This competition is open to everyone and you can participate with any brand of camera. Everyone can participate !!

There will be prizes for the winners in every category.
All pictures must have been taken during the ‘Hugycup’ days at NAD Lembeh during the HUGYCUP competition.
The start of the competition will be on the 5th of December 2023 (1st competition day)
The last day of competition will be the 31st of January 2024

Competition categories include.

 

ALL CAMERA’s – REFLEX, MIRRORLESS & COMPACT CAMERA’s

The 9th HUGYCUP – PHOTOGRAPHY

Goes to the participant with the best result in 5 categories together
Macro – Fishportret – Nudibranchs & Seashells – Wide Angle – Portfolio
6 prizes will be awarded

MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY

Pictures of small subjects (nudibranchs, shrimps,..) and close-ups (eye of a fish, details).
2 prizes will be awarded

THE FISH PORTRET COMPETITION

Picture of a fish
2 prizes will be awarded

THE NUDIBRANCH & SEASHELL COMPETITION

Only pictures of nudibranchs & seashells.
2 prizes will be awarded

WIDE ANGLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Any wide angle picture reflecting the unique underwater environment of the Lembeh Strait
2 prizes will be awarded

PORTFOLIO

A serie of 10 pictures photographers choice which will be evaluated together !
2 prizes will be awarded

 

Only COMPACT CAMERA’s

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER compact camera

The winner will be the participant with the best overall results in three categories
(Compact portfolio 3 pictures – compact fish portret – compact macro)
3 prizes will be awarded

MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY compact camera

Pictures of small subjects ( nudibranchs, shrimps,..) and close-ups (eye of a fish, details).
1 prize will be awarded

THE FISH PORTRET COMPETITION compact camera

Picture of a fish
1 prize will be awarded

PORTFOLIO PHOTOGRAPHY compact camera

Photofolio of 3 pictures a photographer’s choice.
1 prize will be awarded

 

1. All pictures have to be delivered in digital format in jpeg format or can be send by Wetransfer or Dropbox.

2. Every participant is allowed to send in 3 pictures in competition in each category but only one serie of pictures in the portfolio competitions.
The results of the best picture in 5 reflex camera categories will be added together to determine the HUGYCUP winner.
The results of the best pictures in 3 compact camera categories will be added together to determine the best compact camera photographer.

3. Every participant can win one prize in each competition category. There will be prizes for the 1st place and 2nd place (runner-up) in the different competitions.
In the category HUGYCUP overall winner and best compact camera photographer 6 prizes will be awarded.
There will be 1 prize awarded in each compact camera competition.

4. Only pictures registered in the databank during the shooting days at NAD Lembeh will be accepted in competition.

5. A picture can only be entered once and can not be entered in several categories.

6. Pool images are not allowed.

7. Each competition day, in the morning, the competitor will receive a new time code to set the camera.

8. Every evening the competitor can transfer a maximum of 15 pictures to the organiser’s databank for pictures in competition.
During the competition the settings on the camera have to be put on jpeg or jpeg+raw (jpeg always in highest resolution)

9. The pictures will be transferred in Jpeg.

10. It is not allowed to modify pictures in any way before having them registered during the competition.

11. Photoshop is allowed but limited !!
Next adjustments are allowed : Adjusting contrast – Adjusting sharpness – Color adjustments – Dust removal and cleaning – Rotate & turn
Next adjustments are NOT allowed : Putting images together or copy and paste parts of pictures (f.e. Copy an eye – mirror and paste so the fish will have two eyes looking into the camera) – Removing background parts or making the background black.
No artificial adjustments to create sunbeams or sunlight in the background. Double exposure pictures are allowed (1 raw file = double exposure).
The two or more pictures that make up the double exposure picture have to be delivered but do not count as pictures in competition.
Cropping is allowed up with a maximum of 20% of the original size. (Longest side X shortest side – 20%)
For example resolution 1500×1000 = 1500000 – 300000 (20%) = 1200000 pixels minimum resolution.

12. All competitors must supply their own full photo equipment. All pictures have to be taken by the participant him/herself.

13. By submitting the photo, the competitor certifies that he/she has created, composed and made the original submitted photo. The pictures will be send with a file map for each separate competition.

14. By submitting the photo, the competitor certifies that he/she has made every shot during the HUGYCUP competition days 2023/24

15. During a competition day it isn’t allowed to erase pictures from the memory card before the final selection of the day has been transferred to the organizer.

16. Decisions of the jury panel shall be final.

Proclamation of awards and prize giving during the HUGYCUP festival in May 2024.

More details about the date of the HUGYCUP prize giving & awards evening will follow shortly.

Entries exhibiting the following behaviour will be disqualified.

Keep in mind that the dive guides are very sensitive to divers who show no respect to their environment.
– Feeding of animals.
– Touching or moving animals to “better” backgrounds.
– Animals with signs of stress (e.g. puffed puffers, inking octopus).
– Marine life should never be stressed or endangered for the sake of a photo or some video.
– Divers visibly damaging the environment can be disqualified.

Participants have to bring with them their diving license and diving insurance.
The pictures must be submitted and sent before 1st of March 2024.

HUGYCUP 2023-2024

Danny Van Belle

Kraaiwinkel 42

9450 Haaltert

BELGIUM

or be send by Wetransfer of Dropbox to
danny.van.belle@gmail.com

Rights of usage:
The competition’s management and sponsors will have the right to use all the pictures made by the competitors for promotion of the competition and for public relations.

Responsibility:
Each participant is responsible for his/her own safety and the proper operation of his/her diving and photographic equipment. The organizers and the sponsors of this event do not endorse that diving is safe and do not recommend any particular location. Each participant must follow the diving rules and use his/her own judgment regarding diving safety.

By signing the inscription form all participants agree with the rules of competition !

The Hugycup competition is proudly organized by
Greenforce underwater Lights , Da Factory NV,
Hugyfot underwater camera housings
& Diving 4 Pictures Co. Ltd. Thailand.