An image of two Southern elephant seal pups photographed in a rockpool on the Falkland Islands has been crowned winner of Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) 2026.
Australian photographer Matty Smith took the top award with ‘Rockpool Rookies’, selected from 7,934 entries submitted by underwater photographers from 28 countries.
‘Once their pups are weaned, elephant seal mothers abandon them ashore,’ said Smith, describing the photograph. ‘I watched dozens clamber over one another in shallow rockpools, awkwardly learning to swim.
‘On my very first evening, the sky ignited with colour and I captured a handful of frames before the light vanished. It was the defining moment of the long trip.’
‘The lives of elephant seals traverse land and sea; they are born on wild shores, but thrive in frigid waters,’ said chair of the judging panel, marine ecologist Dr Alex Mustard. ‘Smith used a special dome that he built himself to capture the revealing under-over perspective, perfectly balancing his lighting on the pups’ fur with the setting sun.
‘Elephant seals were hunted right to the brink of extinction,’ added Mustard. ‘Their oil-rich blubber was used for everything from fuel for lighting to margarine.
‘Fortunately, the hunt was stopped just in time, and their recovery over the last 100 years is a great example of resilience of the ocean. A beautiful and hopeful photograph.’
Other top prize winners included Sam Blount of the United States, who was named as PADI Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026 for ‘Lunging Leopard’, a symmetrical image of a leopard seal in Antarctica, and Malaysian photographer Khaichuin Sim, who was named Save Our Seas Foundation Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2026 with his photograph ‘Innocence Meets Tradition’, depicting the annual pilot whale hunt in the Faroe Islands.
The Underwater Photographer of the Year Competition has been running since 1965, when Phil Smith was named Underwater Photographer of the Year.
This year’s contest had 14 categories, including regular titles such as Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck photography, with three categories for photos taken specifically in British waters. This year’s contest also featured a Smartphone category, enabling budding photographers of all experience levels to submit their work.
This year’s judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich and Dr Alex Mustard MBE. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in central London, hosted by The Crown Estate.
Check out all the category winners below, and head to underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com for all of the top-placed images in each category.
Category winner: Portrait and Winner: Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026
‘Rockpool Rookies’ – Matty Smith (Australia)
Location: Sealion Island
Shot with: Nikon Z9; Nikkor Z 14-30mm F4 S; 2 x Ikelite DS230; Aquatica Digital AZ9 housing
Camera settings: f/16, 1/60s, ISO 200
Back story: Once several weeks old and weaned from their mothers’ milk, elephant seal pups are abandoned by their parents on shore, left to navigate life alone. On Sealion Island in the Falklands, I watched dozens of them clamber over one another in shallow rockpools, awkwardly learning to swim, and quite engaging to my presence.
I’d come here for this moment, to witness and photograph their first solo lessons in life. On the very first evening of my arrival, the sky ignited with colour. I donned my dry suit and rushed into the water, capturing a handful of frames before the light vanished. It turned out to be the defining moment of the trip, and I’m glad I didn’t hesitate.
Judge’s comments: Cold water contrasts with heartwarming cuteness. Southern elephant seals traverse land and sea, born on wild shores, but thriving in the frigid waters. Elephant seals were hunted remorseless from the end of the 1700s until the 20th century, pushing them right to the brink of extinction.
Their oil rich blubber was used for everything from lighting to margarine. Fortunately, the hunt was stopped just in time, and their recovery over the last 100 years is a great example of the resilience of the ocean. A beautiful and hopeful photograph.
– Alex Mustard
In hindsight, it’s easy and obvious but when you have nearly 8,000 images vying for your eye’s attention it can be a tough call. Fortunately, this year, the winner almost chose itself by being so good.Cute, puppy eyes and perfectly lit with a sunset background; top it with a perfect split level and you have the judges on their feet. Deserved congratulations.
– Peter Rowlands
What a cutie! I love the split image approach that the photographer took to capture this beautiful and emotionally very engaging image. The look of the baby elephant seal below the surface is just magic and a very well deserved and undisputed winner of this years competition! Well done!
– Tobias Friedrich
Category winner: Up & Coming and Winner: Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026
‘Lunging Leopard’ – Sam Blount (United States)
Location: Antarctic Peninsula
Shot with: Sony A1; Sony 16-35mm f4; OneUW 160X Strobes; Nauticam NA-A1 housing
Camera settings: f/10, 1/500s, ISO 1000
Back story: For years, the leopard seal topped my Antarctic wish list, a predator I dreamed of encountering face to face. I have to say, this dive was everything I could have hoped for: clear water, good lighting, and a playful seal.
Leopard seals wield an astonishing array of dominance displays, and this one put them all to use, darting around me with effortless power. Watching that massive mouth lined with sharp teeth charge straight toward me is a thrill I’ll never forget.
Judge’s comments: Probably one of the best shots of a Leopard seal that close that I have ever seen! I think we all agreed very soon that this is the clear category winner as such a shot is everything but easy to take. The sheer short distance and the light that has to be perfect for is just perfect. Very well done in such an intense moment!
– Tobias Friedrich
Highly commended: Most Promising British Underwater Photographer 2026
‘Crowded House’ – Natalie Yarrow (United Kingdom)
Location: Bali
Shot with: Sony A7RV; Sony FE 90mm f/2.8; Retra Pro Max; Nauticam NA-A7RV housing
Camera settings: f/5.0, 1/200s, ISO 80
Back story: Peering into the crevices of this vibrant barrel sponge, I could see several dark figures moving around like shadow puppets. This turned out to be a large colony of hinge-beak shrimps, living together in very close quarters! While somewhat of a tight squeeze, communal living suits these social and cooperative creatures, as well as providing ‘safety in numbers’ against predators. Further, the craggy pink walls allow for great camouflage. I selected a wide aperture so that each shrimp is rendered increasingly out of focus as the eye is drawn deeper into the sponge. Those individuals at the back are reduced to a fuzzy puzzle of white dots and stripes. I would like to thank my guide, Wix (Scuba Seraya), for finding these shrimps for me, and also for taking me back to the same spot a second time as I liked them so much, which resulted in my getting this shot.
Judge’s comments: Sometimes you don’t have to shout to say ‘Look at me’. You let your image do the talking and this image made the judges listen and take notice. The stepped, receding depth of field leads the eye effortlessly through the frame and back to the subject. Talent indeed.
– Peter Rowlands
Category winner: ‘Save our Seas Foundation’ Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2026
‘Where Innocence Meets Tradition’ – Khaichuin Sim (Malaysia)
Location: Hvítanes
Shot with: Sony A7RM2; Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM; No Lighting; No Housing
Camera settings: f/2.5, 1/8000s, ISO 800
Back story: In the Faroe Islands, the annual pilot whale hunt known as Grindadráp, remains one of the world’s most controversial traditions. Seen by locals as a cultural heritage and source of food, it is condemned globally for its brutality and impact on marine life. In this poignant scene, a young boy sits atop a slain whale amid blood-red waters, a haunting reflection of how tradition, identity, and ethics collide. It captures not just a moment, but a generational question: what should be preserved, and what should change?
Judge’s comments: A sad but powerful image which asks more questions than it answers. The message must be that traditions such as these have no place in modern society regardless of the food justification. Photography has the power to bring change.
– Peter Rowlands
Category winner: Wide Angle
‘Happy Baby’ – Cecile Gabillon Barats (France)
Location: 5 miles offshore from Roseau, Dominica
Shot with: Nikon D850; Tokina 10-17, at 17; natural light; NAUTICAM NA D850
Camera settings: f/7.1, 1/400s, ISO 800
Back story: As a tour leader and photographer in Dominica, I was fortunate to experience a truly magical encounter with a curious juvenile sperm whale. We entered the water at a respectful distance alongside the mother and her calf, watching as the mother prepared to dive in search of food, leaving her youngster at the surface.
Almost immediately, the calf spun around and approached us, coming remarkably close, mouth wide open to reveal his emerging teeth, rolling playfully upside down. It seemed he was eager to interact. We could clearly see a chunk of squid held in his jaw and the many scars already etched into his skin.
Over the years, I’ve photographed sperm whales countless times for documentaries and a feature film, but this unforgettable moment will always hold a special place in my heart. Looking back at the encounter, it’s tempting to believe he was smiling—and perhaps even about to give us a cheeky wink!
Judge’s comments: The curiosity and exuberance of youth bursts out of this photo connecting us with one of our planet’s most magnificent species. Sperm whales live strange and secret lives, diving deep into the ocean’s interior, but we now know that when they are young they can be full of mischief.
– Alex Mustard
Category winner: Macro
‘Calm at the Heart of Turmoil’ – SeongCheol Cho (Republic of Korea)/UPY 2026
Location: Tulamben, Bali
Shot with: Nikon D850; AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED; Weefine Solar Flare Zoom 1500, Smart Focus 1200FR; Nexus D850
Camera settings: f/16, 1/160s, ISO 560
Back story: While diving in Tulamben with my guide, Jaye, I encountered a commensal shrimp living within a naturally spiralling whip coral. Something I had long hoped to see. The coral’s deep, rich green formed a striking nest for the brightly coloured shrimp resting inside.
By introducing red and blue light against the green coral, I wanted to create a sense of intense beauty combined with visual turbulence, while expressing the shrimp’s stillness at the centre.
Everything about this dive was a first for me, the location, the guide, and working with continuous light, but meeting a subject I had dreamed of photographing and capturing it in a satisfying way made the experience especially memorable.
Judge’s comments: Creative macro is hugely popular in underwater photography. This is the very best of the genre, first finding an amazing creature and then elevating it to an artistic vision using only the kiss of innovative lighting.
– Alex Mustard
Category winner: Wrecks
‘The Guns of the Nagato’ – Niclas Andersson/UPY 2026
Location: Bikini Atoll
Shot with: Sony A7R IV; Sony 12-24mm F4G; 2x Inon Z330, 2x BigBlue 30,000 lm videolights, 2x; Ikelite 200DL
Camera settings: f/9, 1/100s, ISO 8000
Back story: IJN Nagato is a famed Japanese battleship from which Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is said to have issued the order to attack Pearl Harbor. Seized by the United States at the end of World War II, she was later towed to Bikini Atoll and used as a target ship during Operation Crossroads, the early nuclear weapons tests.
Today Nagato rests upside down at roughly 52 meters, making it a demanding but highly rewarding dive. On descent, divers are greeted by four enormous propellers, while the standout features are the twin stern guns, best approached from the port side. This image was carefully staged by a four-person team to maximize safety and reduce silt, since visibility can be limited and particles stir easily.
Judge’s comments: A powerful image of powerful subjects complemented by well placed lighting produces an image which grabs one’s attention immediately and still has plenty of subtle detail to entertain the eye on repeated viewings. A credit to the team.
– Peter Rowlands
Category winner: Behaviour
‘Clownfish Hatchout’ – Kazushige Horiguchi (Japan)
Location: Kagoshima Minamisatsuma
Shot with: Nikon D500; AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED; INON Z330 + Marelux SOFT Lite; Anthis Nexus D500
Camera settings: f/16, 1/125s, ISO 200
Back story: This photograph captures the exact moment clownfish eggs hatch in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. In the late afternoon, my close friend Koji Matsuda told me that the eggs would hatch that day. Even before hatching, the parent clownfish carefully guarded the eggs, constantly watching for predators as they waited for the moment to come.
I was able to capture the instant the larvae emerged. Holding a snoot in one hand, I carefully controlled the light so that it illuminated only the clownfish and their newborn larvae, allowing them to stand out against the darkness. I have been photographing clownfish for over three years and pressed the shutter countless times that day, but this single image is the only one that truly succeeded.
Judge’s comments: The moment. We’ve never seen an image like this before. Kazushige Horiguchi not only shows the egg tending by the anemonefish, but amazingly the moment the babies burst free, with the adult looking on. We also loved the babies’ perspective of the adult anemonefish, which looks comparatively huge in the picture.
– Alex Mustard
Category winner: Coral Reefs
‘Underwater Meteor Shower’ – Dr. Tom Shlesinger (Israel)
Location: Northern Red Sea
Shot with: Sony a1; Sony FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM; Retra Flash Pro Max; Nauticam
Camera settings: f/18, 1/5s, ISO 200
Back story: Corals are animals, and this is how they reproduce. Revealing the hidden world of coral reproduction exposes one of the ocean’s most extraordinary spectacles. Like clockwork, thousands of corals across hundreds of kilometers synchronize to release egg-and-sperm bundles into the open sea.
Capturing this fleeting event is exceptionally challenging: it occurs only once a year, on a specific night of a particular month, within a narrow window of just minutes. Using a slow shutter speed as waves break and sweep the buoyant bundles upward transforms the scene into a colorful underwater meteor shower.
This image is part of an ongoing scientific-documentary journey exploring the vibrant nocturnal life and reproductive rituals of corals in the northern Red Sea, a project shaped by more than 300 nights spent underwater during spawning season.
Judge’s comments: Coral reefs are under pressure and struggling around the world, so it was fantastic to award such an uplifting image, celebrating the effervescent start of the next generation.
– Alex Mustard
Category winner: Black & White
‘Coral Window’ – Shunsuke Nakano (Japan)
Location: Sado
Shot with: Nikon D850; Nikkor 28 70mm f3.5-4.5 d; Ambient light; Nauticam NA D850
Camera settings: f/16, 1/50s, ISO 320
Back story: Light enters the wreck through a window, a square cut into history and now taken over by life. Choosing to shoot in black and white, I am inviting the viewer to contrast the thick, straight manmade lines with the delicate and intricate patterns of nature.
Gorgonians fan outward like frozen breath, turning rust into art. Between them, a lone wrasse punctuates the frame, providing movement in an otherwise still composition. Off Sado Island, the past is not lost, it is inhabited. The window no longer looks out; it invites us to look in, framing the story of nature reclaiming metal.
Judge’s comments: The ocean framed. Simply a perfectly observed scene for an underwater monochrome image. But the image also captures the decisive moment. I suspect there was also a lot of patience waiting for the wrasse to so perfectly complete the composition.
– Alex Mustard
Category winner: Compact
‘Alpine lookout’ – Andrea Michelutti (Italy)
Location: Lake Cornino, Forgaria nel Friuli (Friuli Venezia Giulia), Italy
Shot with: Sony RX100 M7; Integrated; Single Inon Z330; Marelux
Camera settings: f/11, 1/50s, ISO 125
Back story: After years of waiting, I dived into a cold Alpine lake near my home in northeastern Italy. Its clear, deep-blue waters rise from a spring, making it a gem among the mountains. Low nutrients favour green algae growth, the constant low temperature (around 9–11 °C) contributes to the water’s clarity and unique colour.
Life is sparse, but I spotted a freshwater crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) among the aquatic plants. Impetuous, it swam toward me until it was touching my wet lens.
With the housing too low to use the LCD, I had to shoot blind, holding the camera in one hand and one strobe in the other. I turned off my second strobe, positioning the remaining light above the dome for natural top-down illumination.
The composition I’d planned for years is built on the transition from green vegetation to deep blue water, with mountain peaks framed in Snell’s Window.
Judge’s comments: A distinctive image with complementary colours, unambiguous composition and a great upward angle up through Snell’s window to the distant mountains. A compliment to the capabilities of compacts in the right hands.
– Peter Rowlands
Category winner: Smartphone
‘The Roar’ – Jack Ho (China)/UPY 2026
Location: Lembeh Strait
Shot with: VIVO X100; 22mm; X-ADVENTURER M2000; Divevolk
Camera settings: f/2.7, 1/460s, ISO 200
Back story: While shooting on the sandy seabed at 15 meters in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia, I found this well-camouflaged frogfish patiently lying in wait for prey. I waited for at least 15 minutes. To get a clean shot against the messy background, I aimed a macro light at its head to capture the split second it opened its huge mouth. Luckily, I got the perfect moment.
Judge’s comments: Wow! The focus, the image quality, the composition, the light and the moment are just perfect! Very well done by the photographer and an impressive showcase of the potential of the smartphone category. The clear and well deserved winner of this category.
– Tobias Friedrich
Category winner: British Waters Wide Angle
‘A Meeting of Giants’ – Evan Johnston (United Kingdom)
Location: Sea of the Hebrides
Shot with: Sony A7R iii; Sony FE 28-60mm f/4-5.6; None; Nauticam NA-A7R iii
Camera settings: f/6.3, 1/400s, ISO 640
Back story: What started out with 2 large sharks feeding at the surface turned into 3, then 4, then 5 over the course of the day. At some point most of the sharks had gone, and after watching the last tail fade away, I turned around and was greeted with the image here.
These sharks had stopped feeding and formed a tight shoal, before breaking off and swimming in slow rhythmic circles, eventually spiralling off into the deep. This behaviour is known as a Torus and is thought to be a courtship behaviour and the precursor to mating – although that remains a mystery.
Over the course of the summer we observed multiple toruses from the boat, with close to 20 sharks slowly circling for hours at a time. It felt like an ancient ritual that happens out of sight from the world and was an incredible moment to witness and capture.
Judge’s comments: The sea still reveals it’s secrets slowly and the discovery of these toruses is the latest revelation. Traditionally, single basking shark shots were celebrated but now images of several of these large sharks, not feeding but possibly building up to a mating ritual, are a most exciting phenomenon visually and biologically. A first in UK waters.
– Peter Rowlands
Category winner: British Waters Macro
‘Mum’ – Tom Ingram (United Kingdom)
Location: Porthkerris Beach, Lizard peninsula, Cornwall
Shot with: Canon Canon G7X Mark iii; Nauticam CMC2 Wet Lens; 2x Inon Z-330 Strobes; Isotta housing
Camera settings: f/11, 1/200s, ISO 500
Back story: 2025 was undoubtedly the Year of the Octopus. Being such an imposing creature underwater, these intelligent and charismatic animals had brought delight not just to me but many fellow UK divers.
Throughout 2025 I’ve been treated to an array of natural behaviour, ranging from hunting pray to mating, but in this case I wanted to capture a females final act of selflessness, as after she lays her eggs she diligently guards, cleans and wafts oxygen rich water over them to keep them healthy.
During this time which can last for several months, she doesn’t leave their side not even to feed herself, and once the eggs hatch she will sadly die.
In this bitter sweet and quite poignant time I spent with her, I wanted to try and capture the narrative of her final few weeks by shooting her face on, and encircling her offspring in the background.
Judge’s comments: Wonderful overall sharpness of the image and great capture of the moment when the octopus surrounds itself with it’s arms. Especially having such an amazing encounter from the UK makes the image very special as well as the excellent execution.
– Tobias Friedrich
Category winner: British Waters Living Together
‘Life Under the Pier’ – Valerie Reid (Netherlands)
Location: Scottish Hebrides
Shot with: Nikon D500; Tokina 10-17mm; Retra strobes; Seacam housing
Camera settings: f/9, 125s, ISO 400
Back story: Last summer, I was fortunate to dive in my native west coast of Scotland after many years, and this pier dive was a particular highlight. The man-made steel piles provide a great substrate for marine life to grow and flourish. I managed to find a pile where the dead man’s fingers soft coral had its polyps out.
I chose a close-focus wide-angle perspective, using Seacam mini dome with a fisheye lens and Retra strobes in the “12 and 6 o’clock” position. Shooting at an extreme upward angle to capture the pile’s full height, keeping it vertically centred for a strong symmetrical image.
I was delighted to capture this magnificent scene of British marine life, and especially thankful to the UPY judges for awarding my image as the winner! I dedicate this image to the late Martin Edge, who taught and inspired me to appreciate the photographic opportunities under piers and jetties.
Judge’s comments: A stunning combination of colour and light, both expertly controlled in a flawless composition by Valerie Reid.
– Alex Mustard
Head to underwaterphotographeroftheyear.com for the complete list of winning and most highly commended photographs.
