Julien Anton, a photographer from France, has been awarded the prestigious Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 for his image capturing a male seahorse with two juveniles. The winning photograph depicts the juveniles hovering in front of their father, whose head is bowed, illustrating the unique parental care in seahorse species where males carry and birth the young.
Thousands of entries were submitted to this year's contest, showcasing diverse aspects of marine life from the ocean's deepest trenches to its sunlit surfaces. The awards aim to provide a glimpse into the extraordinary and unexpected happenings within the world's oceans.
The Female Fifty Fathoms Award was presented to British photographer Jenny Stock. This award, established in 2021, recognizes talented women in ocean photography and is nominated by peers.
Mitsuna Kawai secured the win in the inaugural Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds category for a photograph of a ribbonfish captured in blackwater off the coast of Japan. The Human Connection category award went to Rui Duarte for his image of volunteers assisting a stranded pilot whale.
Gergo Rugli won the Adventure award with a photograph of dolphins interacting with surfers at Sydney's Tamarama Beach.
The Conservation Impact category highlighted the growing toll of overtourism on marine life with James Ferrara's image of a whale shark surrounded by snorkelers and divers. Other submissions in this category addressed issues such as overfishing, plastic pollution, and the pilot whale slaughter in the Faroe Islands.
Matty Smith's photograph of a nurse shark accompanied by remoras earned him the Ocean Fine Art award.
Thomas Pavy's winning entry in the Conservation Hope category featured scientific divers utilizing advanced laser-calibrated technology to survey marine populations. This image was taken 180 feet below the surface in the Tiputa Pass, Rangiroa Atoll, French Polynesia.
Anton expressed that winning the top award was an immense honor, shared with his family and local experts from Tahiti and Mo'orea. He noted the challenging conditions and the unexpected moment when the seahorse juveniles turned back toward their father. Anton, who is not a professional photographer, hopes his image will serve as a connection between science, conservation, and public awareness of marine issues.
Stock stated that the peer nomination for the Female Fifty Fathoms Award was deeply meaningful and that she was honored to join the ranks of previous talented recipients. She highlighted the award's significance in celebrating women in ocean photography and its connection to the iconic Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch, hoping it inspires more women to explore underwater photography.
Will Harrison, founder and director of the Ocean Photographer of the Year, described Anton's winning image as one that "demands reflection" and is "intimate, urgent and impossible to ignore," prompting contemplation on the future of the oceans for subsequent generations.