If you've never taken a photo underwater, or if you've already taken thousands of shots, the Underwater Palau Imaging Festival is for you! International Diving Expeditions is pleased to announce a second location for what has become a hugely popular photo contest, the Underwater Imaging Festival. The event provides opportunities for every skill level and takes place May 22, 2002 in Palau, Micronesia. Famed National Geographic photographer David Doubilet will be on hand to stage special HMI lighting inside Chandelier Cave and other dive sites as well as to provide invaluable seminars. In addition to David, other judges/photo professionals, including Al Hornsby, Tim Rock, Jim Watt and Bruce Rasner, will provide daily seminars. The festival includes six diving days and eight night's accommodations at a choice of four participating hotels, the Palau Pacific Resort, Palasia Hotel, Sunrise Villa and West Plaza. Package prices begin at $1299. Special tents will be set up at specific locations to allow divers to enjoy a comfortable lunch, rinse camera gear, change film, and relax between dives. Runner boats will return exposed film to the Palau Pacific Resort, the host hotel, in time to view the day's slides that evening. The closing ceremony and awards presentation will take place the evening of May 29. One of the very special aspects of this festival is the staging of the HMI lighting, an enormous underwater lighting system, utilized by David Doubilet in this National Geographic article. The setup provides the environment for once in a lifetime photo opportunities within the famed Chandelier Cave. Blue Corner, the German Channel and Jellyfish Lake are just some of the additional sites contestants will visit. Photographic equipment manufactures will have staff at the contest to provide complimentary cameras, housings, and lighting to try out. These professionals will provide hands on instruction geared to each contestant's skill level. Sponsors of the Underwater Palau Imaging Festival include Continental Airlines, Kodak Film, Skin Diver Magazine, Marine Diving Magazine (Japan), Tauchen Magazine (Germany), Palau Visitors Authority, Fish and Fins, Sunrise Villas, Palasia Hotel, West Plaza, Palau Pacific Resort, Shell Oil Company, Budweiser, Bank of Hawaii, Backscatter, and Aqua Lung/Sea Quest. Prizes include 6 night/5 day trips, including airfare, photographic equipment, diving equipment, cash and much, much more. For more information please log onto: www.UnderwaterPalau.com or E-mail [email protected]. For reservations contact Travel Masters toll free 866-897-4686. Or call IDE at 909 698-3189 For more information about the best underwater photo sites around Palau, including the rare Mandarinfish, click on the home page below. For general information about Palau, click here. For more information about the Palau Pacific Resort, Splash dive center and Photo Palau, click here. For more information about Palau's coziest live-aboard, Ocean Hunter, click on the home page below. For information about live-aboard diving in Palau aboard the Palau Aggressor II, click on the home page below. For information about live-aboard diving in Palau aboard the Sun Dancer II, click on the home page below. For information about live-aboard diving in Palau aboard the Big Blue Explorer, click on the home page below. For information about diving in Palau from either a land-based resort or live-aboard, click on the home page below. For information about airline travel to Palau and diving resorts available, click on the home page below.