"These photographs don't just capture what’s beneath the surface; they surface the stories our planet most needs us to hear. As the pressures on our ocean grow, so does the importance of the artists who bear witness to them"

An elephant seal peers underwater at the viewer, its whiskered face enlarged beneath a rippling waterline and dramatic sunset clouds.

The Ocean Photographer of the Year has just announced its 2026 finalists, revealing 84 extraordinary images of ocean wildlife, underwater landscapes and fragile ecosystems in need of our protection.

New this year, Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds takes photographers into a rarely seen world – capturing the ocean's smallest and most elusive inhabitants for the first time.