Join the Wata Foto Festival, the 3rd Edition of the Underwater Photography Competition in Cozumel!

Previous editions were a total success, and all participants had an amazing time. We’re thrilled to do it again!

The Wata Foto Festival brings together passionate underwater photographers from around the world, not only to compete but also to enjoy a full lineup of activities: photography workshops, professional camera demos, and guest talks. Our mission is to unite the underwater photography community and showcase the treasures of Cozumel.

📅 Competition Dates: July 25th, 26th & 27th
Awards Ceremony: August 3rd
📍 Location: Tikila Beach
🏆 Organizer: Humarine

⪼ JUDGES:
👤 Mich González
👤 Robert Stansfield
👤 Quico Abadal

💵 Registration Fee: $120 USD or $2400 MXN

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

• Competition entry

• 4 dives over 3 days of your choice

• 4 tanks for the participant and 4 for their dive buddy

• Participant gift

HOW TO REGISTER?

Click here to register online and make your payment.

WHERE, WHEN & HOW?

Participants can begin arriving on Friday, July 25th at 8:00 AM at Tikila Beach Bar, where all dives will take place from shore. The venue has private parking across the street. Upon arrival, organizers will greet you and provide all necessary dive instructions.

To ensure enough time and space on the reef, the competition is divided into five time slots:

• Morning 1: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

• Morning 2: 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM

• Afternoon 1: 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

• Afternoon 2: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

• Night Dive: 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM

⏳ Limited spots! Secure yours by registering early.

All participants must arrive 2 hours before their selected time slot to register, enjoy the event, and prepare for their dive.

⏳ Mandatory Punctuality: Late arrivals may be disqualified if they miss their time slot. No same-day schedule changes allowed.

📩 Schedule Change Requests:
To request a time slot change, email info@humarine.com at least one week in advance with the subject:
“SCHEDULE CHANGE REQUEST WATA FEST – (YOUR NAME)”
Note: Changes are not guaranteed and depend on availability.

GENERAL CATEGORIES:

• Wide Angle

• Macro

• Black and White

• Creative

• Conservation

SPECIAL CATEGORIES

(This year we’ve added 2 new categories, each with separate costs and prizes.)

• Black Water

• Action Camara (Go Pro, Dji, Insta, etc) + Celulares

BLACK👽WATER

Thanks to the efforts of our judge Robert Stansfield, Cozumel is becoming a hotspot for photographing planktonic “aliens” drifting through the channel.

Max Participants: 7 divers

Fee: $120 USD or $2400 MXN

Includes:

• Entry to the BlackWater category

• 1 boat night dive and 1 tank per diver

• Briefing by Robert Stansfield

When & How:
Participants will meet at Cozumel ASIPONA Marina, board the boat, and head to the dive site. The exact date will be announced later based on optimal weather conditions.

CÁMARA DE ACCIÓN (Go Pro, Dji, Insta, etc) + CELULARES

A special category for those who love shooting with smaller cameras. This category does not compete in the general competition and has its own separate award.

Fee: $50 USD or $1000 MXN

Includes:

• Entry to the Action Cam category

• 1 shore dive at Tikila Beach

• 2 tanks (1 for participant, 1 for their buddy)

When & How:
Same rules and schedule as the general categories.

GENERAL RULES:

✔ All photographers and buddies must hold at least an Open Water certification.✔ All photos must be taken on competition days from Tikila Beach.
✔ Max underwater time: 90 minutes. Exceeding may result in disqualification.
✔ No altering the environment, moving subjects, or damaging the reef — disqualification will apply.
✔ Multiple camera setups are allowed.
✔ Participants may exit the water as many times as they want within their assigned slot.
✔ Max 3 photo submissions per category.
✔ No repeated images across categories.
✔ Cameras must have the date set according to event guidelines (given on the day of the competition).
✔ Submit original RAW files along with edited versions.
✔ No watermarks allowed.
✔ This is not a digital art or Photoshop contest. Only minimal edits (cropping, minor exposure/color/mask adjustments, particle removal) are allowed — except for the Creative category, which allows full editing tools.
✔ Cropping is allowed if the resolution is sufficient for print (min. 1500 x 2000 px).
✔ All dives must be buddy dives — with either another participant or a non-participant buddy.
✔ Judges’ decisions are final.
✔ Judges cannot know who took which photo or advise participants.
✔ Organizers reserve the right to use photos for event promotion.
✔ Each participant is responsible for their safety and equipment. Organizers and sponsors are not liable for any incidents.

PHOTO SUBMISSION:

Participants have two days to edit and email their photos in JPEG or RAW format to hannah@humarine.com before 10:00 PM.

📅 Submission deadline:
July 28th at 10:00 PM

📌 File Naming Format:
“JPEG – [Category Name]” or “RAW – [Category Name]”

PRIZES & AWARDS:

The top three photographers will receive a special recognition and a printed copy of their winning photo.

All first-place winners in each category will receive special prizes from our sponsors.

Overall Winner:
All general category winners will compete for the “Wata Foto Festival Grand Winner” title, with a $1,000 USD prize.
Note: BlackWater and Action Cam categories are excluded from this award.

Prizes will be announced during the awards ceremony on Sunday, August 3rd at Tikila Beach Bar.

If a winner cannot attend, shipping costs for prizes must be covered by the winner. Alternatively, prizes can be picked up at our store after the event.

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📢 Winners Announcement:
Sunday, August 3rd at the awards ceremony at Tikila Beach Bar (1st floor).

📍 See you at Tikila Beach on July 25th, 26th & 27th!

🎉 Huge thanks to all our sponsors who believe in this project!