Damir Zurub
Damir Zurub rođen je 1976. godine u Zagrebu kao tipičan klinac netipičnog duha: baš uvijek u potrazi za neobičnim novim avanturama i izazovima. Njegova ronilačka karijera počela je krajem 2007., a u podvodnu fotografiju zaronio je tek 2011. godine, i to s malim Fuji kompaktnim fotoaparatom. Sve se to s vremenom pretvorilo u strastveni hobi kojim je kroz svega četiri godine počeo skupljati veliki broj medalja i priznanja s raznih domaćih i inozemnih natjecanja, te festivala podvodne fotografije.
Vrhunac njegove karijere došao je u svibnju 2015. godine, kada je, kao kapetan hrvatske reprezentacije, osvojio titulu svjetskog prvaka na 15. CMAS Svjetskom prvenstvu u podvodnoj fotografiji u Nizozemskoj kao najbolji all-round fotograf, osvojivši po jednu zlatnu, srebrnu i brončanu medalju u 3 različite kategorije (makro, close up s temom i ambijent s modelom). Isto tako je 2019.godine na CMAS svjetskom prvenstvu u Španjolskoj osvojio drugo mjesto, a 2021.godine osvaja svoj drugi i novi naslov svjetskog prvaka u Portugalu.
Damir trenutno radi kao SSI instruktor ronjenja, te je ujedno i World Wide brand ambasador za kompanije Mares, Marelux i Garmin.
Njegove fotografije objavljivane su u časopisima, novinama i web stranicama diljem svijeta, a isto tako iza njega je i desetak samostalnih izložbi u kojima prikazuje svu ljepotu podvodnog svijeta na svojim putovanjima. Kao osnivač i predsjednik ronilačkog kluba “Roniti se mora” pokrenuo je niz ronilačkih projekata.
Prvi je bio ekološki projekt “Think Green”, zatim je započeo “Underwater Photo Marathon” kao online te u konačnici i live natjecanje u podvodnoj fotografiji, dok je na najnoviji projekt “Plavo ronilačko srce za SOS Dječje selo Hrvatska” posebno ponosan. Cilj ovog projekta je djecu bez odgovarajuće roditeljske skrbi školovati sve do Instruktorske ronilačke kategorije, dajući im priliku da nastave svoje mlade živote kao nezavisni i uspješni ljudi u ronilačkoj industriji.
Najviše ga zanima ambijentalna (wide angle) fotografija uz modela i upravo kroz te fotografije najviše voli prikazivati svu ljepotu podmorja i svega onoga što doživi na svojim putovanjima. Većinu vremena izvan Jadranskog mora proveo je nebrojeno puta roneći u Egipatskom Crvenom moru, po gotovo čitavoj Indoneziji, Papui, Meksiku, Filipinima, Bahamima, Maldivima, Jordanu, Azorima i ostalim primamljivim tropskim destinacijama, a također voli roniti i po austrijskim jezerima, te po raznim špiljama i slatkovodnim izvorima.
Nagrade
▪ 1st on Croatian Underwater Photography Championship in category (DSLR) – Dubrovnik 2022
▪ 1st on Croatian UW Photography Championship in category Macro – Dubrovnik 2022
▪ 1st on Croatian UW Photography Championship in category Fish – Dubrovnik 2022
▪ 1st on Croatian UW Photography Championship in category Ambient – Dubrovnik 2022
▪ 1st on Croatian UW Photography Championship Best Of Show – Dubrovnik 2022
▪ 1st on Open Championships in Underwater Photography (DSLR) – Dubrovnik 2022
▪ 1st in category Ambient on Abyss Underwater Photography Contest – Italy 2022
▪ 1st in category Ambient on Underwater Photography Contest DPD Soča – Slovenia 2022
▪ 1st in category Macro on Underwater Photography Contest DPD Soča – Slovenia 2022
▪ 1st in Best Of Show on Underwater Photography Contest DPD Soča – Slovenia 2022
▪ 3rd in Overall on Underwater Photography Contest DPD Soča – Slovenia 2022
▪ 3rd in category Behavior on UPY Underwater Photographer of year contest – England 2022
▪ 1st on Croatian Underwater Photography Championship in category (DSLR) – Vrsar 2021
▪ 1st on Open Championships in Underwater Photography (DSLR) – Vrsar 2021
▪ 1st in category Portfolio on Online Underwater Photography Contest – Bulgaria 2019
▪ 3rd in category Fresh Water on Online Underwater Photography Contest – Bulgaria 2019
▪ 3rd in category Macro on Online Underwater Photography Contest – Singapore 2018
▪ 1st on Croatian Underwater Photography Championship in category (DSLR) – Rab 2018
▪ 1st on Open Championships in Underwater Photography (DSLR) – Rab 2018
▪ 1st on Croatia Cup in Underwater Photography (DSLR) – Vis 2017
▪ 1st on Open Cup Underwater Photography (DSLR) – Vis 2017
▪ 2nd on World Shoot Out in category Wide Angle (DSLR) – Israel 2017
▪ 2nd on Kapolda Cup in category Wide Angle (DSLR) – Indonesia 2017
▪ 1st in the overall ranking on Online Underwater Photography Contest – Sarajevo 2016
▪ 1st in category Macro on Online Underwater Photography Contest – Sarajevo 2016
▪ 2nd in category Creativity on Online Underwater Photography Contest – Sarajevo 2016
▪ 3rd on 37. Zagreb Photo Salon – Zagreb 2016
▪ 3rd on DRM Open in Underwater Photography (DSLR) – Piran 2016
▪ 1st on Kapolda Cup in category Wide Angle (DSLR) – Indonesia 2015
▪ 1st on Croatian Underwater Photography Championship category DSLR – Pag 2015
▪ 2nd on Open Underwater Photography Championship category DSLR – Pag 2015
▪ 1st and Grand Prix reward on 11. International Festival of Underwater Film and Photography – Pančevo 2015
▪ 2nd Croatian Underwater Photography Championship category DSLR – Pag 2014
▪ 3rd on Open Underwater Photography Championship category DSLR – Pag 2014
▪ 1st in category Wide angle on Online Underwater Photography Contest – Sarajevo 2014
▪ 1st on Croatia Cup in Underwater Photography – Dubrovnik 2013
▪ 1st on Open Croatia Cup in Underwater Photography – Dubrovnik 2013
▪ 2nd on Open Serbian Cup in Underwater Photography – Bela Crkva 2013
▪ Best of show – best of show photo on Open Serbian Cup in Underwater Photography – Bela Crkva 2013
▪ 2nd in category Creative on IUPC (International Underwater Photography Cup) – Bled 2013
▪ 3rd in category Ambient on IUPC (International Underwater Photography Cup) – Bled 2013
▪ 2nd in Underwater Photography contest on Dragorlux diving games – Pag 2013
▪ 2nd on Croatian Underwater Photography Championship in category DSLR – Hvar 2013
▪ 2nd on IUPC (International Underwater Photography Cup) season 11/12 – Ljubljana 2013
▪ 3rd place in the category Macro on Austria Nikon Salzkam UW Trophy 2012 – Attersee
▪ 3rd place in the category Wide on Austria Nikon Salzkammergut UW Trophy 2012 – Attersee
▪ 3rd place in overall order on Austria Nikon Salzkammergut UW Trophy 2012 – Attersee
▪ 1st on Open Serbian Cup in Underwater Photography in category compact- Bela Crkva 2012
▪ 1st in category Wide on Open Serbian Cup in Underwater Photography – Bela Crkva 2012
▪ 2n in category Macro on Open Serbian Cup in Underwater Photography (Compact) – Bela Crkva 2012
▪ 3rd in category Fish on Open Serbian Cup in Underwater Photography (Compact) – Bela Crkva 2012
▪ Second place with club/team on Open Serbian Cup in Underwater Photography (Compact) – Bela Crkva 2012
▪ 1st on Croatian UW Photography Championship in category Compact – Kraljevica 2012
▪ 2nd on Open Underwater Photography Championship in category Compact – Kraljevica 2012
▪ 1st on Croatian Underwater Photography Cup – compact – Rovinj 2012
▪ 1st on IUPC Open Croatian Underwater Photography Championship, Compact – Rovinj 2012
▪ 2nd on DRM Online Underwater Photography Contest – Slovenija 2012
▪ 1st in category composition in Pančevo (Srbija) on 9th International Underwater Film and Photo Festival 2012
▪ 1st on Croatian Underwater Photography Cup – compact Rovinj 2011
▪ 3rd on Croatian Underwater Photography Championship, Compact – Rovinj 2011
▪ 1st Croatian Underwater Photography Championship, Compact – Split 2011
▪ 1st Open Croatian Underwater Photography Championship, Compact Split 2011
▪ 1st on DRM Open 2011 Underwater Photography Championship , Compact – Piran 2011
▪ 1st on Croatian Underwater Photography Championship, Compact – Dugi Otok – Sali 2010
▪ 3rd on Croatia CUP in underwater photography (compact) Rovinj 2010
▪ 3rd on IUPC Ghisleri in underwater photography (compact) Trst 2010
▪ Nagrada Ponos Hrvatske 2023
▪ CMAS President of the jury – CMAS World UW Photography Championship – Cuba 2023
▪ CMAS Jury member – CMAS European UW Photography Championship – Madeira 2022
▪ Member of CMAS Visual Sports Commissions for Video & Underwater Photography – Italy 2017-2021.
▪ Acknowledgment/Plaque of the Embassy of Indonesia for the Best Promotion of Indonesia through Film and Photography – Zagreb 2016
▪ Nomination of the Croatian Olympic Committee in final selection for athletes of the year – Zagreb 2015
▪ Nomination – Croatian Olympic Committee final selection for athletes of the year Zagreb 2014