Since 1985, CMAS has been organizing global underwater photo and video competitions. Competitors from around the world participate in their home countries to qualify for these prestigious events.

While the rules of these competitions can be found on the CMAS website, the primary objective is to capture the beauty of the underwater world. The competitions are festive occasions, marked by excitement, friendship, and fair play.

Competitors dive to shoot images in six photo categories and three video categories. These categories include:

• Fish (individual or school)
  
• Macro (close-up of a sea creature)
  
• Close-Up with a theme (announced creature)
  
• Wide angle – photo shot with a wide angle lens 
  
• Wide Angle with a model diver
  
• Creative (unlimited creativity)
  

In addition, there are three video categories:

• Movie (2-4 minutes)
  
• Documentary Movie (120 seconds)
  
• Video Clip (60 seconds)
  

After a week of intense work and excitement, a renowned jury selects the winning images, and their owners become the next continental or world champions.
We encourage photographers and videographers from all over the world to participate in local competitions to improve their skills and meet local experts to enhance their imaging abilities.

Join us in celebrating the beauty of the underwater world and the passion of underwater photographers and videographers around the world. Let's continue to explore and document the wonders of the deep for generations to come.

Fish photo only involving attitudes of these creatures (ex: turtles, octopus, starfish, mammals, etc. are not accepted).

Details of a fish are permitted if it is possible to define the fish onto its species/name and its biotope.

Photos of this category can't have a model posing in this picture however due to the conditions of the dive site and lens used if other diver/divers are visible in the frame it is not a reason for disqualification. 

Category as the main subject (Each Championship will have a subject or theme).

The theme/subject will change for each Championship and will be defined by the Visual Commission).

Photos of this category can't have a model posing in this picture however due to the conditions of the dive site and lens used if other diver/divers are visible in the frame it is not a reason for disqualification. 

Category without a theme (Macro or close-up photo of all subjects except the theme of the Championship as the main subject).

Details of a fish or the theme are not accepted.

Photos of this category can't have a model posing in this picture however due to the conditions of the dive site and lens used if other diver/divers are visible in the frame it is not a reason for disqualification.

Category (a wide-angle photo without any diver/model showing the beauty of the natural underwater environment including fauna and flora).

The theme can not be used in this category as the main subject.

Photos of this category can't have a model posing in this picture. If other diver/divers are visible in the frame, it is a reason for the disqualification of the photo. 

Category (a wide-angle photo including a diver who is the assistant).

The theme can not be used in this category as the main subject. A freediver can not be used in this category. (see article 2.14.).

Due to the conditions of the dive site and lens used if other diver/divers are visible in the frame (other than the assistant posing), it is not a reason for disqualification

Category this category has no boundaries provided that the photographer does not contradict general/specific rules (i.e.using a freediver, etc.).

Photographs are expected to be original, creative, and artistic. Cropping is only allowed in this category.

The use of artificial objects is only allowed in the Creative Category. 

The video submitted to the Movie Category can have a maximum length of 4 minutes (included) and a minimum of 2 minutes.

Videos less than 2 minutes or longer than 4 minutes will be disqualified. The proportion of non-underwater images and animations, including the title and closing credits, will not be more than 30%. The land image will prevail in the combination of underwater and non-underwater images in the same shoot. Delivering a video out of this percentage will result in the disqualification of the video. Participants can include artificial objects (as described above), audio files (music, voice-over, sound effects), animations, effects, infographics, titles, and fixed images in his/her project. However, the sound effects, visual effects, voice-over, animation, and music must be free from copyright.