An adorable pair of Southern elephant seal pups, photographed in a rockpool on the Falkland Islands, sees Matty Smith from Australia named Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) 2026. Smith’s photograph, ‘Rockpool Rookies’, triumphed over 7,900 pictures entered by underwater photographers from around the world.
Here's an overview of this year's ever-amazing contest that shows us a glimpse of a world most of us know so little of, but – as you will experience as well – is so incredibly important to us all. And a message ahead of what you are about to witness: Despite some photos may strike you as almost impossible to shoot, none of this is AI; this is the magical real world of the shallow and deep seas.
About Underwater Photographer of the Year
Since 1965, Underwater Photographer of the Year has been an annual competition, based in the UK, that celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers, and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from all around the world. The contest has 14 categories, testing photographers with themes such as Macro, Wide-Angle, Behavior, and Wreck photography, and includes three categories for photos taken specifically in British waters.
International press coverage is part of what makes the Underwater Photographer of the Year such an impressive event. UPY generates significant media coverage each year. The best images will be seen by a huge worldwide audience, like on Thursd.com.
The Overall Winner - Matty Smith: 'Rockpool Rookies'
The photographer Matty Smith explains what is so special about his picture for him personally:
"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."
Marine ecologist Dr Alex Mustard, chair of the judging panel, added:
"The lives of elephant seals traverse land and sea; they are born on wild shores, but thrive in frigid waters. 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. 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 the resilience of the ocean. A beautiful and hopeful photograph."
The Announcement of the Winners of Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026
In 2026, the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026 contest attracted 7,934 underwater pictures and is truly international, with the awarded photographers coming from 28 different countries. The winners were announced in an award ceremony in central London, hosted by The Crown Estate. This year’s judges were experienced underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich, and Dr. Alex Mustard MBE. The contest was first run in 1965, when Phil Smith was named Underwater Photographer of the Year.
The organization of UPY is connected to several organizations, which are all committed to sea sustainability:
Scuba Finders
Scuba Finders is the platform that connects divers with the best destinations and dive centres around the world, saving hours of searching and messaging. It allows divers to compare, choose, and book their diving trips with confidence and easily because you can book everything you need on the same platform. They sponsor the spectacular Wide-Angle category.
Cecile Gabillon Barats, from France, won the Wide-Angle category, with her characterful portrait of a sperm whale calf. "The exuberance of youth bursts out of this photo. Sperm whales live strange and secret lives, but we now know that youngsters can be full of mischief," commented Mustard.
PADI
PADI® is the largest purpose-driven diving organization with a global network of 6,600 dive centres and resorts, 128,000 professional members, and more than 30 million certified divers to date. For over 50 years, PADI has undeniably been the Way the World Learns to Dive, setting the standard for the highest quality dive training, underwater safety, and conservation initiatives while evolving the sport of diving into a passionate lifestyle. PADI sponsors the Up & Coming category, championing new talent in underwater imaging.
Sam Blount from the United States was named as ‘PADI’ Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026 for his photo 'Lunging Leopard', for his symmetrical composition of the jaws of a leopard seal, one of Antarctica’s top predators. "Leopard seals wield an astonishing array of dominance displays," explained Blount. "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."
"Probably the best leopard seal shots I’ve seen," commented contest judge Tobias Friedrich. "To capture such a perfect composition with delicate lighting, in such an intense moment, is so impressive."
DIVEVOLK
DIVEVOLK are manufacturers of innovative underwater cases for smartphones. Their underwater housings introduce underwater touchscreen technology, allowing people to effortlessly showcase the wonders beneath the waves. DIVEVOLK has also developed the SeaLink underwater smartphone data transmission system, enabling smartphones to connect to the internet even in deep water. DIVEVOLK sponsors the Smartphone category.
The UPY Contest aims to promote underwater photography and in 2026 includes a Smartphone category to encourage more people to try making images underwater, using the camera most people carry in their pocket – their phone. Jack Ho from China won the category with 'The Roar', a photo of a yawning hairy frogfish taken with a Vivo phone. "I found this well-camouflaged frogfish patiently lying in wait for prey on the sandy seabed in Indonesia," said Ho. "I also waited patiently for at least 15 minutes to capture the moment it opened its huge mouth."
The Crown Estate
In managing the seabed around England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, The Crown Estate works in partnership with customers and stakeholders to support the long-term sustainable development of the seabed. From awarding seabed rights to sharing their knowledge and data, their small expert team directly manages their relationships with customers and partners with a commitment to delivering high levels of customer service. The Crown Estate sponsors the British Waters Living Together category, hosts the UPY award ceremony, and supports an annual print display at the Go Diving show in the UK.
Valerie Reid from the Netherlands, who won this category, says: 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 find a pile where the dead man’s fingers soft coral had its polyps out."
Save Our Seas Foundation
The Save Our Seas Foundation has funded over 425 projects in 85 countries around the globe since its inception in 2003. Focusing primarily on sharks and rays, each project strives for a deeper understanding and more innovative solutions in marine research, conservation, and education. The Save Our Seas Foundation are sponsors of the Marine Conservation category, which is free to enter and provides a valuable platform for these images.
Malaysian photographer Khaichuin Sim was named 'Save Our Seas Foundation' Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2026, with his photo 'Where Innocence Meets Tradition', depicting the annual pilot whale hunt in the Faroe Islands. "Seen by locals as a cultural heritage and source of food, it is condemned globally for its brutality and impact on wildlife," commented Sim. "A young boy sits atop a slain whale amid blood-red waters, a haunting reflection of how tradition, identity, and ethics collide."
"A sad but powerful image which asks more questions than it answers," said contest judge Peter Rowlands. "The message must be that traditions such as these have no place in modern society. Photography has the power to bring change."
All the Other Category Winners
Here is an overview of which photo by whom won in the other categories in 2026.
Category: Macro
SeongCheol Cho says about this photo: "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."
Category: Wrecks
Niclas Andersson: "IJN (Imperial Japanese Navy) 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."
Category: Behavior
Ocean babies starred in several of the contest’s international categories, including 'Clownfish Hatchout' by Kazushige Horiguchi from Japan, which remarkably shows the moment anemonefish eggs hatch, with the parent watching on.
"I have been photographing clownfish for over three years, but this single image is the only one that truly succeeds," said Horiguchi, who won the Behavior category.
Category: Coral Reefs
Tom Shlesinger, from Israel, won the Coral Reefs category with a coral spawning the next generation. There is a tiny window to capture such an image, as Shlesinger explained, “this coral spawns just once a year, on one specific night and just for a couple of minutes.” Shlesinger also risked a long exposure to show how the spawn was swept away by the water and to give the impression of a meteor shower.
Category: Black & White
Shunsuke Nakano: "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."
Category: Compact
Andrea Michelutti: "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. Life is sparse, but I spotted a freshwater crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) among the aquatic plants. Impetuously, it swam toward me until it was touching my wet lens. 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."
Category: British Waters Wide-Angle
Evan Johnston: "What started out with two large sharks feeding at the surface turned into three, then four, then five 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."
Category: British Waters Macro
The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest is based in the UK, and celebrates underwater life in the UK. "2025 has been called the Year of the Octopus in British waters," explained judge Mustard. “Octopuses are native to Britain, but usually very rare; last summer, there was a population bloom, and as expected, lots of photographers encountered them too." Tom Ingram won the British Waters Macro category with 'Mum', showing a female octopus guarding her eggs in Cornwall. "Octopuses are the most dedicated parents; the female guards the eggs for many weeks, stops feeding, and dies soon after she’s ensured they have safely hatched," said Ingram.
Category: British Waters Up & Coming
Natalie Yarrow is the Most Promising British Underwater Photographer 2026. In Indonesia, she took the photo she calls 'Crowded House'.
She says about this shot: "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!"
Want to Know More About UPY?
For more information, or even participation in next year's contest, reach out to the Underwater Photographer of the Year organization.
Did you enjoy this series of photos, and you still can't get enough of the magic? Thursd also covered the recent editions of the UPY awards. Here are the best photos of 2024 and 2025.
All images courtesy of Underwater Photographer of the Year. This article's header image, 'A Time to Dream' ©Simon Theuma/UPY2026, finished 3rd in the Macro category.
