2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Winners Celebrate Incredible Marine Animals

Jul 09, 2026 - 22:03

0 0

2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Winners Celebrate Incredible Marine Animals

Left side shows a puffin in flight with wings outstretched over blurred grass and sea. Right side shows a cuttlefish swimming above seaweed, sunlight filtering through water above.

The 2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest winners celebrate the beauty of the world’s oceans and their inhabitants, delivering colorful photos of cuttlefish, serene walruses, and more.

This year’s Judges’ Choice Winner is Walrus Nursing by Richard Rothstein, a lovely portrait of two female walruses and young calves.

Two adult walruses and a calf rest on floating ice, with their reflections visible in the calm, blue Arctic water. Patches of ice and snow surround them.

“Our group was in a small skiff slowly moving among the icebergs when we came upon the scene in the image. Two female walruses were in what appeared to be a protective posture as one of the females was nursing a small calf,” says winning photographer Richard Rothstein. “We remained a very respectable distance and did not approach. The walruses seemed to completely tolerate our presence as there appeared to be no alteration of their natural behavior. This was my first encounter with walruses, and it was truly an experience of a lifetime!”

“There’s such tenderness in this Arctic moment—two adult walruses framing the calf nursing between them, all mirrored in the glassy meltwater below. That reflection doubles the impact and gives the composition a beautiful symmetry, and the soft, even light shows off every wrinkle and whisker. A quiet, intimate family portrait set against the fragile backdrop of the sea ice these animals depend on,” says 2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Judge and two-time winner, Angela J. Farmer.

Rowan Dear was named this year’s Staff Choice winner for the photo, The Lone Ranger. Dear’s photo shows a large male Giant Cuttlefish off the coast of Australia.

A cuttlefish swims above seaweed in clear blue water, illuminated by sun rays streaming from above.

“Most of the Cuttlefish here are smaller and similar size to the females, however you will see some very large males who are three to four times the size of some males who will swim around and bully and dominate the other males and sometimes guard up to three females. The larger males are probably two years old and have been eating their way through summer waiting for the mating season in winter,” says the photographer, Dear.

“This is an absolute showstopper — the sunburst breaking through the surface turns an ordinary dive into something almost cinematic. The cuttlefish’s intricate textures and shifting purple-to-copper tones are stunning, and the way the light rays guide your eye right down to it shows real mastery of natural underwater lighting. A rich, immersive image that makes you feel like you’re in the water with him,” Farmer remarks.

Nicole Pellegrino was named this year’s People’s Choice winner for her photo of a seal pup on Long Island in New York.

A young gray seal pup with dark spots lies on light sandy beach, looking toward the camera with wide, dark eyes.

Alongside the three award winners above, the Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest also selected eight Honorable Mentions, all featured below.

A manatee swims gracefully underwater in clear blue water, with sunlight streaming down from above and illuminating its body.

Three emperor penguins walk on a wet, reflective beach with waves in the background under a cloudy sky.

A person with fins swims underwater among a large school of fish, surrounded by deep blue water and light filtering from above.

A rockhopper penguin stands on a rocky surface with its beak open, possibly calling out. A blurred lighthouse and more penguins are visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

A close-up of a brown seahorse clinging to a rope covered in bright green algae, with a blue water background.

Two dolphins swim underwater, facing the camera in clear blue water, with one dolphin slightly behind and to the left of the other.

A person in a blue kayak paddles near a large whale and a smaller whale calf, all seen from above in deep blue water.

A puffin flies toward the camera with its wings spread wide above green grass, with the ocean and blue sky blurred in the background.

Image credits: Ocean Conservancy. Individual photographers are credited in the captions.

PetaPixel articles may include affiliate links; if you buy something through such a link, PetaPixel may earn a commission.

Love PetaPixel? Go Premium.

PetaPixel is the world’s largest independent photography publication and we’re only able to continue our work with your help. Become a PetaPixel Member now and support our mission to bring you regular, high-quality reviews, features, news, and more.

Remove banner ads
Gain access to full-resolution RAW and JPEG Sample Galleries
Get 5% off orders from KEH.com
Get a $15 coupon to spend at Moment
Get 10% off lighting equipment from FJ Westcott
Get 10% off film development, scanning, and printing from Blue Moon Camera and Machine