JURY

PHOTO JURY

ALPTEKİN BALOGLU
Born in 1966, Turkey, Alptekin Baloğlu experienced his schooling days for the only target of architecture, but for the past twenty two years he has his roots in the print industry. It was back in 1994 when he let himself into the gravity of the underwater photography, the true sounds of the colors of the silent world. In 1999, he had his first book published in underwater photography which indeed was also the first for Turkey, “The Reflections of Underwater”. He broke the silence of the underwater world with the success of this book and traveled more then thirty cities in Turkey for the so called slideshows. Baloğlu has participated in many competitions and built himself his invaluable achieve of 47 big awards from all over the world. 2003 was the year for Baloğlu to have his second book published, “The Stars of Underwater”. To the wonderful combination of stunning underwater photographs, a documentary DVD and 3-D underwater images accompanied this splendid work. Hardly had the book been published, it was awarded “The World Prize of Underwater Book” in the prestigious, “The World Underwater Imagery Festival” in Antibes, France. It was the same year the book also received the award of “The Best Book of the Sea” from “The Celebrate the Sea Festival” in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2005, he entered the 10th World Underwater Photography Championship in Spain, representing Turkey as the captain of the National team. Among the 50 photographers from 25 participating countries, he was awarded with the Gold Medal in the "Fish Category". In 2006, he won the “Jury Prize” of “The Challenge of Marseille”, France. Alptekin Baloğlu has participated in eleven exhibitions that took place in Istanbul, Berlin, Moscow, Barcelona, Brussels, Antibes and Paris. All of his work piled after his indefatigable dives in coasts of Egypt, Sudan, Maldives, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Philippines, Belize, Spain, France and surely Turkey for his underwater photography.

ATES EVIRGEN
Born in Ankara in 1956. Graduated from İstanbul University with Business Administration Degree. Founded Promar Deniz Malzemeleri (Sea Equipment) Tic. Ve Turizm AŞ. With the purpose of spreading the hobby of underwater photography he established a marine photography magazine, Sualtı Dünyası / Marine Photo. He started with his diving journey with Caddebostan Balıkadamlar Kulübü in 1977. He is certified instructor with PADI “U/W Photography Instructor” since 1994. Together with his students he dived in many popular places, such as South Africa, Galapagos Islands, North Pole, South Pole, Maldives, Indonesia and the Red Sea and took many underwater photos. He has around 300 articles and 2000 photos published in various magazines, books and newspapers. In 2007 he published his book “Turkey’s Seafish with Photographs”. He had his photo exhibition in Istanbul in 1992 and in Bursa in 1993. Since 1993 her has been a jury member in various contests, such as ODTÜ SAT, SAGAY, Living Marmara, Kemer Festival, Underwater World/Marine Photo Magazine.

 LEONARDO OLMI
He was born in Florence, Italy in 1964. Graduated from Florence University with  Mechanical Engineering Degree. He started underwater photography at age 22. He became a PADI instructor in 1990. He also became NAUI instructor. He has a total of 23 years diving experince including 10 years of teaching in Italy, Maldives, Cayman, Cancun, Cozumel. He has certified more than 300 divers and has completed more than 3000 dives. Today Leonardo is a professional photojournalist specializing in travel, glamour, sports and underwater photography. His publications include: Mondo Sommerso, Aqua, Sub, Il Subacque, Tauchen, Unterwasser, Buceadores, Oceans, Asian Diver. Leonardo’s images have appeared on postcards, calendars, posters, catalogues, travel books and advertising material. He has authored text and photographed images for a book depicting the island of Maui, Hawaii. Currently his archive contains over one million of images and 100 articles/photo-essay.

SADETTİN AŞKIN
He was born in 1961 in Çanakkale.He completed his education in istanbul. Sea has always been the biggest passion of his life . He met BSK and scuba diving in 1980. He gives service to professional photographers in his own Dark Room foundated in 1989 together with his wife. Since 1990 when he combined his hobby with his job he took photos from his numberless dives in Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea ,Red Sea,Carrabien and ‹ndian Ocean. Now a days he is Jury of many underwater photo contests. He also gives lectures in underwater photografy technics. Since today he has held 3 personal exhibition, and his photos took place in several coexhibitions. He is member of TSFF underwater visual image comitee.

ZAFER KIZILKAYA
Born in Ankara in 1969. Graduated from ODTU with Structural Enginnering Degree. Completed his Master's Degree in Shore and Harbor Engineering. As the founding member of the Underwater Research Association SAD he worked in underwater caves research projects. Since 1996 he participates in researches on tropical coral reefs in Indian and and Pacific Oceans. His work had been published in Atlas Magazine, National Geographic, Natural History Magazine, GEO and New York Times.

VIDEO JURY

ENGIN AYGUN
Born in Istanbul in 1964. Started with his photography career in 1977. After 2 years he grow interest in underwater photography. In 1989 he started with production of alluminum underwater camera systems. He still actively teaches underwater photography and video courses and shoots for movie companies, TVs and several agencies.




OSVALDO BALLABIO
Osvaldo Ballabio, comes from Milan, Italy, where he practice as dentist. He's always been in love with the Sea and its creatures. Spends his free time traveling and diving the most hidden destinations, so to take home images for his video productions. He has been awarded to Under Water Festivals all around the world, and among them, at Marmara Festival in Istanbul, at Celebrate the Sea Marine Festival in Kuala Lampur and at the World Festival of U/W Images in Antibes..


SAKİ UĞURLU
Documentarist,underwater film director and cameraman. He was born in 1955 in Istanbul. He was graduated from Marmara University, school of business administration in 1979. Now he is dealing in commercial business In 1985 he found the Divers Sports Club in Istanbul University. He is member and instructer of DIWA and TDISDI. In 1988 he started taking records of the underwater. He was awarded with lots of first place, success, jury and inspire prizes. He took part on several national and international documentary film projects. The documentary films he worked at: - ''The Blue Civilization'' ( for Turkish Culture Ministary ) - ''Unidentified Mysterious Animal'' ( at Van Sea for Japanese Nippon TV) - ''From the Earth'' ( for Italian RAI 2 TV ) - ''History in the Depths'' ( the biggest documentary film of the war in Çanakkale with Savas¸ Karakas¸ as producer - this film was also shown on the Australian SBS TV) - ''Dumlupınar 50 years'' and ''Çanakkale could not be passed '' ( a co-operation of Turkish, Irish and Wales TV ) - ''Has Çanakkale been passed through'' , ''Lost submarines'' , Gallipoli ''The first D-Day'' ( BBC production) - ''Battifield Detectives'' ( produced by british Granada TV and published in Discovery Channel ) Next to thebig projects above he films ( records) the underwater parts of advertisements, video clips, movies and TV movies