A powerful and incredibly detailed black-and-white image of an adult seahorse releasing newly born juveniles into the wide world has won the top prize of this year's Ocean Photographer of the Year competition. The seahorse's posture, combined with the image's monochrome treatment, gives the photograph a deep emotional impact, leaving the jury with the question: "What kind of ocean are we leaving for those who come after us?"
Multi-award-winning photographer & filmmaker Julien Anton captured the scene after countless hours of searching on a rebreather dive in the shallow seaweed-filled waters of Moorea, French Polynesia. He explains that while it is not known whether these seahorses are related, their arrangement evokes a touching farewell – almost as though the tiny seahorses have gathered around their father after he sent them out into the world.
"When Julien Anton's image first appeared on screen, the judging panel fell silent. It is an image that demands reflection, pause for thought, and it certainly got that from us," explains Will Harrison, Ocean Photographer of the Year founder and director.
Overall Winner: Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026
Tech details
Gear: Lumix GH7 & SeaFrogs Housing
Lighting: BigblueLights 2x 36000Lumens & x1 12000Lumens
Exposure: 1/320secs, f/5.6, ISO 400
Anton says, "We spent countless hours searching in difficult conditions, with no guarantee of finding a single seahorse. That is what made the moment so extraordinary – when the juveniles turned back towards the adult, it felt like something far beyond what I had dared to hope for.
"I am not a professional photographer; for me, photography is simply how I share what I see and feel. My hope is that this image can serve as a bridge between science, conservation and a world that deserves to know what is at stake."
Founder and director Harrison adds, "The image is full of quiet energy, even if some of that comes from us humans imprinting our own emotions on the photograph: the bow of the father’s head, the juveniles turning back towards him, the generational gap and the unknown futures of the newborns.
"What kind of ocean are we leaving for those who come after us? It is ocean photography at its most powerful: intimate, urgent and impossible to ignore."
Ocean Photographer of the Year is presented by Oceanographic and Blancpain. You can see all the 2026 winners on the Oceanographic Magazine website.
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