PICTURES: Stunning underwater worlds captured in Ocean Photographer of the Year awards

The photographs reveal extraordinary marine life and powerful human connections with the sea. The Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 has revealed this year’s most outstanding ocean images, selected from more than 15 000 entries submitted by photographers from around the world. Together, the award-winning photographs capture extraordinary moments beneath and above the surface, reflecting both the wonder of the marine world and humanity’s enduring relationship with the ocean. (For best view, click on image for fullscreen) French photographer Julien Anton has been named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 for this image. An adult seahorse pictured with newly born juveniles in the shallow seaweed-filled waters of Moorea, French Polynesia. Picture: Julien Anton/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 British photographer Jenny Stock was awarded the Female Fifty Fathoms Award, which is a category created in 2021 by Oceanographic and Blancpain to celebrate pioneering and boundary-pushing women in ocean photography. This image, of a green turtle approaching the camera was captured in French Polynesia. It is part of a portfolio of images, also featured on this page by Stock. Picture: Jenny Stock/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Female Fifty Fathoms Award portfolio. An American crocodile moves through the mangroves of Cuba, a habitat that provides shelter for feeding, breeding, nesting and raising young. Picture: Jenny Stock/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Female Fifty Fathoms Award portfolio. This tiny nudibranch, commonly known as a sea slug, was photographed in Queensland, Australia. Measuring only about one centimetre long, it is covered in delicate cerata – branching structures that help it absorb oxygen. Its vivid pink colour is an example of aposematism, in which bright colours and patterns warn predators that an animal may be toxic or unpalatable. Picture: Jenny Stock/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Female Fifty Fathoms Award portfolio. In Western Australia’s Jurien Bay Marine Park, curious sea lion pups approached the photographer in the water. Picture: Jenny Stock/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Adventure Category winner. Dolphins ride the waves alongside surfers at Tamarama Beach, Sydney, during a powerful swell and offshore winds. The pod stayed with the surfers for more than an hour, moving through the lineup as naturally as the people around them. Picture: Gergo Rugli/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Human Connection category winner. Volunteers, surfers, lifeguards and conservation groups work together to refloat stranded short-finned pilot whales in Cape Verde. While many animals initially returned to the sea, the pod stranded again further along the coast, highlighting the complexity of mass strandings. Picture: Rui Filipe Cardoso Duarte/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Conservation Impact category winner. A whale shark is surrounded by divers and snorkelers in the Maldives, revealing the overwhelming pressure crowded wildlife tourism can place on marine animals. With almost 50 people visible in the frame, this image captures the reality behind some popular wildlife encounters: an animal seeking space while people compete for a closer view. Picture: James Ferrara/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 This image forms part of the winning portfolio category. The series of photographs was produced during the photographer’s month-long stay at a sea turtle conservation camp in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Hatchlings gather before being released into the sea. At birth, sea turtle hatchlings experience a burst of energy known as a “swimming frenzy”, a biological response that helps them reach the ocean and continue swimming. While this scene initially suggests abundance and hope, the reality is stark: it is estimated that only one in every 1 000 hatchlings survives to adulthood. Picture: Miguel Serrano Ruiz/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Conservation Hope category winner. A great hammerhead shark – known as Tamataroa in French Polynesia – is photographed at 55 metres depth in Tiputa Pass, Rangiroa Atoll, during a population survey. Picture: Thomas Pavy/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Ocean Fine Art category winner. A tawny nurse shark glides through the warm waters of the Maldives as the se7ng sun filters through the ocean surface. Beneath it, remoras travel alongside their host, illustrating a common partnership in which the smaller fish gain transport, protection and feeding opportunities. Picture: Matty Smith/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Fine Art finalist. Five spotted eagle rays glide above the sandy seabed, their dark bodies and white markings contrasting against the pale background. These rays often travel together while searching for prey. Picture: John Kowitz/Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 MORE PICTURES: These incredible wildlife photos will leave you speechless