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Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 Finalists Announced

The finalists for the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 competition have been revealed, showcasing stunning coastal, drone, and underwater images. The selected photographs capture diverse marine life and ocean scenes from submissions worldwide.

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Key takeaways

  • The Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 finalists have been selected by Oceanographic Magazine.
  • The winning images showcase diverse ocean scenes, including marine wildlife, coastal landscapes, and human interaction with the sea.
  • Featured photographs include a seahorse with its young, a superpod of dolphins, and a freediver during a world record attempt.

Organizers at Oceanographic Magazine have announced the finalists for the 2026 Ocean Photographer of the Year competition. The selections represent the top images chosen from thousands of submissions, highlighting coastal, drone, and underwater photography.

Key Facts

  • Finalists for the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 competition have been announced by Oceanographic Magazine.
  • The competition features photographs from various categories including coastal, drone, and underwater imagery.
  • Photographer Benjamín Yávar submitted an image of a free diver surrounded by a school of sardines.
  • Daniela Tommasi's finalist entry shows two surfers approaching a surf break on the Western Australian coast, with wave patterns visible in the water.
  • Julien Anton's photograph captures an adult seahorse with juveniles in Moorea, French Polynesia, arranged in a way that suggests a farewell.
  • Andrea Michelutti's image, titled 'Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds', features a harlequin crab tending to its eggs within a sponge.
  • Marko Dimitrijevic submitted a photo of a superpod of spinner dolphins off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
  • Qingsheng Sun's 'Human Connection' finalist shows extensive fish-farming cages forming a floating community, kilometers in length.
  • Maryline Renault's 'Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds' submission is a translucent shrimp within a green tunicate in Tulamben, Indonesia.
  • Ben Thouard's 'Fine Art' finalist captures a wave breaking off the coast of Tahiti, its spray illuminated by sunlight.
  • Ajiex Dharma's 'Ocean Unseen: Hidden Worlds' entry depicts an urchin shrimp camouflaged among the spines of a sea urchin.
  • Eduardo Santana de Vega's 'Conservation Impact' photo shows an octopus inside a lobster pot off the coast of southwest England, noted for a recent population boom linked to warming seas.
  • Daan Verhoeven's 'Ocean Adventure' finalist features freediver Arnaud Jerald descending in Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas during a world record attempt.

Sources reviewed

Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.

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