Ocean Photography Award Winner
French Photographer Julien Anton Wins 2026 Ocean Photography Award With Striking Seahorse Image
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Julien Anton said he is not a professional photographer and described photography as a way to share what he sees and feels. He added that the moment the juveniles turned toward the adult seahorse exceeded his hopes after hours of searching in difficult conditions.
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Matty Smith said his winning nurse-shark photograph was taken in the Maldives after a late-afternoon dive, when he encountered the shark in ethereal evening light. He also received a highly commended distinction in the Wildlife category for an image of southern elephant-seal pups exploring rock pools in the Falkland Islands.
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Gergo Rugli said a large pod of dolphins joined surfers at Bronte Beach during a powerful swell and offshore winds, and that he also placed third in the Human Connection category with an image of a teenager confronting waves at the closed Bronte Ocean Pool.
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The competition is presented by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain with the stated mission of highlighting both the wonder and fragility of the planet’s oceans and the need to protect them.
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Jenny Stock’s Female Fifty Fathoms Award is a peer-nominated honor created in 2021 by Oceanographic and Blancpain to recognize pioneering and boundary-pushing women in ocean photography; recipients are also judged by the competition’s jury.
French photographer Julien Anton has won Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 for a striking image of a male seahorse with two juveniles in Tahiti and Mo'orea, according to Deeper Blue. The winning photograph also claimed the Ocean Wildlife category and highlights the competition's focus on marine conservation and ocean fragility. Anton, who describes himself as a non-professional photographer, said the moment the juveniles turned toward the adult seahorse exceeded his hopes after hours of searching in difficult conditions.
Australian Photographers Win Adventure and Fine Art Awards
Two Australian photographers claimed major categories at the 2026 competition. Gergo Rugli won Adventure for an image of dolphins surfing alongside swimmers at Sydney's Bronte Beach during a powerful swell. Deeper Blue reported that Rugli also placed third in the Human Connection category for a photograph of a teenager confronting waves at the closed Bronte Ocean Pool.
Matty Smith, based in Newcastle, won Fine Art for a black-and-white portrait of a nurse shark taken in the Maldives after an evening dive. 16 News noted that Smith captured the shark in ethereal evening light and also received a highly commended distinction in the Wildlife category for an image of southern elephant-seal pups exploring rock pools in the Falkland Islands.
Strong Representation From Australian Photographers
Ten Australian or Australia-based photographers were among the finalists, selected from more than 15,000 entries worldwide according to Deeper Blue. The high representation reflects the competition's strong appeal across the Australasian region. The Ocean Photographer of the Year award is presented by Oceanographic Magazine and Blancpain with a stated mission of highlighting both the wonder and fragility of the planet's oceans.
Female Fifty Fathoms Award Recognizes Women Ocean Photographers
British photographer Jenny Stock received the peer-nominated Female Fifty Fathoms Award, a honor created in 2021 by Oceanographic and Blancpain to recognize pioneering women in ocean photography. According to Deeper Blue, recipients are judged by both their peers and the competition's jury. All finalist images are scheduled to go on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum beginning November 19.
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