Jury SepDec2023
Luca Chiarabini Memorial Contest 20231, Round January-April Jury Memebers
Luca Chiarabini
MEMORIAL
Photo Contest
2024
Worldwide Edition
(Free participation)
JURY MEMBERS
Round Sep-Dic 2023
We thank our Jury Members for their time and cooperation!
closing 31 Dic.
Abdallah
ALSAHEB
JORDAN 🇯🇴
Member of the UNESCO Sustainability Project team for Petra's 'Siq canyon.'
Moritz
SONNTAG
GERMANY 🇩🇪
Professional photographer and filmmaker for sports and outdoor brands.
Jose Humberto
M. DE PAULA
BRAZIL 🇧🇷
Cave Photographer & Professor at the University of Brasilia
Cristian
SÁEZ
CHILE 🇨🇱
Co-founder & Head of Training, Chilean Canyoning Association (ACHCAN)
JURY BIOGRAPHY
ABDALLAH ALSAHEB (Jordan)
Member of the UNESCO Sustainability Project team for Petra's 'Siq canyon.'
Born in 1988 in Amman, Jordan, Abdallah is a certified Canyoning Guide with 12 years of experience. He collaborates with the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism, Discovery Terhaal Co., and Ashtar Tours Co.
He is a member of the UNESCO Sustainability Project team focused on Petra's 'Siq canyon.' Additionally, he led the Italian Federation's project to explore canyons in Jordan in 2018, promoting ecotourism experiences and Jordan's biodiversity in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN).
Founder of Jordan's Canyoning and Bolting group, Abdallah is also the organizer of 'Cycling Jordan' trips and championships. Beyond his involvement in outdoor activities, he has contributed to the Film Industry as a certified Tricking guide trainer and a Safety and Rigging Advisor for film productions in Wadi Rum and the Wehdat Area, including notable projects like Star Wars Rogue One, Dune, and The Alleys.
Instagram: @alsahebabdallah
Facebook: facebook.com/abdallah.alsaheb
TOM MCNALLY (United Kingdom)
Professional Photographer, Int’l Photography Awards Winner
I have been taking pictures for as long as I can remember. After graduating in photography and specializing in social documentary, my work now fuses these practices with my love of adventure sports. I enjoy telling stories with pictures, working with athletes brands and publications to produce engaging and authentic imagery. Some of my most enjoyable assignments are to document amazing experiences in remote places, often traveling by human power.
My photographs have been widely published, from cover shots for The Times, to articles in industry leading publications such as Sidetracked. This year I have been pleased to be shortlisted for Landscape Photographer of the Year, The British Photography Awards and Red Bull Illume.
Instagram: @tommcnallyphotography
Facebook: facebook.com/100048446867361
JORGE NUÑEZ 'Trasgu' (Spain)
Canyoning Expert: Guide, Instructor, Equipment Designer.
I have been working in the world of active tourism for more than 30 years, with my strongest specialization being canyoning. Throughout my professional career, I have gained experience in various locations around the world. One aspect of my work involves providing canyoning training at various schools in Spain. I also design suits and equipment for canyoning under the SELAND brand and collaborate with several brands in the development of sports equipment. As for notable achievements, in 2014, I soloed Trou de Fer in 6 hours and 16 minutes.
Instagram: @jorgetrasgu
Facebook: facebook.com/jorge.nunezrodriguez
ENRIQUE SALAZAR (Costa Rica)
CEO & Founder Pure Canyoning Costa Rica
Costa Rican Canonist
14 years of experience
CEO & Founder Pure Canyoning Costa Rica Company
Professional photographer and canyon photography
Pioneer in canyon information and professionalism in Costa Rica
Aperturista in different locations in Costa Rica
Instagram: @salazar_canyoner_photography
Instagram: @purecanyoningcr
Facebook: facebook.com/enrique.s.diaz.50
Web: http://purecanyoningcr.com
MORITZ SONNTAG (Germany)
Professional photographer and filmmaker for sports and outdoor brands..
I grew up in the northern alps spending my days climbing, skiing and doing photography. After a career as a tree climber, canyoning and raft guide I built my career to become a professional photographer and filmmaker for sports and outdoor brands and documentaries. One of my favorites was surely the production and filming of the canyoning documentary Malishan in Taiwan. But also the smaller project give me joy as it allows me to experience something new every time. My camera mostly gives me access to new places, meet new people and shows me different cultures.
Instagram: @moritzsonntag
Facebook: facebook.com/moritzsonntagphoto
Web: http://www.moritzsonntag.de
BARDIA TUPY (Brazil)
President of the Brasiliense Canyoneering Federation.
Canyoning practitioner for 23 years.
Former President of the Brasiliense Canyoneering Federation.
ICAN Professional Woman Monitor and Representative.
As for photography, I practice as a hobby with nature.
Instagram: @tupybardia
Facebook: facebook.com/batupy
PETER GEDEI (Slovenia)
Cave photographer
After joining the local caving club and acquiring experience as a explorer of the underground for several years, he started to dedicate himself more and more to the cave photography in the early nineties. Through the years, he perfected the lighting technique and his creative approach and was awarded many times for his work with the highest prizes at domestic and international contests. He has become one of the world's best known cave photographers, who would take on the most demanding projects. He regularly publishes photographs in domestic and foreign printed media, presents stories about caves he visited, and has been active on social networks in recent years.
Instagram: @petergedei
Facebook: facebook.com/petergedei
Linktr.ee: linktr.ee/petergedei
JOSE HUMBERTO M. DE PAULA (Brazil)
Cave Photographer & Professor at the University of Brasilia
José Humberto is Professor at the University of Brasilia and a renowned cave photographer deeply involved in subterranean exploration and art of cave photography in Brazil. He's coined "The Art of Cave Photography," showcased in his book "The Subterranean World of Terra Ronca”. Beyond photography, he teaches subterranean photography through courses and workshops. An active speleologist he was president of Brasília's Speleo Group, he completed the French Cave Rescue-SSF course in 2012 and 2013, highlighting his dedication to safety. His milestone achievement was coordinating the First Cave Rescue Course Taught by Brazilian Instructors in 2015, training fellow Brazilian speleologists in rescue practices. Awards from contests, book covers, and publications establish José Humberto as a respected figure in cave photography in Brazil, celebrated for his dedication to exploring and sharing the captivating cave world.
Instagram: @josehumberto_cavefoto
Facebook: facebook.com/josehumberto.depaula
CRISTIAN SÁEZ (Chile)
Co-founder & Head of Training, Chilean Canyoning Association (ACHCAN).
Initiated in mountain sports since I was 16 years old (2001).
Fan of canyoning sport since 2007, professional Canyoning Guide since 2011.
Since 2015 dedicated to the exploration and opening of new ravines in the Biobio Region, with a total of 15 canyon openings in the area, accompanied and motivated in by Eduardo Gomez.
My biggest hobby is scouting areas with digital tools to prepare future openings, as well as carving wood, creating articles related to nature and mountain sports. All this mixed with the most important leading in life, my 2 daughters and future clan explorers.
As for photography, I develop it as a hobby, and always in search of the best possible angle, but with an approach more focused on nature that surrounds the canyons rather than the canyoneers themselves.
Instagram: @explorar.biobio
Facebook: facebook.com/cristian.saezjara
PAT SOLER (Spain)
Specialized Journalist in Outdoor Activities
Since 2015, I have been a specialized journalist in outdoor activities (such as climbing, mountaineering, skyrunning, hiking, and canyoning, among others) for media outlets in the communication and corporate sectors (Climbat, Newex, Kissthemountain, Sportvicius, Wogu, Federació d'Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya, …).
Additionally, I have served as the press/communication officer for the Spanish Federation of Mountain and Climbing Sports (Barcelona).
I consider myself a cheerful, determined, practical, organized, and skilled communicator.
During my leisure time, I enjoy rock climbing, reading, and writing.
Instagram: @pat_soler
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/pat-soler-a07876113
Facebook: facebook.com/solerpat
PIETRO TORELLINI (Italy)
Former Official Photographer of AIC (Italian Canyoning Association)
Photographer since 1972. I have been practicing Canyoning for 25 years and, in search of high quality shots with my reflex camera, I went down in over 130 canyons.
For many years Official photographer of the Italian Canyoning Association (AIC), I collaborated with specialized magazines and contributed to several books on the subject.
I love any photographic genre, but photography in the canyons has given me the greatest satisfaction.
Instagram: @pietrotorellini
Facebook: facebook.com/pietro.torellini
PEPE BENAVIDES (Mexico)
Canyoneer, graphic designer, entrepreneur and consultant in nature tourism projects for 20 years, he has collaborated in the exploration, documentation and equipment of canyons in Mexico since 2006. He currently works as a creative director and commercial graphic designer for companies related to adventure sports and co-founder of the canyons.mx project.
Instagram: @pepe_barranc0
https://www.facebook.com/DonPepeBarranco
CRISTIANO FORTES (Brazil)
Canyoning Explorer and Canyoning Guide. He started in the middle of the verticals in 1995, since then in 2001 he began to explore the Serra Miguel Inácio, where today he has a commercial canyoning itinerary. Tourismologist, physical education professional and tour guide, participated in professional training at ICAN, ICA and CIC.
Instagram: @cristianofortes @canionismo
https://www.facebook.com/cristiano.fortes.5
JOSH HYDEMAN (United States)
Professional conservation and exploration photographer based in Oregon, US. He has been published by National Geographic, Outside Magazine, Outdoor Photographer, amongst others. He has worked with brands like Mountain Hardwear, Garmin, and Subaru. In 2015 he received the National Speleological Society's Best in Show in Cave Photography. Most recently Josh has been documenting the efforts of the subterranean team at Bat Conservation International.
Instagram: @josh_hydeman
https://www.facebook.com/josh.hydeman
PAOLO MALTINTI (Italy)
WASE Sub Instructor and PADI Underwater Digital Photography Instructor.
I am currently the only one who has made the entire Bodengo (Como Lake, Italy) route with scuba equipment, searching all the pools. I have participated in numerous underwater and non-underwater photography exhibitions.
Currently Vice President of Golden Players and General Manager of Golden Players Italia, associations of Over 50 basketball players.