Underwater Photographer of the Year 2016 SA

South African Pier Mane, is the winner of the Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2016 for his image titled “Three Pillars - Practice, Patience & Luck!”

The overall winner, Davide Lopresti’s image titled “Gold”, is an artistic portrait of a spiny seahorse taken in Trieste, Italy to celebrate their return to areas of the Mediterranean that have been protected from destructive fisheries, such as trawling.

Highlighting issues of conservation and endangered species can also be found in Mane’s image of a Hawksbill Sea Turtle found in Sodwana Bay off the coast of SA and Prieto’s picture titled “What feeds beneath” of an endangered Hawaiian Petrel snapped in Mexico.

Like Mane’s winning image in his category, other photographers were also rewarded for their patience and perseverance.

Sarah Bowring, a Marine Mammal Medic at a seal rehabilitation centre in the UK achieved a long time ambition to engage with the seals in their natural environment. This led to the charming image called “Hello, give us a kiss”.

Paul Colley’s attempt to photograph trout during a year-long river project with a home-made pole-cam, led to a raft of Mallard ducks muscling in to steal food intended to entice trout to the camera.

Christian Vizl was highly commended in the “Wrecks” category for capturing an image of his lecturer, award winning photographer David Doubilet in the Caribbean during a workshop.

“We are very excited to partner with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and to host this fascinating Underwater Photography exhibition. The various themes will be incorporated into our school group visits along with the NSRI WaterWise Academy project which I know the learners enjoy. The Wrecks category ties into our new display of Model Ships on loan from Iziko Museums and the Rocket Lifesaving Apparatus used for saving lives from shipwrecks at the Cape of Storms in the 1800’s”, says Dale Dodgen, Business Executive of Chavonnes Battery Museum. “Thank goodness we have the NSRI now”

Visitors have the option to meander on their own or join a guide from local communities for a tour, where they will enjoy breath-taking images and explore the history of Cape Town in one affordable experience that lasts up to 2 hours.