The Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) 2026 winners have been announced! This UK-based competition celebrates the best photography beneath the surface of oceans, lakes, rivers, and even swimming pools, attracting entries from around the world. This year, the contest received 7,934 submissions from photographers in 28 countries, across 14 categories, including Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour, and Wreck photography.
The overall winner is Matty Smith from Australia, whose adorable photograph of Southern elephant seal pups in a Falkland Islands rockpool, titled Rockpool Rookies, stood out among thousands of entries. The awards ceremony took place in central London, hosted by The Crown Estate, with judging by renowned underwater photographers Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich, and Dr. Alex Mustard MBE.
Scroll down to see the most impressive winning images from this year’s contest and dive into the incredible world beneath the waves.
