21st Monaco National Underwater Photography Competition: the Best Mediterranean Underwater Images Awarded

The waters of the Principality of Monaco once again became a spectacular stage for underwater photography. Over the weekend, the 21st edition of the Monaco National Underwater Photography Competition took place, organised by the Club d’Exploration Sous-Marine de Monaco (CESMM). The event has become a major gathering for enthusiasts of diving, photography and marine conservation.

This year’s competition brought together 24 participants divided into 12 teams, who explored Monaco’s underwater world in search of images capable of capturing and showcasing the extraordinary biodiversity of the Mediterranean.

Favourable weather conditions and particularly good diving conditions contributed to the success of the event, allowing competitors to work in optimal circumstances and focus on finding the most striking subjects and underwater scenes.

Underwater photography reveals Monaco’s marine biodiversity

The Monaco National Underwater Photography Competition is about much more than competition. Behind the search for the winning photograph lies a broader objective: to showcase the richness of the marine environment in order to raise awareness of its protection and conservation.

Through the photographers’ lenses, organisms and underwater landscapes that are normally invisible from the surface become the protagonists. Fish, tiny marine creatures, molluscs, crustaceans and underwater scenery reveal the remarkable diversity of life found in the waters of the Principality.

Photography therefore becomes a powerful tool for education and environmental awareness: showcasing the beauty of the sea also serves as a reminder of how important it is to protect it.

Roger Mullot: “Proud to see the event continue to grow”

During the ceremony held at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, CESMM President Roger Mullot highlighted the importance the event has gained and the growing commitment of its participants.

Mullot expressed his satisfaction with the continuity of the competition, emphasising how the event has become firmly established and continued to develop over the years.

The CESMM president also stressed that the competition provides an opportunity for people to come together around shared values, placing the beauty of the underwater world and the need to preserve it at the heart of the event. He also thanked everyone whose contribution helps make the competition a success each year.

Categories at the 21st Monaco National Underwater Photography Competition

The main competition was divided into two categories according to the type of photographic equipment used:

• interchangeable lenses;
• non-interchangeable lenses.

Each team was required to submit a series of four underwater photographs, with images corresponding to the themes specified by the competition: fish, macro, atmosphere and shells and crustaceans.

The overall quality of the series was then assessed by the jury, which selected the most outstanding entries.

Winners of the Monaco underwater photography competition

In the interchangeable-lens category, first place went to Sébastien Ameeuw and Delphine Fraysse, whose photographic series won the competition.

In the non-interchangeable-lens category, the top prize was awarded to Philippe Lecomte and Christine Cazal.

In addition to the main awards, the jury presented a number of special prizes recognising outstanding work in individual photographic themes.

Special awards

Fish Award
Sébastien Ameeuw and Delphine Fraysse

Macro Award
Sébastien Ameeuw and Delphine Fraysse

Atmosphere Award
Philippe Lecomte and Christine Cazal

Compulsory Theme Award – Shells and Crustaceans
Véronique Wurmli-Baudot and Yvan Cwiek

Special Jury Award
Jean-Marc Molimard and Brigitte Rupp

The Guest of Honour Award, presented by H.E. Secretary of State Yvette Lambin-Berti, was awarded to Béatrice Landreau and Christophe Mouton.

Young photographers take centre stage at the 13th “Regards sous la mer” competition

The event also placed a strong emphasis on younger generations through the 13th edition of the “Regards sous la mer” junior competition, designed to introduce children and teenagers to underwater photography and encourage them to discover the marine environment.

The junior competition was divided into two age categories:

• Méduse category, for children aged 8 to 11;
• Hippocampe category, for young people aged 12 to 17.

Each young participant submitted a series of three underwater photographs, taken during the summer in Mediterranean waters.

Junior competition winners

In the Méduse category, the winner was Tia Rizza.

In the Hippocampe category, first prize went to Charlène Barois.

The jury also awarded a Coup de Cœur Award to Tia Rizza, while the Guest of Honour Award from Yvette Lambin-Berti went to Charlène Barois.

Photography as a tool for protecting the sea

The success of the 21st edition confirms the important role played by Monaco’s underwater photography competition. The event gives photographers an opportunity to compete at both an artistic and technical level, while also allowing the public to discover a natural heritage that often remains hidden beneath the surface.

Each photograph becomes a window into Mediterranean biodiversity and an invitation to better understand marine ecosystems. In this sense, the photographers’ work helps turn a passion for diving into a meaningful message of awareness about the protection of the oceans and underwater environments.

Looking ahead to the 22nd Monaco National Underwater Photography Competition

With the 21st edition now concluded, attention is already turning to the future of underwater photography in the Principality.

The 22nd edition of the Monaco National Underwater Photography Competition is already planned for next year, continuing an event that brings together sport, photography, education and marine conservation.

Year after year, the competition demonstrates how an image can become much more than a photograph: it can be a powerful way to discover, appreciate and protect the sea.