Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026, ERIWIT6 - Oceanographic

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Finalist Adventure Photographer of the Year

Eric Wittkopf French Polynesia

17.64062° S 149.45747° W

A hydrofoil board carves through the water during a high-speed turn in Tahiti, passing just centimetres from the camera. Unlike a traditional surfboard, a hydrofoil lifts above the surface on an underwater wing, reducing drag and allowing greater speed and manoeuvrability. The spray suspended in the foreground traces the foil's earlier path, while the rider has already moved beyond it. The image captures both the precision and fluid motion that define this rapidly evolving water sport.

BEHIND THE LENS

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026, ERIWIT6

Eric Wittkopf Germany

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ABOUT THE IMAGE

  • Accessed the location via swimming
  • Nikon Z8 & 24-120mm lens
  • ISO 2500, f9.0, 1/1000

Born in Germany in 1991, Eric was drawn to the sea for as long as he can remember. The water shaped his early. He later studied communication design and creative direction and finished with a Master of Arts, giving structure to what had always driven him: design, form and everything in between. Even then Eric was already travelling, looking for stories, for adventure, and for people who share the same pull toward the unusual.

IMAGES BY Eric Wittkopf

AdventurePhotographer of the Year

2020 Iceland

2020 APoY finalist, Eric Wittkopf

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.

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