The Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026 competition has named Australian photographer Matty Smith its overall winner for an intimate portrait of Southern elephant seal pups in a Falkland Islands rockpool, titled “Rockpool Rookies,” according to announcements from the UK-based contest organizers.
This year’s competition received 7,934 submissions from photographers across 28 countries, according to contest data. Entries were judged across 14 categories, including Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour, and Wreck photography, by an expert panel featuring Peter Rowlands, Tobias Friedrich, and Dr. Alex Mustard MBE at an awards ceremony hosted by The Crown Estate in central London.
Elephant Seal Pups Claim Top Honors
Matty Smith captured his winning image, “Rockpool Rookies,” on Sealion Island in the Falklands after watching dozens of young elephant seal pups clamber over one another in shallow rockpools. According to Smith’s account released with the awards, the pups had been weaned from their mothers’ milk and abandoned on shore to learn to swim independently. Rushing into the water on his first evening in a dry suit as the sky colored, Smith secured the defining shot before the light faded.
Capturing Rare Behavior and Nocturnal Spawning
Other category winners highlighted distinct aquatic phenomena from around the globe. Steven Kovacs earned recognition for capturing a rare portrait of a snaketooth fish, or swallower (Kali colubrina), during a blackwater dive off the coast of Florida. According to Kovacs, the individual paused in the water column and yawned while displaying its fins, offering a brief window to photograph a species known for consuming prey up to twice its length and ten times its weight.
Dr. Tom Shlesinger documented the annual mass synchronization of coral reproduction in the northern Red Sea. According to Shlesinger’s project notes, thousands of corals release egg-and-sperm bundles into the open water simultaneously once a year during a narrow window of minutes. Utilizing a slow shutter speed against breaking waves, the photographer captured the event to resemble an underwater meteor shower, building on a research project spanning more than 300 nights underwater during spawning season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition?
The Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual UK-based contest celebrating photography beneath the surface of oceans, lakes, rivers, and swimming pools worldwide.
Who won the overall Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026 award?
Matty Smith of Australia won the overall contest with his photograph titled “Rockpool Rookies,” featuring Southern elephant seal pups in a Falkland Islands rockpool.
How many entries did the 2026 contest receive?
The 2026 competition received 7,934 submissions from photographers based in 28 countries.
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