WHY MARE?
The Balearic Sea* is rich and diverse, and we want to share it with everyone! Getting to know the richness that is concealed under the sea is essential for understanding its benefits and participating actively in its conservation.
Visual arts, such as photography or video, play a key role in revealing the sea’s hidden treasures to the general public, connecting us to nature and promoting awareness and an active involvement in marine conservation. Visual arts can bring us hope; they can move and inspire.
We all have an important role to play in the conservation of the Balearic Sea. We want to be part of an active, responsible and well-informed community that enjoys a positive relationship with its marine environment.
* The Balearic Sea is enclosed by the 1,000 m isobath around the Balearic archipelago and occupies a total area of 28,290 km2.WHAT IS MARE?
MARE is an initiative that supports marine conservation through creativity and the promotion of visual arts from an ethical perspective.
We would like to invite everyone to capture the beauty of the landscape, fauna and flora of the Balearic Sea so that we can share, understand and enjoy it, while learning about the challenges it faces and becoming an active part of its conservation.
MARE presents an audiovisual competition for the conservation of the Balearic Sea, with digital underwater photography as the main discipline. Find out more about the competition and join in!
We are open to other formats and visual arts techniques which we hope to include in future editions. Cutting-edge, alternative modalities may help us explore new ways to empathise and reconnect with the marine environment.
Yes, everyone has a unique vision of the sea. What is your vision?
Find out more about the competition and join in!
WHO ARE WE?
MARE is a collaborative initiative promoted by leading organisations, associations and institutions in the world of conservation, photography and video, among others. We also have the support of a variety of companies and media who are committed to marine conservation.
MARE is always open to other entities and sponsors and aims to become a reference in the area of visual arts promoting conservation messages. The members of our board of advisors have a wealth of relevant knowledge and experience.
Advisory board
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Aniol Esteban
Director of Marilles Foundation
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Irene Estaún
Former Director of Menorca Biosphere Reserve
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Paco Membrives
Chairman of MontPhoto
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Manu San Félix
National Geographic Pristine Seas cameraman and founder of Vellmarí, Formentera
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Agustí Torres
Photographer & Director of Shark Med
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Enric Gener
Photographer & founder of 27 mm
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Joan Sans
Member of the AFONIB Board of Directors
WHEN?
We opened the audiovisual competition at the start of the summer season for the conservation of the Balearic Sea to professional and amateur photographers, inviting them to capture images of what hides beneath the surface of the sea.
In early winter we will organize a ceremony to present the photographs and conservation messages that best help us connect with the sea. Prizes will be awarded to the winners during the ceremony.
After the winners are announced, we will organise travelling exhibitions around the Balearic Islands with the finalist and winning images.
FIND US HERE AND STAY IN THE LOOP!
Our diary will keep you up to date with the activities we organise around conservation, the world of underwater photography and video.
We share news and online events on social media. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
And if you don't want to miss out on any news, subscribe to the newsletters of our collaborators!
ETHICAL CODE
The audiovisual 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:
- The safety of the subject and the preservation of its environment is always more important than obtaining the photograph.
- The biology and behaviour of the species to be photographed must be documented beforehand to prevent inappropriate actions.
- The necessary permits must be requested from the relevant authorities to photograph species that require this by law or are in protected areas.
- Animals must be photographed in their natural environment, with no alteration to their behaviour.
- The location of rare or endangered species should not be disclosed, except to accredited researchers and administrations responsible for their conservation.
Read our complete code of ethics here:
Association of Nature Photographers of the Balearic Islands, AFONIB
