REAL FOCUS is more than a photo competition — it’s also a scientific initiative. Each image submitted must be paired with dive data to support our 3-year behavioural study.
1. About the Competition
1.1. The REAL FOCUS: Underwater Photography Shootout 2026, partnered by Solitude World and Makrogehtimmer, champions ethically responsible underwater photography while celebrating the natural beauty and behavioural richness of marine life. This competition takes place across two iconic destinations: Solitude Acacia Resort (Anilao, Philippines) and Solitude Lembeh Resort (Lembeh Strait, Indonesia).
1.2. The competition is open to guests who stay a minimum of three (3) nights at either Solitude Acacia Resort or Solitude Lembeh Resort during the official competition period: February 15 to April 30, 2026. All required files, including unedited RAW images and accompanying dive data, must be submitted before the guest’s departure from the resort.
1.3. Entrants must submit their RAW (unedited) images prior to check-out. Final edited versions of these same images must be uploaded by May 31, 2026, via the participant’s 3SIXTY account. Only these final edited versions will be judged.
1.4. All entries must comply with the competition’s ethical guidelines, which prioritise conservation, non-disturbance, and respectful engagement with the marine environment. Any form of manipulation or interference with marine life or habitat will result in disqualification.
1.5. All competition entries must be accompanied by a completed dive data sheet, as part of a 3-year marine species behaviour study led by marine biologist Dr David Harasti. This data collection is mandatory and contributes to ongoing scientific research. Participants will be provided with simple, easy-to-complete data forms designed to record observational details relevant to their submitted images.
2. Eligibility Section
2.1. Eligibility To qualify, participants must be registered guests at either Solitude Acacia Resort (Anilao, Philippines) or Solitude Lembeh Resort (Lembeh Strait, Indonesia) for a minimum of three (3) consecutive nights during the official competition period: 15 February to 30 April 2026.
2.2. Exclusions Employees of Solitude World, Solitude Resorts, Solitude Liveaboards, Makrogehtimmer, and individuals directly involved in the organisation, management, or judging of the competition—including their immediate family members—are not eligible to participate.
3. General Ethical Conduct
3.1. Respect for Marine Life: Photographers must ensure that all animals are captured in their natural, undisturbed environments.
3.2. No Physical Interaction: Touching, moving, or handling marine life, corals, or plants is strictly prohibited.
3.3. Preserve Natural Behaviour: Images showing animals in states of stress or unnatural behaviour due to human interference will be disqualified.
3.4. Buoyancy Control: Photographers must demonstrate excellent buoyancy to avoid damaging marine life or reefs.
4. Dive Guide Involvement
4.1. Guide’s Role: Dive guides are allowed to help locate marine animals, but they must not assist with lighting, positioning, or altering the environment.
4.2. Organic Settings: The underwater environment should remain untouched—guides and photographers are prohibited from adjusting the surroundings to stage a shot.
5. Environmental Stewardship
5.1. Zero Tolerance for Habitat Damage: Any disturbance to marine habitats (such as breaking corals or displacing organisms) will lead to immediate disqualification for that day’s submissions.
5.2. Avoid Artificial Manipulation: Baiting or using attractants to influence animal behaviour is prohibited.
5.3. Waste-Free Diving: Participants must leave no waste or equipment behind, ensuring the dive environment remains pristine.
6. Photography Guidelines
6.1. Self-Sufficiency: Photographers must handle all aspects of the shoot independently, including lighting. Dive guides may not assist with photography setups.
6.2. Submissions Limits: Participants may submit a maximum of five (5) RAW/UNEDITED images, each with one (1) corresponding EDITED image, per category.
6.3. RAW and Final Image Submission: Entrants must submit unedited RAW images before departing the resort. Edited versions of the same RAW files must be submitted by May 31, 2026.
6.4. Editing Flexibility: Participants may swap out their edited submissions until the final competition deadline on May 31, 2026. No changes can be made after that date.
6.5. Scientific Data Submission: For each image submitted, participants must complete a corresponding dive data sheet. This includes observational details such as depth, temperature, behaviour notes, abundance levels, and dive site. These submissions form part of a 3-year marine species behaviour study led by Dr. David Harasti, integrating photography with scientific research.
7. Image Requirement and Ethics
7.1. Disqualification for Manipulation Any form of interference with marine life or the environment will result in immediate disqualification for the day. All photos taken that day will be ineligible for submission. Participants may rejoin the competition the following day.
7.2. No Submission on Day of Disqualification If disqualified, images from the day of the violation will not be accepted. However, participants are permitted to re-enter the competition the following day.
7.3. Scientific Data Pairing
All image submissions must be accompanied by a completed dive data sheet. This is a core requirement of the competition, supporting the 3-year marine species behaviour study led by Dr. David Harasti.
Each sheet must correspond to the specific image submitted and include details such as dive site, depth, temperature, observed species, abundance, and behavioural notes.
Submissions without a valid data sheet will be disqualified.
7.4. Editing Guidelines and Creative Techniques
Minor post-processing is allowed, including global adjustments (e.g., colour, contrast, white balance), cropping (up to 20%), backscatter removal, and minor flaw correction. Tools like Backscatter Terminator and AI-powered spot removal are permitted for clean-up only.
Any editing that alters the primary subject or context (e.g., moving or removing elements, adding objects) is strictly prohibited.
AI Usage Prohibition: Generative AI tools that create or enhance content beyond minor clean-up (e.g., content-aware fill, object replacement) are forbidden.
Double Exposure: Only allowed in the Creative category. Must be done in-camera, underwater, and during the shootout period. Both original RAW JPEGs must be submitted for verification.
Violations of these rules will result in disqualification. REAL FOCUS is dedicated to showcasing the natural world through ethical and authentic underwater photography.
7.5. Disqualification for Plagiarism or Copyright Infringement Any entry found to violate copyright or use unauthorised content will be disqualified and may be barred from further participation.
7.6. Misrepresentation Providing false or misleading information about a subject, location, or context will result in disqualification. Re-entry may be allowed on subsequent days if no further violations occur.
7.7. Duplicate Submissions Submitting the same image to multiple categories is not allowed and will result in disqualification from all categories. Each submission must be unique.
7.8. Unethical Practices Actions that endanger wildlife, damage the environment or demonstrate unsafe diving behaviour will lead to disqualification for the day. Re-entry may be permitted the following day if no further violations occur.
7.9. Eligibility Violations Failure to meet the competition’s eligibility requirements, or providing false personal information, will result in disqualification. Re-entry is at the discretion of the organisers.
7.10. Prize Forfeiture Due to Non-Response If a winner fails to respond to prize notifications within the stated timeframe, the prize may be forfeited and the entry disqualified. The participant may still enter future categories.
7.11. Incomplete Submissions Any image submission that lacks its corresponding dive data sheet will be considered incomplete and disqualified.
8. Competition Supervision
8.1. Real-Time Monitoring: Referees will monitor participants to ensure all ethical rules are followed. Each participant will be given a number to wear for easy identification.
8.2. Reporting Violations: Participants are encouraged to report any observed violations. Ethical behaviour is fundamental to the competition.
9. Judging Criteria
9.1. Ethical Integrity: Adherence to ethical guidelines is the most important criterion in judging.
9.2. Creativity and Originality: Judges will assess unique perspectives and creativity in the approach to photography.
9.3. Technical Merit: Image quality, composition, and lighting are considered, but ethical practices take precedence.
9.4. Composition and Aesthetics: Images will be evaluated for their composition and visual appeal.
9.5. Impact: Judges will look for images that evoke emotion or leave a lasting impression.
9.6. Scientific Contribution While not influencing the artistic judging of images, the completeness and accuracy of the accompanying dive data sheets are essential for the scientific integrity of the competition.
10. Image Specifications
10.1. File Submission Participants must submit both the final edited JPEG and the corresponding unedited RAW file(s) converted to JPEG format for each entry.
Each edited image must have matching unedited JPEG(s) converted from the original RAW file(s).
In cases where a final image was created using in-camera techniques such as double exposure or stacking, multiple unedited JPEGs may be required to verify authenticity.
All submitted images (edited and unedited) must be a minimum of 2700 pixels on the shortest side, with file sizes between 2MB and 5MB. RAW files must be converted to JPEG format prior to submission to optimise storage capacity.
10.2. No Compositing or Heavy Editing: Images must not include composites, added/moved elements, or excessive alterations that misrepresent the original scene.
10.3. Captions: Each image must include a 25-word description explaining the location and context of the photograph.
10.4. Submission Limits: See 6.2. Submission Limits for category-specific submission requirements.
11. Enforcement and Accountability
11.1. Transparency: RAW files may be requested for verification to ensure adherence to the ethical guidelines.
11.2. Immediate Disqualification: Any breach of the competition’s guidelines will result in immediate disqualification, and images from the day in question will not be eligible for submission.
12. Educational Focus
12.1. Workshops on Ethical Photography: Solitude Resorts will offer workshops throughout the year to educate participants on ethical underwater photography and responsible diving practices.
13. Prizes and Awards
13.1. Prize Pool The prize pool boasts an incredible collection worth over USD$25,000—and that’s just the beginning! More thrilling prizes will be revealed as the event draws closer, so stay tuned for even greater surprises.
13.2. Categories and Main Prizes Prizes will be awarded across the following categories:
Best of Show USD$5000 voucher sponsored by Solitude Liveaboards and Resorts, redeemable for any Solitude Liveaboard and Resorts location or itinerary, excluding Tubbataha itineraries.
Traditional Macro
10-day stay for one person, including diving and nitrox, at Solitude Acacia Resort in Anilao, Philippines.
Creative Macro
10-day stay for one person, including diving and nitrox, at Solitude Lembeh Resort in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia.
Blackwater Macro
7-day stay for one person, including diving and nitrox, at Solitude Acacia Resort in Anilao, Philippines.
Compact/Point & Shoot
7-day stay for one person, including diving and nitrox, at Solitude Lembeh Resort in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia.
13.3. Prize Allocation Prizes will be distributed according to the category winners as determined by the judges.
13.4. Final Judgement All decisions regarding winners and prize allocation made by the judging panel are final and not subject to appeal.
13.5. Prize Substitution In the event a specific prize is unavailable, a substitute prize of equal or greater value may be provided at the discretion of the organisers.
13.6. Additional Terms
Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash unless explicitly stated.
Winners are responsible for any applicable taxes, duties, or shipping costs associated with their prizes.
14. Categories
14.1.Category Descriptions:
Best of Show: The best overall image across all categories.
Macro Traditional: Close-ups of marine life, focusing on natural colours and sharp details.
Macro Creative: Artistic, abstract, or experimental macro photography, using creative techniques and lighting.
Blackwater: Nighttime photography in open water, highlighting rare marine species.
Compact/Point & Shoot: Open theme, restricted to compact cameras.
14.2 Submission LImits: See 6.2. Submission Limits for category-specific submission requirements.
