Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 announces winners

The Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 awards have been announced by Oceanographic Magazine, celebrating exceptional marine imagery across various categories including wildlife, conservation, and fine arts.

French photographer Julien Anton was named the overall winner and winner of the Marine Wildlife category for his photograph of an adult male seahorse with its newborn offspring in the shallow waters of Moorea, French Polynesia.

Other notable winners include Matty Smith, who won the Fine Arts category for a black-and-white image of a shark with remoras in the Maldives. In the Conservation (Impact) category, Karsten Michels captured a scene of whale hunting in the Faroe Islands. Additionally, Rafael Fernandez Caballero received recognition for documenting orcas hunting a humpback whale calf in Mexico.