Adnan Drnda

Adnan was born 1970, and he is a professional photographer, diving instructor, designer and architect from Sarajevo. He specializes himself in underwater photography, sports and nature photography. He has been officially engaged in photography since 1988 with his first analogue camera.
In 2004, he went to his first extreme wildlife expedition "Nanda Devi" in the Indian Himalayas, made photo reportage about this trip, which was a turning point in his photographic determination.
Since childhood, he has been fascinated by the element of water and the underwater world. With his first Mares set of fins and mask, he spent countless hours in water exploring fascinating new underwater world.
Since 2008 he entered the world of scuba diving and underwater photography. Adnan is a diving instructor, an underwater photography instructor, a nitrox diver, a gas blender. He specializes himself  in macro photography, underwater wide photography, and expeditions to untouched canyons, caves, mountains.
Adnan is a Mares worldwide ambassador, and a National Geography Yourshot photographer. He has participated in many domestic and international competitions in underwater photography, where he won many awards and recognitions.
Adnan is a multiple Champion of Bosnia and Herzegovina in underwater photography, and a member of the B&H National team. He also studied marine biology, and participated as a photographer and researcher on several expeditions for research and protection of sharks and rays as part of the Sharklab Malta projects.
His photos are published in domestic and international diving and travel magazines, web portals and newspapers, such are: SCUBAlife, Macro photographers, Start, Visit Bosnia. In his photo adventures, he uses Canon 5D mk2 camera  in Hugyfot underwater housing.

Samir Solakovic

Bosnia and Herzegovina / Belgium

Samir Solakovic is a professional underwater photographer from Sarajevo, an architect, designer, painter and sculptor. SSI Instructor, CMAS M1 and HSA instructor.

He exhibit his works in numerous individual and collective exhibitions as an architect, UW photographer, sculptor and designer.

Samir participated in numerous domestic and international competitions where he won many prizes, among which is the 6th place, the wide angle with the model, at the 2nd CMAS European Underwater Photography Championship, La Herradura, Spain, 2016. 

He is a Mares ambassador and Hugyfot World wide ambassador. 

As part of Sharklab Adria projects, he participated as a underwater photographer in several research projects related to the research and protection of sharks and rays of the Neum aquatorium. He participates in various expeditions for the preservation of waters, rivers, lakes and the sea / as well as the protection and preservation of the cave heritage in BiH.

Fabio Iardino

Fabio Iardino was born in Udine (Italy) in 1971. Starts to approach to diving in 1983 and in 1992 obtained the first CMAS Underwater Certificate. Over the years he became CMAS underwater Instructor and underwater TRIMIX instructor.
He has always been passionate about photography, in 1996 attended a course on underwater photography.
Participates writing of the book "UNDERWATER DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY" used by (FIAS) the Italian Federation of Underwater Activities for underwater photography courses.
Participates writing of the book "TRIMIX MANUAL 62" used by (FIAS) the Italian Federation of Underwater Activities for Techical diving courses.
In 2009 he is the author of the Photobook "THE TWO FACES OF A ADRIATIC PEARL” dedicated to the Dalmatian island of Vis.
From 1993 to present dived and photographed in Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, Austria, Egypt, Spain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Serbia and Atlantic Ocean.
Since 2006 he participates in contests and competitions of underwater photography of national and international circuit.
On 2009 he qualified 2nd in the Italian Championship of underwater photography team Competition.
On 2015 he qualified 1st in the Italian Championship of underwater photography team Competition and 3rd overall in the Italian Championship of underwater photography
On 2016 he won the Best of Show at the Italian Underwater Photography Championship and he qualified 2nd in the Italian Championship of underwater photography team Competition.
From some years he has participated in the jury of the national and international underwater photography contest
Instructor trainer SNSI of underwater photography organizes courses up to the instructor level.
Work with Hugyfot Equipment from film Camera Nikon F801s and F90x successively with Digital Camera: Nikon D200, D300s, D800E and finally the D850.

Yannick Gouguenheim

Underwater photography; knowing the river as a "sine qua non" condition

 Previously in charge of communication in the management and protection of aquatic environments, Yannick Gouguenheim is a professional photographer and video maker for 10 years. 

Speaker, exhibitor, trainer, his underwater photographs in fresh water are awarded and published throughout Europe.

Underwater photography allow to show the inaccessible and yet so close wonders that aquatic environments offer; ponds, lakes, rivers, springs and streams.  

A good knowledge of the species is fundamental in order to be able to approach them and to avoid mistakes that could harm them. 

Continental aquatic environments offer a wide field of investigation. These biotopes are true reservoirs of biodiversity and host a large number of rare or threatened species. 

It is really below the surface of the mirror that we find most of the elements of biodiversity linked to aquatic and continental environments, but also landscapes with a heritage value that is still totally ignored and although specific to each river.

Facebook : Yannick Gouguenheim 

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/yannickgouguenheim/?hl=fr

Nicolas Barraque

Born in 1964, after his first bubbles on the wreck of the Peccorella in Porto-Vecchio in 1979, his first Nikonos bought in Djibouti in 1984, the diving virus associated with underwater photography has never left him. A professional since 2000, he still has as much pleasure in sharing through images the most unusual moments he can encounter, from the Mediterranean Sea that he appreciates more and more, to the depths of the Pacific, via the inevitable Red Sea.

"I still find time with the association "Déclic Bleu Méditerranée" to show the beauty and fragility of the marine environment to 7 to 77 years olds. through my photos and exhibitions.”

 He is a photographer and author regularly awarded prizes in international competitions (World Festival of Underwater Images - Montier en Der, World Shoot Out...

 Imaginative, he created the underwater panoramic in 2006 with the image of the Rubis submarine and since then he has been making them every year. The most original is the one with 286 divers at the same time carried out during an event in Eilat where the definition is that the pressure can be read on the pressure gauge of each diver, Since 2012 it has been equipped by Hugyfot

Creator and director of PLONGEZ magazine since 2015

Co-founder and Co-organizer of the GALATHEA festival since 2016 in HYERES

To summarize despite more than 40 years of diving, his passion is intact and he hopes to share it with you for many more years.

Timo Dersch

born in 1987, has been passionate about water since his childhood. He became a competitive freediver and scuba diving instructor at an early age, and loved to travel and teach during his university years. After his studies he became an editor with Europes biggest Scuba Diving Magazine, TAUCHEN, based in Germany. The admiration for the contributors works led him into underwater photography, in which he found a passion and a perfect way to combine his passions for diving, traveling and journalism. He then became part of the underwater video production team „Behind the Mask“, with whom he worked on several projects. 

Timos photos have won awards, for example hosted by the prestigious GEO Magazine, and were published in many national and international magazines as well as newspapers. Amongst others, his publications are to be found in EZ Dive, Sport Diver, TAUCHEN, Free Men’s World, abenteuer und reisen, Divemaster, South Africa Magazine, Silent World, diving Europe and more. 

Timo is fascinated by any entity of water. He likes to explore untouched caves, reefs, rivers, and lakes. „There is life to be found in any body of water on our planet“, he says, „this is what creates the true fascination of diving for me.

Instagram: timodersch
Facebook: Timo Dersch

Erik KF Goossens

Born in Belgium in 1965, his diving career had to wait until he was 34! Whilst looking for some relaxing compensation for his busy life as a physiotherapy-clinic owner in Basel, Switzerland, he filled up most of his spare time ‘diving’.  As an autodidact in photography for most of his ‘younger years’, he then developed a profound passion for underwater-photography! What initially started as a hobby in 1999, soon turned into a second job…Or should we call it his second ‘lifetime mission’? To share this beauty ‘below’ with others that – for some reason whatsoever – were not able to discover and see for themselves, became the fuel for ever more diving trips! The digital catch of his cameras reached staggering numbers and was by now originating from all corners of this earth, not to forget the local lakes and rivers in the nearby Swiss Alps. No matter if salty or fresh, tropical or cold, even if covered with ice: any body of water was offering new adventures and challenges, leading to even more subjects for his archives that – luckily for his audience – weren’t going to be left to themselves!
Close to 2000 dives later – many of his photos now figure in publications, media productions and appearances on the stages of Europe’s major dive shows! By coincidence, he discovered the Philippines and soon more than one third of his current diving was achieved in Filipino Waters: stunned by its biodiversity and yet fairly easy accessibility, many of the Philippines’ dive hotspots now rank ‘highly recommended’ in his personal list of favorite dive destinations. His regular visits to this part of the ‘coral triangle’ lead to many assignments for the Philippine Department of Tourism, and even to fix appointment as one of the Philippines Dive Ambassadors on various events around the world.
At this point, global players and renowned brands in the dive industry started using his imagery and talents as a gifted polyglot and documenting publisher alike: he considers himself a privileged advocate of the oceans as much as an influencer addressing important issues and sharing not only images but especially the messages behind the pictures to a larger audience. In order to raise awareness and document both the ocean’s beauty as well as its vulnerability, he came to realize that the hardest challenge, is trying to maintain a healthy balance between family, job and patients on one and the hunger for more dives and photo-opportunities on the other side! At least, his achievements prove that images don't always need to ‘win prizes’ to draw the attention at the oceans and its inhabitants that are desperately seeking for respect and protection they deserve…

Facebook.com/ErikKFGoossens
Instagram.com/ekfgdotch

Bruno Van Saen

was born in 1967 in Belgium (Ninove).

As a little boy he was immediately bitten by the sports bug. At young age he started cycling. Due to a cycling accident, at the age of 22 he must change to another sport. 

In the 90's, Bruno repeatedly becomes regional champion in Karate.

In November 2004 he discovered the sport ‘scuba diving’. 

In 2009 Bruno participates to his first underwater photography contest. 

A few weeks later, Bruno becomes third in his first international underwater photography competition, and a year later he can re-confirm and belongs again to the ‘lucky’ winners. Meanwhile, Bruno Van Saen achieved great results at national and international photo competitions.  

Together with his wife, Bruno & Els collected over 90 awards in underwater photography competitions all over the world.

In this list we can see 3 wins in the World Festival for underwater images.

Many of his works, photographs as well as travel stories, were already published in various magazines like Scuba Diving Magazine (United States), Aquamonde (France), Duiken & Duikmagazine (Netherlands), EZDive (China), Submerge (South-Africa), Tauchen (Germany) and Hippocampus (Belgium).

Professionally Bruno is working in the ICT as a functional and performance analyst.

And when Bruno is not at work you can find him, along with his wife and perhaps his biggest competitor ;-) - somewhere in the warm tropical waters.

Els Van Den Borre

was born in 1975 in Belgium, Ninove.

Only at the age of 22 Els first gained pleasure in going into water. But during the subsequent summer vacations diving or even swimming in open water without a life jacket was not an option.

In November 2004, after two dive attempts in a swimming pool, they finally could convince Els to make an introductory scuba dive in the open sea. Once back in Belgium, together with her husband Bruno Van Saen, she became member of a CMAS Nelos diving school. 

Less than a year later she was shooting photos underwater for the very first time.

Meanwhile, for Els underwater photography became a real passion. Her patience is probably her greatest asset. Els can easily spend up to 100 minutes, or even more, with that one particular animal to capture the picture she has in mind.

In recent years, Els achieved excellent results in underwater photography competitions, and this not only in her home country Belgium but also at international level. , with victories in France, Switzerland and the United States. 

Together with her husband, who is also her loyal buddy, she could already enter twice the podium of the biggest competition in the world for underwater photography: the World Festival of Underwater images in Marseille.

Her biggest reward so far she probably got in September 2013 with her photo called ‘mouth full’. This photo was not only the Grand Prize winner of the Scuba Diving Magazine photo contest but was also nominated in the Benelux National Geographic Photo Contest.

Many of her underwater pictures were already published in magazines all over the world. And, never the less you can find many of her award winning photographs on advertising leaflets and on the internet or World Wide Web.

When Els is not diving, she is probably at home in her private practice. There she works as a physiotherapist, power-plate instructor and specialist acupuncture.

In her underwater images she tries to capture the purity of marine life. Total unedited images get her preference.

And preferably and especially the smallest creatures of our oceans.

Filip Staes

Filip was born in 1968 in Mechelen (Belgium). He started his dive career at the age of 23. A few years later he was caught by the underwaterphotography virus and he started to make photos in the Red sea. The first photocontests in 2000 were successful and an encouragement to continue. Meanwhile he has over 170 national and international awards on his honors list.  

Some of his biggest achievements are 3 times Belgian champion and 4 times photographer of the year (2014, 2016, 2018, 2019) , winner of the Dutch Championship (2016), 1^st place creative vision at Ocean Geographic (2018), 2 times Best-In-Show Prize : The David Doubilet Award for Excellence in Underwater Photography (2015) and the Jim Church Award for Excellence in Underwater Creative Imaging (2013) at Beneath The Sea (USA), 3^rd place fishportret at the CMAS world Championship (2019) and many awards over the whole world  with his audio visual presentations. (http://www.fsfotografie.be/wedstrijden.html)

When a man names his daughter “Océane”, it is very clear that he has more than a passion for the ocean. Filip likes to pass his knowledge and gives photoworkshops and presentations, writes for magazines, sells his photos and travels with other underwater enthusiasts all over the world. His images are memories of fantastic and spectacular experiences, but also moments of patience and frustration, in search of an enchanting world.

Instagram: Leonardo_oftheoceans

Facebook: Leonardo Oftheoceans

Livio Fakeye

Was born in 1986 in Belgium. He started travelling right after university where he became first a scuba diver and then a freediving instructor. He was always been passionate by cameras since his childhood and when he discovered the underwater world, it was natural to pick up a camera and capture the beauty. 
He is now specialised in underwater photography and videography as a freediver. He finds it more challenging and more free holding his breath. Only with natural light, he captures the beauty of the ocean and freedivers.
He says “I love training freediving, it such a great feeling. I try to train in a way to improve my photography skills, so I can stay longer down and have more time to capture the moment”.
Livio is very present in the freediving community, such as competitions where he shoots athletes during their performances and teaching the sport itself. He is as well involved in conservation and makes a positive impact for our future. With the help of his life partner Diana Garcia, they capture breathtaking photos to show the beauty and the problems the ocean is facing. He also gives workshops with Dahab Freedivers where people can learn underwater photography, do private photoshoots and sell fine art prints.
Livio loves to travel and explore new underwater places, going through caves, coral reefs and be submerged with the marine life.
The name FAKEYE (fake eye) is an alias as an underwater artist. A camera is a third eye and a fake one, used to see and show the underwater world.

Instagram : @liviofakeye
Youtube : @fakeyeproduction

Mikkel Noe-Nygaard Rasmussen

Mikkel lives in Denmark and has been a keen underwater photographer since his dive debut in 2006. In love with their functional esthetics and convinced by their robustness, simplicity and build quality he has been using Hugyfot houses for his Canon fullframe cameras since 2009.

Coaxed by a fellow photographer Mikkel entered the Danish national championships in 2013 and quickly discovered he had a talent for creating images underwater.

He has won the Danish national championships several times and participated in numerous CMAS world championships as well as judging for example the Swedish championships. 

Being an active participant on many many photo trips and workshops have helped Mikkel build a large network of underwater photographers throughout Denmark, Scandinavia and through the CMAS championships also the rest of the world with whom he shares inspiration, tips and tricks. 

Always interested in sharing his passion and knowledge he has, besides from giving talks and lectures about the subject, recently started teaching new underwater photographers in both basic and advanced techniques to get them started on their journey and help them produce stunning images and tell great stories. Mikkel is a firm believer in making the shots under the water and in the camera thus using as little post-processing as possible - photos just becomes much better when you strive to make it right the first time. This is what he wants to pass on to other photographers.

His mission is to show how colourful and interesting Denmark can be below the surface as many think of Danish diving as cold, brown, muddy and uninteresting. Nothing but the temperature is true and only for about a couple of months pr year. The more people see the beauty of the nature that surrounds them the more they’ll want to take care of it!

Professionally Mikkel works as a User Experience Architect designing complex enterprise level software to be user friendly, effective and aesthetically pleasing. 

He has a degree in Architecture specializing in Communications Design, is married to his own personal marine biologist and has two daughters.

Danny Van Belle

Danny is a world renown marine wildlife photographer and videographer.
He’s diving for over 20 years and logged more than 5000 dives all around the world.
He’s a 4-times Winner of ‘the Golden Fin’ for best documentary at the World Festival of Underwater Images, multiple Belgian champion and vice-world champion CMAS underwater videography.
He specialized himself also in underwater photography. He won, with his pictures,  major prizes at festival around the world. (Celebrate the Sea, PAF Tachov, Festival Europeène de l’image sous-marine, Galathea Festival Hyères, Nelos Festival, …)
He’s also the organizer of the HUGYCUP, an international underwater photo & video shoot-out.
www.hugycup.com
In cooperation with ‘Diving 4 Pictures Co. Ltd.’ he organizes underwater photography and videography trips and workshops all around the world. Regularly he is invited to be member of the Jury at underwater film & photo festival. In 2019 he was also member of the jury at the CMAS World Championships underwater photography.
His major advice to all beginning photographers and videographers ….  Take pictures environmental friendly and learn to master a perfect control over your buoyancy. Only this is the way that leads to successful underwater imaging !!
Danny Van Belle can be reached at danny.van.belle@gmail.com for all info or advice

Olivier Jude & Sylvie Laurent

David Bedia

David was born in 1978 in Ceuta, a small Spanish city in North Africa in the Strait of Gibraltar. At the age of 12 he began to practice fishing and freediving with his first Cressi fins (which he still has) and he knew that adventure and the sea were his passion. 

He graduated in physical education and sports, with several postgraduate degrees in active and adventure tourism. In 1999 he became interested in diving from which he has not stopped learning and training until now, having different degrees and specialties, both sports (CMAS) and recreational (PADI). 

Closely linked to the Burbujas diving center and his Staff, Javier Galán, model and friend with whom he dives throughout the year trying to discover the wonders of the Strait of Gibraltar and everything that its waters hide. 

It is this desire to discover what led him to start diving with action cameras in 2014 and it was not until August 2018 that he first immersed his Nikon D7200 with Hugyfot housing thanks to Kanau, his trusted store, from Juan José Sáez. 

Oblivious to competition, he develops photography and video as a means of expressing what he feels and observes under the surface. A way to show and teach the beauties and treasures that the sea hides, especially the underwater beds of Ceuta and its biodiversity, with the aim of showing them to the whole world to make visible the importance and need for protection and care. 

For him, there is no greater sense of freedom than to dive with the current as you walk through walls full of Gorgonians and Anthias. 

He is currently a member of the CressiTeam and is a Hugyfot World Ambassador. 

Instagram: @David_Bedia

Luis Campos