MantaFest 2024
17th Annual MantaFest Photography School & Contest
Yap, Micronesia, August 24 through September 8, 2024.
Since 2006, our MantaFest program has brought underwater photographers, both amateur and professional, to this small island and its protected reef to compete for prizes, attend workshops, take tours of the island, and experience the unique culture of Yap, which is considered to be among the best preserved in the Pacific region.
Daily Dive Trips
Daily dive trips provide opportunities to dive with and photograph the manta rays, sharks, and the plethora of small, colorful tropicals such as the brightly colored mandarin fish and many more wonders of Yap’s underwater world.
Photography Workshops
At MantaFest, workshops are led by experts in the field providing their knowledge of all things related to taking better pictures including, but not limited to composition, lighting, and photoshop. They also offer advice during sessions with local models in settings that include the island’s unique stone money banks and traditional dance performances.
The experts will be happy to teach you the basics and then have you join them on the boat for personalized hands-on experience.
Top U/W Photographers & Seminars
David Fleetham
Seminars:
- My Workflow – Photo Mechanic – Lightroom – Photoshop – Topaz Labs
- Histograms
- Shooting at Night
Evening Presentations (Big Screen):
- Equipment Maintenance
- Best of Yap and around the World part 1
- Best of Yap and around the World part 2
Andy Schumacher
Seminars:
- “Fly the drone – get ready for your first flight”
- “Video editing – get your film ready for the competition”
(bring your computer and own footage) - “Choose the right picture for the competition”
- “Shooting Video Underwater”
Evening Presentations (Big Screen):
- Best of YAP Video presentation
- Sunken treasures of Love (Award winning art movie)
- “Das Duell um die Welt”
- “Smallest escape room of the world”, Poland with candidate Jan Koppen
- “Wracken music festival 2021”, Malta with candidate Johannes Strate
- “Nicht nachmachen Reloaded”, Poland with candidate Wigald Boning
- SEMINAR
- Best of YAP + Best of MantaFest 2024
Logan Wood
Seminars:
- Underwater Video Editing Techniques
- Topside Filming & Editing Techniques
- Workshop on shooting timelapses
- Filming and setting up the camera for video and then one that’s focused on postproduction editing on the computer.
Evening Presentations (Big Screen):
- Underwater Cinematics: The Bahamas
- Underwater Cinematics: South Africa
- Ikelite in Norway on freediving with Orcas
- Expedition in South Africa – great underwater visuals from the Cape Peninsula.
We would like to send out a hearty “Howdy!” to Ray Bullion, Tim Rock and Frank Schneider, who are all unfortunately unable to attend this year’s MantaFest. They will all be missed immensely, but we will keep the beer chilled and flowing in their honor.
Photo Contest
Although our annual MantaFest Photo School and Contest are all about learning, improving your U/W photography skills, fun, meeting new friends, and discovering Yap’s underwater and topside beauty, you also have the chance to win some amazing prizes. From Live-Aboard Scuba Trips to gift vouchers to dive gear and many more. With prizes worth more than $20,000 our annual MantaFest program is one of the world’s highest-valued, resort-based U/W photo contests you can participate in.
Best of MantaFest 2024
Ken Sutherland
Sharks Over-Under (Spit Shot)
Grand Prize: Live-Aboard Scuba Trip by Odyssey Adventures Truk Lagoon
Photo Contest Categories
| Digital SLR | Compact Camera | Video | Beginner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Animals | Big Animals | Best Submission | Best Submission |
| Behavior | Behavior | ||
| Land/Culture | Land/Culture | ||
| Fish/Creature Portrait | Fish/Creature Portrait | ||
| Open/Creative | Open/Creative |
Brought to you by:
Our Travel Partners:
MantaFest 2024 Schedule
Week 1
Sunday, August 25th
- 11:30AM Meet Your Dive Crew
- 1:00PM Dive Departure
- 6:30PM Welcome Meeting, Official MF kick off
Monday, August 26th
- 8:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by David Fleetham
(Conference Room) - 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at the Crow’s Nest by David Fleetham
Tuesday, August 27th
- 8:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Andy Schumacher
(Conference Room) - 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Andy Schumacher
Wednesday, August 28th
- 8:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Logan Wood
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Logan Wood
Thursday, August 29th
- 8:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Andy Schumacher
(Conference Room) - 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Andy Schumacher
Friday, August 30th
- 8:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Logan Wood
(Conference Room) - 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Logan Wood
Saturday, August 31st
- 8:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by David Fleetham
(Conference Room) - 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by David Fleetham
Week 2
Sunday, September 1st
- 10:00AM Dive Departures Begin for NEW GUEST ARRIVALS
- 3:30PM Afternoon Seminar by Kathi Schumacher
(Conference Room) - 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 6:30PM Welcome Meeting, Second Week MF kick off
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Andy Schumacher
Monday, September 2nd
- 8:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by David Fleetham
(Conference Room) - 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at the Crow’s Nest by David Fleetham
Tuesday, September 3rd
- 11:00AM Departure for Beach BBQ
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Andy Schumacher
(Conference Room) - 5:30PM Mandarin Dive
- 7:00PM Night Dive
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Andy Schumacher
- 9:00PM Blackwater Dive
Wednesday, September 4th
- 8:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Logan Wood
(Conference Room) - 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Logan Wood
Thursday, September 5th
- 8:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 3:30PM Afternoon seminar by Andy Schumacher
(Conference Room) - 4:30PM Happy Hour with Presenters on Mnuw
- 8:00PM Media Presentation at Crow’s Nest by Andy Schumacher
Friday, September 6th
- 8:00AM Turn in Contest Entries
- 9:00AM Dive Departures Begin
- 7:00PM Awards Presentation at Crow’s Nest
Saturday, September 7th
- 7:00PM MRBR event photos
Our MantaFest 2024 Photo School & Contest packages include:
- Hotel room w/late check-out
- 3-tank dive days
- One (1) Mandarinfish Dive Included
- One (1) Night Dive Included
- Free NITROX
- Participation in photo contest
- Seminars and workshops
- Happy Hour one-on-one sessions with the photo pros
- Evening Media Presentations
- Shark split photo opportunity
- Land/culture photo opportunities
- Beach BBQ
- 1/2-day land/culture tour
- Local dinner
- Breakfast
- Roundtrip airport transfers
- Free Wi-Fi
- Hotel Taxes
- Wake-up service with coffee or tea delivered to your room
Package Prices
| Duration | Standard | Ocean View | Deluxe Ocean View |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 nights / 5 dive days | $2,229 | $2,319 | $2,669 |
| 14 nights / 11 dive days | $3,829 | $3,959 | $4,529 |
Pencil in these future MantaFest dates:
- MantaFest 2025, August 23-September 7
Getting to MantaFest 2024
We are pleased that United has twice-weekly flights to Yap from Guam (GUM) on Tuesdays & Saturdays. Most major airlines have flights that connect to Guam. Or, if you are in Palau, there are regional flights with PMA from Palau to Yap.
Visit our Flight Schedules Page for more details. And, of course, you can always Ask Bill! or drop us an email at bill@mantaray.com and we will make all of your flight arrangements for you!
Past MantaFest events:
- MantaFest 2023, August 26-September 9
- Closed for 3 years for COVID-19 Pandemic (no MantaFest ☹)
- MantaFest 2019: Event Workshops Winners
- 2018 MantaFest Winners: Champions DSLR Winners Compact Winners