The colors of the sunset were about to fade when photographer Matty Smith grabbed a camera and rushed into the water where two elephant seal pups were learning how to swim. Donning a wetsuit and grabbing a wide-angle lens, Smith captured the play between two baby seals half underwater and half above, a shot that has now earned him the title of the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026.
The Underwater Photographer of the Year is considered by many to be one of the most prestigious underwater photography awards – and the judges have just unveiled the 2026 contest winners.
Baby animals have stolen much of the show for 2026 as the contest’s 14 categories feature photographs from the moment clownfish emerge from their eggs to the moment coral reefs breed.
Beyond rare – and yes, quite cute – moments for young life underwater, the contest features photographers across several continents using gear from high-end mirrorless to older DSLRs to compact cameras and, yes, even smartphones.
Overall winner: Matty Smith
Coming out on top of more than 7,900 submissions, Smith’s photograph of baby seals goes beyond the young pup’s big, round eyes. The shot was taken half in, half out of the water to create a natural split frame, drawing the eye to the two seal pups.
Smith captured the photo in the rockpools of Sealion Island in the Falklands. Wide-angle lenses are often favored by underwater artists to minimize the clarity loss that the water creates, and so Smith grabbed his Nikon Z9 and the Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S for the shot. An Aquatica Digital housing protected the gear.
The colors from sunset, as well as two Ikelite DS230, helped give the seal pups and the surrounding rock pool and skies a pop of color and detail. An f/16 aperture keeps everything sharp, balanced with a 1/60 shutter and ISO 200. Along with being the overall winner, the image was also the winner for the Portrait category.
“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,” said judge Peter Rowlands. “Fortunately, this year, the winner almost chose itself by being so good. Cute, puppy eyes and perfectly lit with a sunset background; top it off with a perfect split level, and you have the judges on their feet.”
Wide-Angle Category
An iconic shot of a curious juvenile sperm whale that looks like it's smiling has taken top honors in the wide-angle category. Cecile Gabillion Barats captured this shot with the Nikon D850 and a Tokina 10-17mm lens and Nauticam housing.
“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,” the photographer said. “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.”
Macro Category
Seong Cheol Cho says this shot of a shrimp inside a naturally spiraled coil of whip coral is a long-hoped-for image, an idea that finally presented itself in a dive in Bali. The photographer captured the image with the Nikon D850 and Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens, Nexus housing, and two lights.
“Creative macro is hugely popular in underwater photography,” said judge Alex Mustard. “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.”
Wrecks Category Winner
A diver is framed by propellers on the wreck of the IJN Nagato, a Japanese battleship. Photographer Niclas Andersson was aided by a four-person team to help maximize safety while also reducing the stilt that lowers visibility. Andersson took the shot with the Sony A7R IV and the Sony 12-24mm F/4 G.
Behavior Category Winner
Photographer Kazushige Horiguchi has been photographing clown fish for three years, but this shot of baby clownfish emerging with a parent clown fish guarding the edge remains the all-time favorite. The photographer used a handheld light with a snoot to highlight the fish and eggs while allowing the background to fade to black, along with the Nikon D500 with the Micro 60mm f/2.8 G ED.
Coral Reef Winner
Photographer Dr. Tom Shlesinger found inspiration from a meteor shower in capturing this image of the coral reef breeding process. A slow 1/5 second shutter speed blurs the release of egg-and-sperm bundles that the corals only release once a year, making them resemble meteors. Shlesinger captured the shot with the Sony A1, FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM, Nauticam housing, and a Retra Flash Pro Max light.
Black and White Category Winner
The window of a shipwreck created the perfect coral-clad frame for this shot by Shunsuke Nakano. The black-and-white image contrasts the man-made square shape with the silhouette of ocean life, captured by the Nikon D850 and 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 D lens and Nauticam housing.
Up and Coming Category Winner
The contest’s Up and Coming category is designed to highlight the work from an emerging artist not yet widely published or awarded. In this shot taken in Antarctica by Sam Blount, a playful leopard seal lunges at the camera – a Sony A1 with a 16-35mm f/4 lens inside Nauticam housing and highlighted with OneUW 160x strobes.
Compact Camera Category Winner
In a lake in northeastern Italy, Andrea Michelutti captured a curious crawfish that approached the camera – a Sony RX100 VII in Marelux housing. The photographer explained that the camera was held too low to use the LCD, but the photographer was able to trigger off several shots, holding the camera in one hand and a strobe in the other.
Smartphone Category Winner
When Jack Ho found this camouflaged frogfish waiting for prey, he decided to wait around too, and after 15 minutes, captured a shot of the fish’s wide-open mouth. The image was captured using a Vivo X100 and a macro light, with Diveolk housing.
British Waters Wide Angle Winner
Judges called this shot of sharks swimming in a rhymic circle in what’s thought to be an early courtship behavior a “first in UK waters.” Photographer Evan Johnstone captured the image in the Sea of the Hebrides with the Sony A7R III, a 28-60mm f/4-5.6 lens, and Nauticam housing.
British Waters Macro
Photographer Tom Ingram captured this shot of an octopus peering through suction-cupped legs with a compact camera: the Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III. The photographer also used a Nauticam CMC2 Wet Lens with Isotta housing and two strobe lights.
British Waters Living Together
An extreme upward angle, vibrant colors, and a wide-angle view create a striking image in this shot by Valerie Reid of coral on a man-made pier. The photographer captured the image with the Nikon D500, a Tokina 10-17mm, Seacam housing, and Retra strobes.
The contest also awarded second and third place in each category – including the Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year to Khaichuin Sim. Additional images are available to view at the contest's website.
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