Winners Gallery
2nd place Fine Art Photographer of the Year
Julien Anton Tahiti, French Polynesia
A close-up shot of a nurse shark’s eye. “The shark was resting under some coral when I approached. Seeing that it wasn't bothered by my presence, I tried to find a less common photographic point of view,” explains Anton. “I really loved the eye contact, and the graphic aspect of this shark’s skin. The monochrome aspect of the image gives the scene more intensity.”
BEHIND THE LENS
Julien Anton French Polynesia
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Sunny and calm sea
- Site accessed by boat
- Taken while scuba diving
- Mid-morning
French underwater photographer Julien Anton has created a series of work dedicated to highlighting and protecting marine environments. With a background in high-level sport, he brings a disciplined and detail-oriented visual approach that produces refined imagery with impact. His images have been exhibited in France and Australia and have been part of international projects such as collaborations linked to the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). He is an active proponent of increasing awareness of ocean conservation issues through collaboration with scientific and media organisations.
MORE IMAGES BY Julien Anton
The OceanPhotographer of the Year
2026 Mo'orea, French Polynesia
WildlifePhotographer of the Year
2026 French Polynesia
Reconnect. Immerse yourself. Be inspired.
Enjoy the vibrancy, beauty and impact of each year's finalist photography, celebrated in our Ocean Photographer of the Year coffee table book collection.