Awards Night Celebration

The awards night is another night of merry making and indulgence of the banquet and wine prepared by Aiyanar Beach and Dive Resort. We also got to watch the amazing on-site video of the past 3 days’ event filmed by the talented Jess Lapid, jr.

 

 

Kudos to the Organising Team

For the organising body: the Dive Market team of Philippine Department of Tourism spearheaded by Wen Sorioso and Glen Agustin, and Director of Competition Jerome Kim, this is a time to relax and enjoy the fruit of almost one year of hard work. Although for some, it’s a night of anxiety waiting for the result of the competition. One is last year’s champion who is back to defend his title. Understandably so as we have many well known photographers, foreign and local, who graced this competition with their participation this years.

It takes people behind the scene like myself to appreciate how far this event has come from last year. Everything was smooth, almost stress free. The team has amazing learning curve perfecting the event after only 1 experience. It is my hope that the amazing Dive Market team will be kept even when administration or DOT secretary changes.

 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Finally, the winners were announced one by one. Many ecstatic participants, including last year champion Cem Gazivekili who won DOT Photographer of the Year, Open Class again. I’m happy for many of my dive friends who also won: Adrien Uichico who bagged 2nd place in open class portfolio. Ike and Baby Fajardo who did not win last year, but each won a category; Bebot and Kay are repeat winners; Alexis Principe placed 2nd in Open Class, Macro category. He was last year’s Compact Class Champion but was convinced to upgrade to Open Class this year. I happily noted that many Filipino photographers placed including the DOT Photographer of the Year Compact Class, Dennis Corpuz.

But at the end of the day, I believe everyone is a winner. If only for the gorgeous weather that accompanied every dive. Not to mention the new friends everyone inevitably met. I bet everyone significantly increased their facebook friends during the 4 days.

 


Bok & Cem moment | toggle sound manually

 

For those who didn’t have this event in their radar, and want take part in the next event, follow the Facebook Page: Anilao UW Photo Competition Festival for instant updates.

Slideshow of Winners & winning photos, in the order of Awarding
https://youtube.com/watch?v=EMU9q2aW6Y4&feature=youtu.be

 

Winners List

OPEN MACRO/SUPERMACRO MARINE BEHAVIOR NUDIBRANCH
PORTRAIT
CRUSTACEAN PORTRAIT DOT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
1ST MASSIMO ZANINI
(Italy)
ADRIEN UICHICO (Philippines) KOH YEN NGEE
(Singapore)
CEM GAZIVEKILI (Turkey) CEM GAZIVEKILI
(Turkey)
2ND ALEXIS PRINCIPE (Philippines) KIM DONG HYUN (S.Korea) IKE FAJARDO
(Philippines)
KELVIN TANNY (Singapore) ADRIEN UICHICO (Philippines)
3RD JIM CHEN (Taiwan) ROBERT ROY (Canada) KIM HANEUL DAMEUN (S.Korea) MARCELLO DI FRANCESCO (Italy) JIM CHEN
(Taiwan)
COMP
1ST WAI YEE HOO (Malaysia) BABY FAJARDO (Philippines) KAY MANEBO (Philippines) DENNIS CORPUZ (Philippines) DENNIS CORPUZ (Philippines)
2ND YOSHIO OSAWA (Japan) EDWARD CHEONG (Malaysia) PENN DELOS SANTOS (Philippines) CHRIS KASONY
(USA)
KIYOUNG JANG
(S.Korea)
3RD KIYOUNG JANG (S.Korea) BEBOT ESTEBAN (Philippines) PAUL JOSEPH ARISTORENAS (Philippines) KF LEONG
(Malaysia)
WAI YEE HOO
(Malaysia)

Sorry I can’t make this table responsive for mobile phone. Just watch the video. :)

 

 

 

Random photos during the awarding 

All photos are taken from the facebook page of Anilao UW Photo Competition Festival.
They’re therefore either mine, Jerome’s or Evie’s
 

 

Portfolio Winners
Macro/Super Macro Winners
Animal Behavior Winners
Nudibranch Portrait Winners
Crustacean Portrait WinnersÂ