpression d’oursin autour de l’oeil d’un bleu intense de son épouse Marie, l’encourage à participer à des stages photo pour mieux utiliser son matériel de prises de vues subaquatiques et notamment pour la maîtrise de l’éclairage, de la lumière en « ambiance » ou en « macro ». En 1999, il est récompensé par le prix « Nikonos » au Challenge de photo sous-marine de Marseille. Rédacteur de nombreux articles sur les « métiers qui s’exercent palmes aux pieds » qui représentent l’Autorité de l’Etat sous la mer…publiés Rubrique « Pro » de « Plongée OCTOPUS » – « Le magazine de toutes les plongées » – Nommé fin août 2014 « Ambassadeur » (bénévole) pour l’ Académie Internationale « FRANCE MONDE CULTURE » – www.francemondeculture.com – Reçoit le 8 Juillet 2016 des mains de Mr Marcel de VILLEMOISSON – Président-Fondateur et Directeur de la publication culturelle trimestrielle « MOSAIQUE » le Diplôme « GRAND OR » pour ses activités de Reporter-Photographe Indépendant.

Copyright Jean de Saint Victor de Saint Blancard

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Johan Devolder

Knowledge and experience are of vital importance underwater. The more than 30 years of diving experience, and underwater video shooting in the seven world seas, make it possible for Johan to dive every dive site imaginable. With his full trimix diving license and the rEvo rebreather diving equipment, Johan can reach depths of up to 120 meters. Thus he comes to places where few have gone before.

https://vimeo.com/243114043

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John Bantin

John Bantin was the Chief Correspondent and Technical Editor to Britain’s DIVER MAGAZINE for 21 years. During that time he also contributed a great deal of material, both words and pictures, to the now defunct DYK Magazine in Scandinavia. He was one of the first to dive many wrecks, like the Thistlegorm and Bianca C, which are now very familiar to divers, visited dive sites as far from Europe as the wrecks of Bikini Atoll, and dive sites as varied as the Blue Holes of the Bahamas and Darwin, Cocos and Malpelo, islands in the Western Pacific. He was one of the first to be a recreational closed-circuit rebreather diver, using many pre-production prototypes. He was one of the first to photograph bull sharks in close-up in the early ’90s and was with Stuart Cove when they first hand-fed Great hammerhead sharks at Bimini, in the Bahamas. After he discovered Hugycheck, he ceased worrying about flooding a camera and stopped travelling with spares just in case he did! He retired in 2013 but it didn’t suit him and he is now Senior Editor to Undercurrent.org, a subscription newsletter for divers based in California, which he continues with to this day. He has written several best-selling books including Amazing Diving Stories and Shark Bytes.

Copyright John Bantin

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Jonathan Lin

Watching countless underwater documentaries as a child drew Jonathan Lin into the big blue mysterious world beneath the surface. He took to scuba diving in 1996 at the age of 23, and has over 5,000 dives under his belt to date.

Diving with professional underwater photographers for three whole years sparked Jonathan’s curiosity for the art of underwater photography, which he picked up in 2011. His works have been published in scuba diving publications such as Scuba Diver AustralAsia and Asian Diver. He’s also been featured in the prominent Underwater Macro Photographers Facebook group, the Editor’s Choice section for premier photography community, 500px, as well as regional airline SilkAir’s official website (on diving in Manado in Indonesia).

Jonathan has also been commissioned to carry out photo shoots for a number of resorts in well-known scuba diving destinations, such as Manado, Derawan, Ambon and Bintan. Thanks to his eye for photography, he’s also graced a handful of underwater photo competitions around the region as a judge.  He now teaches the art of underwater photography in his spare time.

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Luc Eeckhaut

Born in Belgium, Luc had his first diving experience at the age of 14 during a trip to Yugoslavia. For professional reasons, it was only until 1983 when Luc became active again as a member of the Natuical Divers Club in Izegem. In 1994, he becale a CMAS Instructor. His interest in underwater photography came when he bought a Sea & Sea Motor Marine II camera. After a couple of years he exchanged it for a mirror reflex camera, the Nikon F90s in a Subal housing and 2 Ikelite flashes. Now in the "digital age" he chose the Nikon D300s with a Hugyfot housing.

Copyright Luc Eeckhaut

Marc Vermeiren

Geboren in België in 1967 en beginnen duiken in 1991. Ik ben echt  begonnen met onderwaterfotografie in 2008, De Wase Onderwater Foto en Film  Vrienden hebben mij op het juiste spoor gezet, wat me al in 2010 een gouden medaille op het NELOS Festival opleverde in het digitale portfolio bij de Juniors.

In 2011 verplicht gepromoveerd naar de Masters, totaal onverwacht behaalde ik op het Open Nederlands Kampioenschap 2 gouden medailles (Visportret en groothoek) en een zilveren medaille voor het Portfolio. Jammergenoeg werd in 2012 de ziekte van mijn echtgenote alleen maar erger, ze verloor de strijd tegen Kanker in november 2014. Door deze situatie ben ik tot op heden de juiste focus een beetje kwijt. Maar ik ben niet bij de pakken blijven zitten, sinds 2013 ben ik lid lid van de NELOS Audio Visuele Comissie in begin 2015 ben in er voorzitter geworden en tracht ik samen met de hele commissie het Open Belgisch Kampioenschap en het NELOS Festival steeds weer een aangename wedstrijd te maken.

Copyright Marc Vermeiren

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Marco Rossignolo

Rossignolo Marco (22/09/1964) Bolzano Italy. I am passionate about photography forever. In 1995 I started my adventure with diving and in 2010 I decided to combine my two passions. Photographer for pleasure, I prefer macro photography because it gives me the chance to see the "invisible".
My equipment:
Housing for Canon Eos 7D Hugyfot
Fisheye Port, Wide Angle Port, Flat Port, Extension, Hugyfot
Float Arm, 2 Inon Z-240, Subsee + 10, Inon + 5
Handmade lens holder
Handmade snoot ( Optical Fibre)

Copyright Marco Rossignolo

Mark Badiola

I have been using Hugyfot  for 8 years, trying to squeeze underwater photography despite of busy schedules , I needed an Underwater Housing that could deliver and at the same time resilient to any Dive situations. I mostly take advantage on macro and Bonfire photography in the heart of ANILAO, Philippines a good 3 hour drive from where I live.

Underwater Photography as a hobby and more importantly a Passion, to share these magnificent creatures all over the world , creating awareness on what marine life has to offer. I have developed  a strong advocacy in creating awareness not only to fellow divers that marine life plays a vital part in our existence.

Copyright Mark Andrew Badiola

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Martijn Schouten

Martijn started diving at the age of 11 in holland and has been working as a dive guide in Holland, Mozambique, South africa and the Azores. Spending countless hours on and under the ocean while working as a diveguide has given him many photo opportunities and encounters not many people have had.

Copyright Martijn Schouten

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Olivier Jude et Sylvie Laurent

Diver and submarine photographer since 2004, Olivier Jude remains persuaded that the underwater photography allows to present extraordinary pictures which incite, after the delight of the first moments, to a profound reflection on the protection of our marine environment.

After several expeditions of scuba diving in Indian Ocean which led him in particular to the Big South of the Archipelago of the Maldive Islands and on protected areaas,  classified in the UNESCO as world heritage of Tubbataha Reef (Philippines) and Komodo National Park (Indonesia), after he was back to Monaco, he says he had noticed the same families of fishes and animal species,  which are characterized of course by sizes and different colors. Nevertheless the report is there, we have in Monaco and near the Principality an extraordinary marine environment, it is up to us to become aware of it and to make every effort to protect this.

Copyright Jude Olivier et Sylvie Laurent

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Roberto Moccini Formiga

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Roberto moved to Rome on 2017 where he continues to feed his passion for the oceans and the pursuit of new techniques that can help him achieve better images. His work aims to unveil the beauty hidden in our oceans and help create a conservationist culture among the general public. He collaborates with the Brazilian Association of Underwater Images - ABISUB as a judge of several photography contests organized annually by that association and participates in international photo contests as well.

Copyright Roberto Moccini Formiga

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Rui Palma

Rui Palma, born in Luanda/Angola. Diver since August 1995. Strong enthusiastic for diving activity and underwater photography. First shots in 2003 with a compact digital camera, having evolved naturally for DSLR equipment. During his career, he won several competitions. Portugal National Champion in 2015 and Vice-Champion in 2013 and  2016.

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Raffaele Livornese

The passion for photography and for travel led me around the world and in the main European capitals. My first trip to the "underworld" in 2007 in the waters of the Red Sea where I remained fascinated by the beautiful sea I decided to gear up for underwaterphotography to bring to light during my dives all that my eyes can see and my goal is to capture thereby leaving an indelible trace of a hidden memory and pristine.

With my Nikon and the desire to travel in search of new subjects performs countless dives from the  Indian ocean, Philippines, Indonesia, Madagascar, and the Pacific Ocean of Costa Rica's Cocos Islands.

Winner of several national photo awards such as the International Underwater Photography Contest "Città di Siena" in 2012, "My Shot - Scubaportal" in 2013 and 2020, “Abissi – Citta di Venezia” 2015 and 2019, but especially winner of prestigious international awards such as the "Grand Prize Scuba Diving Magazine" in 2014 and "UPY Wideangle Underwater Photographer Of the Year "in 2015, 2° place in the “Worlshootout” 2019 wideangle cathegory, Portfolio Winner and Top Photographer in the “PAF Tachov 2020” Festival.

I'm using Hugyfot housing since 2010, first a Nikon D90, then a D810 and actually a D850.

 

 

 

Stefano Scortegagna

At 47 years old I have made a successful career as a car salesman.  However, my true passion is underwater photography.

This passion was born sixteen years ago on my first venture into the water.  I was fascinated by the brilliant colors and diverse marine life in this marvelous submerged world that opened up before my eyes.

From that time, I have not ceased to explore and share these wonders with all who share my interest and enthusiasm.  And what better way to share, if not by words, than by my own photographs?

With time, my passion for photography has grown tremendously.  In order to capture more technically valuable shots, I decided to upgrade my first equipment with a Canon G11.  The vast improvement in photographic resolution brought forth even more beauty and made me fall even deeper in love with the subaquatic space.

I then started to organize some exhibitions of my photos to document the results of my discoveries. This shook up an unexpected success which further stimulated my quest to expose even more people to this wondrous underwater world.  Six years ago, I initiated a project in several schools to teach children the importance of respecting the environment and the ocean by sharing the photos from my many underwater adventures.

My continuous devotion to sharing my experiences with those young, and not so young, revealed an even greater purpose of my work.  I always strive to do better and try to explain to all that it is the responsibility of each person to, not only enjoy, but protect this incredibly valuable natural resource which is freely available to all of humanity.

About two years ago I decided to switch from a compact camera to a reflex; a Nikon D800e.  After a brief breaking-in period, I started to submit my photos in various competitions where they have received awards and recognition not just at the national level, but all over the world.

 

Tom Van Hout

Born in 1970 in Belgium.

In my childhood I spent many weekends and holidays in Zeeland (the Netherlands). As a little boy, I already watched the divers entering the water.They were like aliens returning to their own world.

 It wasn't until 2006 that I got my first diving license. A few years later, I went on a diving vacation to the Philippines for the first time, I bought myself a compact camera and underwater housing for this trip. 

In 2015 I decided to participate in a photo workshop of Els Van Den Borre and Bruno Van Saen in Anilao (Philippines). Thanks to Els and Bruno and their enthusiasm and coaching, I started to focus more and more on underwater photography. After this workshop I switched from compact camera to SLR camera with a Hugyfot housing! 

For a long time I hesitated to participate in competitions, but eventually I was persuaded to participate in the OBK (Open Belgian Championship) and ONK (Open Dutch Championship) Underwater photography. In the meantime, I became Belgian Champion in 2019 and Dutch Champion in 2020, both in the category "Starters". This means that from 2021 I will participate in these two championships in the Masters category. Wait and see how that turns out, in any case I will do my best to measure myself against a lot of photographers that I admire! 

Finally, I would like to thank two people. Els and Bruno, no matter how many times I have said and written it, I cannot repeat enough how much you both mean to me. Thanks for all your help and good advice over the years.

 

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Hugyfot - Industrielaan 30 - 9320 Erembodegem - Belgium - Chris.Maes@leys.be