Winners of the 2026 Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest
A collection of honored images from this year’s competition celebrating “photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools”
TL;DR
- The 2026 Underwater Photographer of the Year contest featured winning images across various categories including Macro, Behavior, Portrait, Wide Angle, Black & White, and British Waters.
- Notable winners included images of a commensal shrimp on whip coral, a playful leopard seal, young fur seals in Cape Town, and abandoned elephant seal pups.
- Conservation efforts were highlighted with an image of a rehabilitated turtle being released back into the sea.
- The competition also showcased unique behaviors such as sperm whales interacting with sharks and the hatching of clownfish eggs.
- Specific locations mentioned include Tulamben, Antarctica, Cape Town, Falklands, Italy, Bohol (Philippines), Sea Lion Island, Florida, Mediterranean Sea (France), Dominica, Kagoshima Prefecture (Japan), Shellharbour (New South Wales), and Porthkerris (Cornwall).