The finalists for Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 have been formally revealed, creating a body of work which showcases the full spectrum of ocean life, from breathtaking wildlife encounters to sobering evidence of environmental damage.

This year’s standout entries include a pair of orcas working in tandem to carry off a humpback whale calf, a scorpionfish caught mid-meal devouring a lizardfish and a male octopus extending its specialised mating arm to court a female. 

“Some of the most powerful images in the final selection show rarely seen animal behaviour, the work of scientists in research and regeneration projects, along with communities rehabilitating stranded marine animals. Together the photographs powerfully reveal the complexity and resilience of ocean life,” said Gemma Hollington, Ocean Photographer of the Year’s exhibitions and partnerships director.

A total of nine categories were judged: the Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Hope), the Ocean Conservation Photographer of the Year (Impact), the Ocean Adventure Photographer of the Year, the Ocean Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year, the Ocean Portfolio Award, the Human Connection Award, as well as Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds.

New for 2026 is the Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds category, which focuses on the ocean’s smallest and least-visible residents – delicate invertebrates and microscopic organisms.

Finalists in this category include spawning Christmas tree worms, a parasitic copepod attached to the eye of a giant black sea bass, and a Braun’s pughead pipefish emerging from a thicket of coral polyps. These minuscule creatures imperceptibly shape every ladder in our ocean’s ecosystems, and this category zeroes in on their lives.

The Human Connection and Adventure categories turn the lens onto our own species and capture the many facets of our age-old relationship with our seas. From seagrass restoration efforts and puffin rehabilitation work, to freed divers descending to eye-popping depths and surfers caught in poorly timed wipeouts, this group of images reflect both the joy and the careful stewardship found in our timeless bond with our blue planet.

In the Conservation Impact category viewers are confronted, too, with the damage still being inflicted on our ocean, featuring images addressing overfishing and bycatch, the effects of plastic pollution on marine mammals, and the Faroe Islands’ pilot whale hunt, known as the grindadráp.

As a counterbalance, the Conservation Hope category highlights signs of recovery and resilience: lab-raised baby lobsters prepared for release into the wild, scientists measuring hammerhead sharks using laser tools, and vibrant, thriving kelp forests. Viewed together, the two categories underscore the pressing choices facing humanity in the years ahead.

Category winners and the overall Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 titleholder will be revealed in September 2026.

Ocean Photographer of the Year founder and director, Will Harrison, said: “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. This year’s finalists have produced work of extraordinary depth and courage, and we’re proud that Ocean Photographer of the Year continues to be the platform where those stories reach the world.”

Ocean Photographer of the Year is presented by Oceanographic and Blancpain.

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