The seventh edition of MARE FOTO will follow the classic contest format, with underwater digital photography as the main discipline. Photography is an ideal language to reveal the hidden beauty of the sea, with all its colours and light. It also allows us to document species and habitats, providing essential information about their conservation status.
© Joan Pereyra
Open call for entries for the VII Edition of the Photography Competition for the Conservation of the Balearic Sea Deadline for submitting your photographs: 15 September 2025. You can submit up to 20 digital photographs related to the Balearic and Mediterranean seas, which bring to light their richness and beauty or show the relationship between people and the marine environment, be they positive or negative relationships, success stories, or complaints. In all cases, the photographs must have been taken in the Balearic or Mediterranean seas since October 2019 and must not have been awarded a prize in any of the previous MARE competitions. Those under 16 years of age can participate in the YOUTH DIVISION and those aged 16 and over in the GENERAL DIVISION. Depending on their experience, those in the GENERAL DIVISION can participate as an AMATEUR (original JPG or RAW essential) or an EXPERT (RAW essential). If you are participating in the YOUTH DIVISION, you can submit your photographs to a single, generic, juried category. You are also eligible to submit to MARE Popularis. If you are participating in the GENERAL DIVISION, you can submit your photographs across any or all of the five juried categories: 1. MARE Animalia; 2. MARE Botanica; 3. MARE Sapiens; 4. MARE Denuntiare; 5. MARE Nostrum. You are also eligible to submit to MARE Popularis. In the MARE Popularis (People’s Choice) category, open to all participants, the winner will be chosen by popular decision through your votes on our website.
All photographs must be submitted in JPG format, with 1920 pixels on the largest side and less than 4 MB in size, without watermarks, borders, or captions. Each photograph you submit must be accompanied by a short conservation text. Also, you must indicate where it was taken, the approximate date and its title. Except for MARE Popularis, the jury will select the most interesting photographs in each category and award the prizes. A total of €10,000 will be distributed over 24 prizes in the form of cash and Aquatic Expedition Kits. Six honourable mentions will be awarded: three for «marine protected areas» and three for «Joan Pereyra: the little things ». The selected photographs will be included on our website and may form part of a travelling exhibition that will tour the Balearic Islands in 2027. Registration for MARE FOTO is free for those under 18 years old, members of the Associació de Fotografia de Natura de les Illes Balears (AFONIB), the Federación Balear de Actividades Subacuáticas (FBDAS), flickerosdeibiza and associated diving centres. Otherwise, the registration fee is €10, whether you submit one photo or 20. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING.
If you are a member of one of the following centres, you can enter the Audiovisual Competition for the Conservation of the Balearic Sea MARE for free.
Isabel is a marine biologist and a passionate photographer specialising in intimate landscapes and details of nature. The creativity of her vision blurs the line between literal and abstract representations of the natural world. As a result, her images are imbued with a certain mystery that invites reflection.
Isabel is the author of two photography books: ‘Entre mareas’ (2021) and ‘Al borde de las mareas’ (2009). She took part in the ‘Objetivo Pura Vida’ project organised by the Spanish Embassy in Costa Rica and was editor-in-chief of the magazine IRIS, published by the Spanish Association of Nature Photographers, between 2011 and 2014. She has served as a jury member in prestigious international photography competitions such as Montphoto, Asferico and the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Carolina Wells is a professional underwater photographer originally from Cambrils who is now based in Mexico. With a background in artistic and documentary photography, she approaches the underwater world with a perspective that combines technical precision and visual sensitivity.
She is an accomplished technical deep-sea and cave diver who seeks to document, interpret and convey the fragility and ecological importance of little-explored underwater ecosystems, from historic shipwrecks to delicate cave systems. Through her lens, she combines scientific value with visual narratives that promote environmental awareness and the conservation of these unique environments, contributing to their long-term protection and preservation.
Juan Carlos studied biology and specialised in the biology and ecology of the Mediterranean Sea. He has carried out numerous studies on benthic communities and on ecological and environmental assessment. He took his first diving course while studying for his degree, and his diving has been linked to both leisure and work ever since. Through underwater photography, he has showcased, in numerous articles published in magazines and books, the beauty and species hidden on the seabed, which he discovered during his dives and studies.
Promoting the Mediterranean and encouraging its conservation is what has led him to write and edit countless articles and books, such as the well-known “The Mediterranean Marine Ecosystem: A Guide to its Flora and Fauna”, an essential reference for all lovers of the Mediterranean.
The Photography Competition for the Conservation of the Balearic Sea is subject to the code of ethics that regulates conservation photography, which all participants must respect and comply with. The spirit of this code of ethics focuses, above all, on these principles:
Read our complete code of ethics here: Association of Nature Photographers of the Balearic Islands, AFONIB
Do I have to upload all my photos at the same time?
No, you don't. Once you have registered, you can upload your photos whenever it suits you best. This way you can correct mistakes, change photos, etc. When you have finished uploading all your photos and you are happy with the result, don't forget to click on the submit button. I have some great underwater photos from a couple of years ago. Can I submit them?
You can submit photos taken in the last five years, i.e., you can submit any photo taken after October 2018. How many photos can I submit?
You can submit a maximum of 20 photos. Can I submit photos taken with my mobile phone?
Yes, you can submit as a YOUNG PERSON or AMATEUR as long as your mobile phone takes photos with resolutions higher than 10 Megapixels. If your mobile also shoots in RAW format, you can submit as a YOUNG PERSON, AMATEUR, or EXPERT. Can I participate with photos taken with a drone?
Yes, you can submit as a YOUNG PERSON or AMATEUR as long as your drone takes photos with resolutions higher than 10 Megapixels. If your drone also shoots in RAW format, you can submit as A YOUNG PERSON, AMATEUR, or EXPERT. In which language do I have to write the texts attached to my photos?
You can write the texts in Spanish, Catalan, or English. Use the language in which you express yourself best.
I submitted my registration by mistake before finishing it. What can I do?
Don't worry, it's a common mistake. Write to us at info@marebalear.org with your username and we will reactivate your account so you can correct it. I want to add another photo to my application, but I have already submitted my registration. What can I do?
Don't worry, this is a common mistake. Write to us at info@marebalear.org with your username and we will reactivate your account so you can add that photo. I am a member of AFONIB and I want to avail of the discount on the competition entry fee. What do I have to do?
It's easy. When you register, click on AFONIB. You will see a drop-down menu. Enter your membership number and that's it! Your registration will cost you nothing. I am a member of FBDAS and I want to avail of the discount on the competition entry fee. What do I have to do?
It's easy. When you register, click on FBDAS. You will see a drop-down menu. Enter your membership number and that's it! Your registration will cost you nothing. I am a diver and I am federated, but not in the Balearic Islands. Can I avail of the discount on the competition entry fee?
Unfortunately, the free registration is only for people who are federated in the Balearic Islands. I did a couple of dives last year with a diving club in the Balearic Islands. The photos I want to submit were taken on that day. Can I avail of the discount on the competition entry fee?
Yes, as long as the dive centre is on the list of dive centres associated with MARE. Call the dive centre and they will give you a code. When you submit, click on PARTNER DIVER CLUB. You will see a drop-down menu. Enter your code and that's it! Your registration will cost you nothing.
I am not a photography expert, but I shoot in RAW and not in JPG. At which level should I apply?
You can apply at the level you think you fit best. You should choose based on your experience and confidence in your photography. We use EXPERT to refer to very high-quality photographic material, taken with cameras working in RAW format. We also recommend visiting the MARE Gallery to see previous submissions and evaluate which profile you fit best. I am not a professional photographer but my photos are very good. Can I apply for the EXPERT level awards?
You can apply for the level you think you fit best. We use EXPERT to refer to very high-quality photographic material, taken with cameras working in RAW format. We recommend visiting the MARE Gallery to see previous submissions and evaluate which profile you fit best. How do I know my level?
We recommend taking a look at our website to see the galleries of winners and finalists from previous competitions. This will help you just what level you are at
Do I have to submit photos for all categories?
No, you don't have to. You can enter only the categories you are most interested in. For example, you could submit 20 photos to MARE Animalia or you could distribute the 20 photos among the various categories. It's up to you. I have a lot of animal photos and no complaint photos. Can I submit my 20 photos to only one category?
Yes, you can submit only to the categories you are most interested in, as long as you do not exceed the maximum allowed number of 20 photos.
Can I digitally process my photograph?
Digital processing of photographs is not only permitted, but often recommended. The photo should be as true to reality as possible. You can adjust your photo, but you cannot create something new or delete something that exists. You can do adjust the white balance, make level adjustments, reframe, adjust the contrast and saturation, remove spots from the sensor, and so on. You can’t clone, delete, distort dimensions, transform perspective, over-process, overlay, or make double exposures that have not been made in-camera. Photographs submitted to MARE Popularis are not required to meet this criterion. Can I do some minor retouching of framing or colour?
Your photograph must be as true to reality as possible. You can adjust it, but you cannot create something new or erase something that exists. You can adjust the white balance, make level adjustments, reframe, adjust the contrast and saturation, remove spots from the sensor, etc. You can’t clone, delete, distort dimensions, transform perspective, over-process, overlay, or make double exposures that have not been made in-camera. Photographs submitted to MARE Popularis are not required to meet this criterion. Can the photos be processed or do I have to send the original?
You can submit your processed photographs as long as they are true to life. If your photo is shortlisted, we will ask you for the original file (either RAW or JPG, whichever your camera stores) to check that any photo editing is within the allowed parameters. Can the original image be reframed/cropped to other proportions, such as squarer or more landscape formats?
Yes, you can. There is only one condition. The cropped file you have on your computer (not the one you send us to participate, but the original) must weigh at least 10 megabytes without interpolation. If your photograph is selected, we will need a high-quality file to make physical prints for the exhibition.
When I upload the photos to my competition entry, the colours lose saturation. Why is this?
What the entry tool shows you when you upload your photo is a thumbnail of it; it is not your photo. It is a very low-quality rendition of your photo that is only intended to confirm that you have uploaded the correct one. Don't worry, the jury will see the photo you see on your screen. How can I make sure that the jury sees my photos as I see them on my computer?
Have your monitor properly calibrated and to submit your photo with an Adobe RGB 1998 colour profile. Is it mandatory to submit my photos in Adobe RGB 1998 colour space?
It is not mandatory, but it is recommended. The Adobe RGB 1998 colour profile creates a space that encompasses most of the colours that can be printed on a CMYK printer without conversion. This gives us a minimum level of quality that allows us to ensure that we will see your photo as you see it on your computer. Higher colour spaces such as ProPhotoRGB are also allowed.
How do I upload my photos?
Format: JPG. Size: 1920 pixels on the larger side. Maximum weight: 4 Megabytes. Colour space: Adobe RGB 1998 (recommended, not mandatory). Do not remove the Exif (shooting parameters of the photograph). No watermarks, borders, or captions. I don't know how to prepare the photo for submission. Can you help me?
Sure! Open your photo with any photo editing program. Open dimensions/photo size or some similar command and type 1920 ppx on the side with the largest number. The size of the other side (the smallest) should change automatically. If it hasn't changed, look on the screen next to those numbers for a picture of a paper clip. Click on it to have the proportions automatically adjusted. Save this file in Adobe RGB 1998 colour profile (this is recommended but not mandatory). Click on ‘Save file as jpg’ and change the compression rate until it is less than 4 Megabytes. I can't resize the picture to 1920 pixels with my computer. What do I do?
There are free online programs that allow you to do this. One that works quite well is https://www.adobe.com/es/express/feature/image/resize. You only have to register, but it is free forever. My images are larger than the guidelines. How do I transform them?
Don't worry, it's very simple. Open your photo with any photo editing program. Open dimensions/photo size or some similar command and type 1920 ppx on the side with the largest number. The size of the other side (the smallest) should change automatically. If it hasn't changed, look on the screen next to those numbers for a picture of a paper clip. Click on it to have the proportions automatically adjusted. If you don't use any editing software, don't worry. There are free on-line programs that allow you to do this. One that works quite well is https://www.adobe.com/es/express/feature/image/resize. You only have to register, but it's free forever. When you have your file resized, click on ‘Save file as jpg’ and change the compression ratio until it is less than 4 megabytes.
