The winners of Underwater Photographer Of The Year 2026 have been announced – and this year’s competition is a stirring tribute to ocean life in all its tenderness, power, and complexity.

Taking the top title, UK-based photographer Matthew (Matty) Smith has been named Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) 2026 for his unforgettable image named Rockpool Rookies. The photograph captures an adorable pair of Southern elephant seal pups in a rockpool on the Falkland Islands, and it triumphed over 7,900 entries from underwater photographers around the world.

“Once their pups are weaned, elephant seal mothers abandon them ashore,” Matty explains.

“I watched dozens clamber over one another in shallow rockpools, awkwardly learning to swim. On my very first evening, the sky ignited with colour and I captured a handful of frames before the light vanished. It was the defining moment of the long trip.”

Chair of the judging panel, marine ecologist Dr Alex Mustard, praised both the technical skill and the story behind the image. “The lives of elephant seals traverse land and sea; they are born on wild shores, but thrive in frigid waters,” he said.

“Smith used a special dome that he built himself to capture the revealing under-over perspective, perfectly balancing his lighting on the pups’ fur with the setting sun. Elephant seals were hunted right to the brink of extinction. Their oil rich blubber was used for everything from fuel for lighting to margarine. Fortunately, the hunt was stopped just in time, and their recovery over the last 100 years is a great example of resilience of the ocean. A beautiful and hopeful photograph.”

In addition to winning the overall first place, this photo brought Matty the victory in the Portrait category, too.

About The Contest

Let me tell you more about the contest itself. Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual UK-based competition celebrating photography beneath the surface of oceans, lakes, rivers, and even swimming pools. First run in 1965, the contest has grown into one of the world’s most respected underwater photography awards.

This year, the contest got 7,934 entries from photographers across 28 countries, in 14 categories:

• Underwater Photographer of the Year
• Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year
• Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year
• Macro
• Wide Angle
• Behaviour
• Wreck
• Coral Reefs
• Black & White
• Portrait
• Compact
• Smartphone
• British Waters Wide Angle
• British Waters Macro

Like every year, Underwater Photographer Of The Year 2026 proves that there is so much magic beneath the surface. I’m happy to show you the category winners below, and make sure to visit the contest website for more info.