"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 — "This year’s finalists have produced work of extraordinary depth and courage" – Explore the eye-opening images of the Ocean Photographer of the Year finalists (Image credit: Matthew Smith / Ocean Photographer of the Year)

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Finalist highlights: Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026

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.

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

Finalist highlights: Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026

Category: Adventure

A lone caver hangs beneath a helmet light in a vast, moss-covered cave, illuminating jagged rock formations in a dark, mysterious cavern — In the darkness, careful buoyancy is essential to avoid disturbing fine silt, allowing the cave's remarkable clarity and geological history to remain undisturbed (Image credit: Romona Reynolds / Ocean Photographer of the Year)

Romona Robbins Reynolds
A cave diver follows a yellow guideline through the winding passages of a Mexican cenote. Formed over thousands of years as limestone dissolved and caves flooded, these submerged systems preserve spectacular stalactites and stalagmites.

Category: Conservation (Hope)

A large gray shark glides over a rocky seafloor as a scuba diver shines green lights nearby, creating a dramatic underwater scene — Through photo identification and laser-calibrated video photogrammetry, scientists can track sharks over time, measuring size, sex and population trends (Image credit: Thomas Pavy / Ocean Photographer of the Year)

Thomas Pavy
A great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) is photographed at 180 feet / 55 metrers depth in Tiputa Pass, Rangiroa Atoll, during a population survey. This image represents the moment an anonymous shark becomes a known individual.

Category: Conservation (Impact)

A man in dark clothing splashes through red-tinted water beside a black bull, while children watch the dramatic outdoor spectacle — More than 1,000 whales are typically killed each year, despite ongoing concerns over high levels of heavy metals in the meat (Image credit: Karsten Michels / Ocean Photographer of the Year)

Karsten Michels
During a Grindadráp in the Faroe Islands, a pilot whale lies on the shore as hunters carry out the final stages of the hunt. Children watch a tradition that has been passed between generations. The visible wounds and hunting tools show the injuries caused during a process that can last for hours.

Category: Fine Art

Abstract macro photograph of a small red-and-white shrimp-like crustacean with a prominent blue eye, glowing against a dreamy pink background — Cleaning shrimp play an important role on reefs by removing parasites and dead tissue from other animals (Image credit: Ajiex Dharma / Ocean Photographer of the Year)

Ajiex Dharma
A Hingeback Cleaning Shrimp rests against a pink barrel sponge, its eye sharply focused while the surrounding colors dissolve into a soft blur.

Category: Human Connection (People and Planet Ocean)

Aerial view of windsurfers gliding across teal water, with bright orange sails and dark, textured ripples creating a calm, vibrant scene — Water movement has carved patterns into the tidal flats, creating a transition from warm golden tones to cool teal waters (Image credit: Lin Yongxuan / Ocean Photographer of the Year)

Lin Yongxuan
Four fishermen stand in the shallow waters of Xiapu’s intertidal zone, using traditional push nets that spread across the surface like colorful sails.

New Category – Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds

A chambered nautilus with a ridged orange shell and delicate tentacles crawls across the seafloor, creating a mysterious underwater scene — Christmas tree worms are tube-dwelling marine worms that use colorful feeding crowns to capture plankton from the water (Image credit: Lale Alev Ozten Low / Ocean Photographer of the Year)

Lale Alev Ozten Low
During a coral spawning night dive, a Christmas tree worm releases a stream of tiny eggs from the coral surface where it lives.

Category: Wildlife

Matthew Smith
Southern elephant seal pups explore shallow rock pools on Sea Lion Island in the Falkland Islands, testing their first movements in the water after being weaned by their mothers.

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Kim is a photographer, editor and writer with work published internationally. She holds a Master's degree in Photography and Media and was formerly Technique Editor at Digital Photographer, focusing on the art and science of photography. Kim covers everything from breaking industry news and camera gear to the stories shaping photography today. Blending technical expertise with visual insight, she explores photography's time-honored yet ever-evolving role in culture.