Winners of Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026
Images from this year’s Ocean Photographer of the Year competition, presented by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain, featuring some of the best coastal, drone, and underwater photographs selected from more than 15,000 entries
TL;DR
- The Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 competition received over 15,000 entries.
- Award categories included Wildlife, Fine Art, Adventure, Conservation Impact, Conservation Hope, Ocean Unseen, and Human Connection.
- Notable winners captured scenes of American crocodiles in Cuba, seahorses in French Polynesia, and humpback whales in Tonga.
- Conservation-focused images highlighted the impact of human activity, such as crowded wildlife tourism with whale sharks in the Maldives and illegal longlines affecting silky sharks.
- The competition also featured images illustrating the power of nature and human resilience, like surfers at Teahupoʻo and a teenager at Bronte Ocean Pool.
- Efforts to track and identify individual sharks through photo identification were recognized in the Conservation Hope category.
- Images showcased the hidden beauty of the underwater world, including pygmy seahorses and ribbonfish in deep waters.
- The competition is presented by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain.