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Judges
Tom Park
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Tom Park is a published underwater and adventure photographer.
Tom combines his background where he was raised by sharks with his passion for photography, creating breathtaking wildlife and landscape images above and below the water. Tom's clients stem from local-owned diving businesses in Hawaii and on the East Coast of Australia, to global corporations.
When Tom isn't talking about himself in third person, he loves to work with magazines, where his work has been published in a number of international adventure, travel, and underwater magazines. While he would love to call himself a professional underwater and landscape photographer, Tom would prefer that his images and videos did the talking.
Tom Park is a published underwater and adventure photographer.
Tom combines his background where he was raised by sharks with his passion for photography, creating breathtaking wildlife and landscape images above and below the water. Tom's clients stem from local-owned diving businesses in Hawaii and on the East Coast of Australia, to global corporations.
When Tom isn't talking about himself in third person, he loves to work with magazines, where his work has been published in a number of international adventure, travel, and underwater magazines. While he would love to call himself a professional underwater and landscape photographer, Tom would prefer that his images and videos did the talking.
Frank Lame
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Frank started diving in 1985. At that time dive equipment was pretty much still in development and most dive lights were homemade.
Technical failure of these lights due to leakage was quite common and lights were heavy as well as bulky, as big batteries were necessary to provide sufficient light for the dive. Since then Frank has made some 2.400 dives under all kind of conditions. From ice diving under subzero temperatures, heavy currents, fresh and salt water, wrecks and tropical reefs as well as under low visibility. He has been diving with the Great White, but also has a strong interest is tiny sea creatures like hairy shrimps and the various species of pygmy seahorses. He has been diving in 16 different countries and therein numerous different areas.
Frank is in his free time a Master Instructor and part of his dives are educational dives. He’s co-founder and board member of New Lake Divers (www.newlakedivers.nl) in Amsterdam.
When overseas, Frank always dives together with his video camera, capturing the marine life (www.youtube.com/user/franklame). A number of his videos have been broadcasted, among which by the BBC.
Frank started diving in 1985. At that time dive equipment was pretty much still in development and most dive lights were homemade.
Technical failure of these lights due to leakage was quite common and lights were heavy as well as bulky, as big batteries were necessary to provide sufficient light for the dive. Since then Frank has made some 2.400 dives under all kind of conditions. From ice diving under subzero temperatures, heavy currents, fresh and salt water, wrecks and tropical reefs as well as under low visibility. He has been diving with the Great White, but also has a strong interest is tiny sea creatures like hairy shrimps and the various species of pygmy seahorses. He has been diving in 16 different countries and therein numerous different areas.
Frank is in his free time a Master Instructor and part of his dives are educational dives. He’s co-founder and board member of New Lake Divers (www.newlakedivers.nl) in Amsterdam.
When overseas, Frank always dives together with his video camera, capturing the marine life (www.youtube.com/user/franklame). A number of his videos have been broadcasted, among which by the BBC.
Baron Abas
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Baron is a seasoned filmmaker with experience as Director Of Photography and Steadicam Operator for feature films and commercials.
He was selected as a Sony Key Opinion Leader for his expertise in the industry. Baron shoots underwater videos and flies drones for tv shows, which makes him a versatile filmmaker on land, under the sea and in the air.
He owns and manages WolFang Digital, a studio that provides video production services for clients around the world https://www.wolfangdigital.com/
“I’ve been very comfortable filming on land and in the air but the sea presents unique challenges” For Baron, the ocean is where the action’s at.
“Sure it’s tough but the rewards are worth the effort”. Baron enjoys discovering and filming marine life in the blue wonderland
“Every dive is a blue-la-la adventure”
Baron is a seasoned filmmaker with experience as Director Of Photography and Steadicam Operator for feature films and commercials.
He was selected as a Sony Key Opinion Leader for his expertise in the industry. Baron shoots underwater videos and flies drones for tv shows, which makes him a versatile filmmaker on land, under the sea and in the air.
He owns and manages WolFang Digital, a studio that provides video production services for clients around the world https://www.wolfangdigital.com/
“I’ve been very comfortable filming on land and in the air but the sea presents unique challenges” For Baron, the ocean is where the action’s at.
“Sure it’s tough but the rewards are worth the effort”. Baron enjoys discovering and filming marine life in the blue wonderland
“Every dive is a blue-la-la adventure”
Gerald Nowak
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Gerald is an Instructor Trainer at the dive association CMAS Germany (FST) and Instructor at SSI, a photo instructor for several associations, a Trimix and Rebreather diver, as well as a impassioned ice, wreck and cave diver. Whether tropical, temperate or cool waters, everything that promises exciting reports or great pictures awakens his interest.
He has a special commitment to threatened shark species. His favorite marine animal are the graceful hunters of the ocean: fox and blue sharks, but also the sublime tiger shark.
For the protection of the sea and the animals, he is active in several animal protection organizations and supports them with information and photo material, which he collects on his worldwide journeys.
Gerald is an Instructor Trainer at the dive association CMAS Germany (FST) and Instructor at SSI, a photo instructor for several associations, a Trimix and Rebreather diver, as well as a impassioned ice, wreck and cave diver. Whether tropical, temperate or cool waters, everything that promises exciting reports or great pictures awakens his interest.
He has a special commitment to threatened shark species. His favorite marine animal are the graceful hunters of the ocean: fox and blue sharks, but also the sublime tiger shark.
For the protection of the sea and the animals, he is active in several animal protection organizations and supports them with information and photo material, which he collects on his worldwide journeys.
Troy Iloski
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Underwater Photographer, Scuba instructor, Shark Conservationist and Shark Expert. I love to travel and visit new places. I have been exploring
the underwater world for over 30 years. I love nature and photography. Published in many media and magazines around the word, from National
Geographic and Stern to many Scuba magazines.
Underwater Photographer, Scuba instructor, Shark Conservationist and Shark Expert. I love to travel and visit new places. I have been exploring
the underwater world for over 30 years. I love nature and photography. Published in many media and magazines around the word, from National
Geographic and Stern to many Scuba magazines.
Franco Tulli
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Franco's desire, as a child, was to become an astronaut to go to the moon and space. He did not realize this dream, but he saw in diving the possibility of realizing a part of it: to visit the bottom of the sea and the oceans.
So in the early 90s, he began to discover this magnificent new world, not with a spacesuit, but with fins, mask, and tanks.
This passion has led him to visit many of the most famous and remote paradises in the world (Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, Sudan, Arabia, South Africa,
Papua, Micronesia, Peru, Mexico) to try to capture, through his lens, the wonders of the underwater world enticing people to love, respect and explore it!
He collaborates and has collaborated with several companies in the field, including the prestigious National Geographic and many of his photos have been published in international magazines of underwater photography and nature (Unterwasser, Asian Geographic, Asian Diver, Scubashooters) and also exhibited in New York at the ONU.
Over the years he has received many awards through the most important international awards of photography including recently the World Shootout, Images of Asia, Voice of the Ocean, Galathea.
Franco's desire, as a child, was to become an astronaut to go to the moon and space. He did not realize this dream, but he saw in diving the possibility of realizing a part of it: to visit the bottom of the sea and the oceans.
So in the early 90s, he began to discover this magnificent new world, not with a spacesuit, but with fins, mask, and tanks.
This passion has led him to visit many of the most famous and remote paradises in the world (Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, Sudan, Arabia, South Africa,
Papua, Micronesia, Peru, Mexico) to try to capture, through his lens, the wonders of the underwater world enticing people to love, respect and explore it!
He collaborates and has collaborated with several companies in the field, including the prestigious National Geographic and many of his photos have been published in international magazines of underwater photography and nature (Unterwasser, Asian Geographic, Asian Diver, Scubashooters) and also exhibited in New York at the ONU.
Over the years he has received many awards through the most important international awards of photography including recently the World Shootout, Images of Asia, Voice of the Ocean, Galathea.
Rafael Fernandez Caballero
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
As the Underwater Photography World and European champion, his aim is not only to get emotional pictures, but to show the beauty and richness of
our oceans and create awareness about the importance of protecting it.
As the Underwater Photography World and European champion, his aim is not only to get emotional pictures, but to show the beauty and richness of
our oceans and create awareness about the importance of protecting it.
Katherine Lu
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Katherine Lu is an American award-winning photographer currently residing in Singapore. She is an accomplished businesswoman and has been diving the world for over 20 years. Always seeking new challenges, Katherine picked up photography in 2013 and is completely self-taught. Living in Singapore and within easy reach of the rich coral triangle, she has developed a speciality in underwater macro photography, but also enjoys photographing reefscapes and large pelagic species such as sharks and whales when travel opportunities arise.
As an underwater photographer, she enjoys creating artistic interpretations of the beautiful marine creatures, bringing a voice to them in an effort to raise awareness and protect the ocean they live in.
Katherine Lu is an American award-winning photographer currently residing in Singapore. She is an accomplished businesswoman and has been diving the world for over 20 years. Always seeking new challenges, Katherine picked up photography in 2013 and is completely self-taught. Living in Singapore and within easy reach of the rich coral triangle, she has developed a speciality in underwater macro photography, but also enjoys photographing reefscapes and large pelagic species such as sharks and whales when travel opportunities arise.
As an underwater photographer, she enjoys creating artistic interpretations of the beautiful marine creatures, bringing a voice to them in an effort to raise awareness and protect the ocean they live in.
Przemek Przystałka
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
I am an underwater photographer.
“Water and photography have always been present in my life, however, it was underwater photography that allowed me to discover what truly fascinates me.”
My specialty is wide-angle photography which enables the shooting of big underwater objects, both created by nature and man-made.
I am passionate about the usage of light to emphasize the beauty of wrecks, caves, and canyons. In my photos, great importance is given to divers, underwater models, who add to the dynamics of a frame and bring life to the composition.
I live in Poland where I run my company, while with traveling and photography of underwater world I try to show its beauty and to raise awareness of how much we should protect seas and oceans.
I am an underwater photographer.
“Water and photography have always been present in my life, however, it was underwater photography that allowed me to discover what truly fascinates me.”
My specialty is wide-angle photography which enables the shooting of big underwater objects, both created by nature and man-made.
I am passionate about the usage of light to emphasize the beauty of wrecks, caves, and canyons. In my photos, great importance is given to divers, underwater models, who add to the dynamics of a frame and bring life to the composition.
I live in Poland where I run my company, while with traveling and photography of underwater world I try to show its beauty and to raise awareness of how much we should protect seas and oceans.
Kurt Storms
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Kurt Storms is a Belgium Military, underwater cave explorer, and active Technical/rebreather/cave diving instructor for IANTD. He started his diving carreer in Egypt when he was on vacation. And the passion never ended.
Kurt is also founder and CEO of Descent Technical diving. He’s diving on several CCR’s like AP, SF2, Divesoft Liberty SM.
Kurt is also one of the pushdivers that are documentary a new slatmine in Belgium (Laplet).This project was news on Nationale TV.
Most of his dives are mine and cave dives. In his own personal diving, Kurt’s true passions are deep extendend-range cave dives.His wife (caroline) is also a passionated cave diver.
In his free time he explore the Belgium slatemine’s. When he is not exploring, he take’s his camera with him, for documentary the dives.
Kurt Storms is a Belgium Military, underwater cave explorer, and active Technical/rebreather/cave diving instructor for IANTD. He started his diving carreer in Egypt when he was on vacation. And the passion never ended.
Kurt is also founder and CEO of Descent Technical diving. He’s diving on several CCR’s like AP, SF2, Divesoft Liberty SM.
Kurt is also one of the pushdivers that are documentary a new slatmine in Belgium (Laplet).This project was news on Nationale TV.
Most of his dives are mine and cave dives. In his own personal diving, Kurt’s true passions are deep extendend-range cave dives.His wife (caroline) is also a passionated cave diver.
In his free time he explore the Belgium slatemine’s. When he is not exploring, he take’s his camera with him, for documentary the dives.
Gus Gonzalez
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Gus Gonzalez is a CCR Cave Diver, Trimix Diver, and Instructor based in Atlanta.
He is the co-host and producer of the popular DIVE TALK Podcast and YouTube channel, and the creator of the “CAVE DIVER REACTS” series.
As an instructor for IANTD and SSI, Gus is passionate about sharing his love for diving with his students, whether they are starting their journey as a brand new diver, or they are seasoned divers, and this passion spreads through his podcast and videos.
His favorite dives typically include a powerful DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) and a Cave, or a beautiful deep wreck filled with Lionfish as he’s an avid Lionfish Tracker and loves to help in the efforts to eradicate this invasive species from the Atlantic ocean.
Gus Gonzalez is a CCR Cave Diver, Trimix Diver, and Instructor based in Atlanta.
He is the co-host and producer of the popular DIVE TALK Podcast and YouTube channel, and the creator of the “CAVE DIVER REACTS” series.
As an instructor for IANTD and SSI, Gus is passionate about sharing his love for diving with his students, whether they are starting their journey as a brand new diver, or they are seasoned divers, and this passion spreads through his podcast and videos.
His favorite dives typically include a powerful DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) and a Cave, or a beautiful deep wreck filled with Lionfish as he’s an avid Lionfish Tracker and loves to help in the efforts to eradicate this invasive species from the Atlantic ocean.
WOODY ALPERN
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
SSI Instructor Trainer | Classified Diving Instructor | Platinum Pro 5000 Instructor | Basic Freediver Instructor | Tech Diving Instructor | IANTD Normoxic Closed Circuit Rebreather Instructor | certified CCR cave diver and certified CCR DPV cave diver | Founder of Dive Talk
Scuba diving has been an integral part of his life for as long as he can remember. For almost 45 years, he has been drawn to breathing underwater. The connection to the underwater world is so powerful and healing that even when he is away from it for 24 hours, he is craving his next dive. When he is diving in the ocean in particular (although cave diving has its own magical powers as well), he is often heard referring to its unbelievable powerful energy as Ocean Soul. He loves the connection to nothing but his breath and the marine life world around him.
SSI Instructor Trainer | Classified Diving Instructor | Platinum Pro 5000 Instructor | Basic Freediver Instructor | Tech Diving Instructor | IANTD Normoxic Closed Circuit Rebreather Instructor | certified CCR cave diver and certified CCR DPV cave diver | Founder of Dive Talk
Scuba diving has been an integral part of his life for as long as he can remember. For almost 45 years, he has been drawn to breathing underwater. The connection to the underwater world is so powerful and healing that even when he is away from it for 24 hours, he is craving his next dive. When he is diving in the ocean in particular (although cave diving has its own magical powers as well), he is often heard referring to its unbelievable powerful energy as Ocean Soul. He loves the connection to nothing but his breath and the marine life world around him.
Karen van den Oever
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Karen van den Oever is a Cave and Trimix Diver and Instructor based in South Africa. Karen along with her husband (Francois) are owners and founders of "Somewhere Out There Diving". "Somewhere Out There Diving" was created for the purposes of out of the ordinary, expedition and exploration type diving trips.
Karen is very passionate about technical diving and cave diving and in March 2021 set a new Woman’s World Record for the deepest Scuba dive with a depth of 236.04m, in Boesmansgat Cave in South Africa and in October 2022 bettered that record with a depth of 246.56m. Karen has a passion for exploration and also enjoys teaching others and sharing her knowledge and passion for technical diving.
Karen van den Oever is a Cave and Trimix Diver and Instructor based in South Africa. Karen along with her husband (Francois) are owners and founders of "Somewhere Out There Diving". "Somewhere Out There Diving" was created for the purposes of out of the ordinary, expedition and exploration type diving trips.
Karen is very passionate about technical diving and cave diving and in March 2021 set a new Woman’s World Record for the deepest Scuba dive with a depth of 236.04m, in Boesmansgat Cave in South Africa and in October 2022 bettered that record with a depth of 246.56m. Karen has a passion for exploration and also enjoys teaching others and sharing her knowledge and passion for technical diving.
Mike Young
Mike is a member of the Advance Diver Magazine Exploration team as well as the US Deep Caving Team.
Recently Mike discovered a Mayan vase that dates back 1300 years while exploring and mapping cenotes (caves) in the Yucatan peninsula area. In 2010, Mike was on the J2 expedition, exploring a system in southern Mexico that is 1200 meters deep, and took 2 days of caving just to reach the water.
In 2011, Mike and the deep caving team mapped an underground river system in Puerto Rico that totaled over 23 kilometers in length, making it the world's longest underground river. Some of the area surveyed had never been seen by human eyes before.
Most recently Mike is leading an exploration team into Roaring River State park’s underwater cave system. They have now recorded dives to 472’ deep placing it as the deepest cave in the USA. (Using Orcatorch lights).
Recently Mike discovered a Mayan vase that dates back 1300 years while exploring and mapping cenotes (caves) in the Yucatan peninsula area. In 2010, Mike was on the J2 expedition, exploring a system in southern Mexico that is 1200 meters deep, and took 2 days of caving just to reach the water.
In 2011, Mike and the deep caving team mapped an underground river system in Puerto Rico that totaled over 23 kilometers in length, making it the world's longest underground river. Some of the area surveyed had never been seen by human eyes before.
Most recently Mike is leading an exploration team into Roaring River State park’s underwater cave system. They have now recorded dives to 472’ deep placing it as the deepest cave in the USA. (Using Orcatorch lights).
Gerard Arboli
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Gerard Arboli is from the generation that grew up watching documentary films by Jacques Cousteau. His fascination with the underwater world led him from a young age to start snorkeling on the beaches of the Mediterranean coast.
At the beginning of 2012, he discovered the world of scuba diving, there he found his true passion; a world that left him fascinated and from which he never wants to leave anymore
Today he could explain that has dived with all kinds of sharks and in a large number of wrecks. His main focus is environmental photography, but he also enjoys taking macro shots, especially small creatures like nudibranchs and seahorses.
He is currently a dive guide and an entrepreneur creating his own dive travel agency. He actively collaborates with various organizations for the protection of animals and the preservation of the oceans.
He lives in Tarragona, Spain, from where he manages the travel agency, while with his trips and underwater photography he tries to show the beauty that our planet hides and make.
www.sevenblueviajes.com
Gerard Arboli is from the generation that grew up watching documentary films by Jacques Cousteau. His fascination with the underwater world led him from a young age to start snorkeling on the beaches of the Mediterranean coast.
At the beginning of 2012, he discovered the world of scuba diving, there he found his true passion; a world that left him fascinated and from which he never wants to leave anymore
Today he could explain that has dived with all kinds of sharks and in a large number of wrecks. His main focus is environmental photography, but he also enjoys taking macro shots, especially small creatures like nudibranchs and seahorses.
He is currently a dive guide and an entrepreneur creating his own dive travel agency. He actively collaborates with various organizations for the protection of animals and the preservation of the oceans.
He lives in Tarragona, Spain, from where he manages the travel agency, while with his trips and underwater photography he tries to show the beauty that our planet hides and make.
www.sevenblueviajes.com
Lluís Masuet
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Born in Barcelona in 1980, Ph.D. in Business Management, he always felt a deep connection with the sea and its energy.
In 2016, tired of the business world, he decided to change life and focus his energy only on what he was passionate about.
He learned photography and tried scuba diving, a combination which is just 3 years made this Barcelona citizen a renowned photographer with a promising career.
Currently, he is traveling all over the world searching the best images of our sea bottoms.
To see more of Lluís's work: www.lluismasuet.com
Born in Barcelona in 1980, Ph.D. in Business Management, he always felt a deep connection with the sea and its energy.
In 2016, tired of the business world, he decided to change life and focus his energy only on what he was passionate about.
He learned photography and tried scuba diving, a combination which is just 3 years made this Barcelona citizen a renowned photographer with a promising career.
Currently, he is traveling all over the world searching the best images of our sea bottoms.
To see more of Lluís's work: www.lluismasuet.com
Lorenzo Mittiga
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Lorenzo Mittiga is a full-time Italian Ocean Conservation Photographer and Marine biologist based in Bonaire, Netherland Antilles.
His photographic work is mainly focused on ocean conservation with the aim of creating visually impactful images that tell the beauty but also the dramatic issues of the ocean’s status by following active conservation projects.
Winner of the Ocean Geographic Photographer 2021 in the “OG Photo Journalist” category, his work, from 2014 to now, has been published worldwide in main international magazines.
or they are seasoned divers, and this passion spreads through his podcast and videos.
His favorite dives typically include a powerful DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) and a Cave, or a beautiful deep wreck filled with Lionfish as he’s an avid Lionfish Tracker and loves to help in the efforts to eradicate this invasive species from the Atlantic ocean.
Lorenzo Mittiga is a full-time Italian Ocean Conservation Photographer and Marine biologist based in Bonaire, Netherland Antilles.
His photographic work is mainly focused on ocean conservation with the aim of creating visually impactful images that tell the beauty but also the dramatic issues of the ocean’s status by following active conservation projects.
Winner of the Ocean Geographic Photographer 2021 in the “OG Photo Journalist” category, his work, from 2014 to now, has been published worldwide in main international magazines.
or they are seasoned divers, and this passion spreads through his podcast and videos.
His favorite dives typically include a powerful DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) and a Cave, or a beautiful deep wreck filled with Lionfish as he’s an avid Lionfish Tracker and loves to help in the efforts to eradicate this invasive species from the Atlantic ocean.
Peter Reid
OrcaTorch Brand Ambassador
Peter Reid is a deep Trimix Rebreather diver and Instructor from South Africa. Peter has been diving for over two decades, mostly deep dives in caves, and enjoys exploring and dives that are technically challenging. Peter started diving just out of school and discovered he had a passion for the sport, especially the challenges of mixed gas, decompression, and exploratory dives.
In 2017 he moved on to rebreathers and has been enjoying the freedom of diving these extraordinary machines to extreme depths. Peter was the deep support diver (at over 200m) for both of Karen van den Oever’s World Record dives. He has a wonderful wife and child who support his diving madness through thick and thin.
Peter Reid is a deep Trimix Rebreather diver and Instructor from South Africa. Peter has been diving for over two decades, mostly deep dives in caves, and enjoys exploring and dives that are technically challenging. Peter started diving just out of school and discovered he had a passion for the sport, especially the challenges of mixed gas, decompression, and exploratory dives.
In 2017 he moved on to rebreathers and has been enjoying the freedom of diving these extraordinary machines to extreme depths. Peter was the deep support diver (at over 200m) for both of Karen van den Oever’s World Record dives. He has a wonderful wife and child who support his diving madness through thick and thin.
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