These breathtaking World Oceans Day-winning photos celebrate the beauty beneath the waves

The winners of the 2026 United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition have again shown just how extraordinary our oceans are. From tiny underwater creatures to vast seascapes above and below the surface, this year’s winning images capture both the beauty and diversity of marine environments while reminding us why they’re worth protecting.

Now in its 13th year, the competition attracted hundreds of entries from photographers around the world, with winners representing nine countries across four categories: Connecting Oceans, Big and Small Underwater Faces, Underwater Seascapes, and Above Water Seascapes. As always, the competition celebrates incredible photography while helping raise awareness of the oceans and the challenges they face. Take a look at the winning images below:

Connecting Oceans

1st Place: Valentina Cucchiara, Italy

Suspended in the pristine darkness of Cenote Nariz, a diver illuminates a breathtaking ancient underwater world formed drop by drop over millennia. This vast subterranean aquifer serves as the vital heart of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, acting as the primary source of fresh water that sustains its sprawling jungles, diverse wildlife, and human communities. Known to the Maya as “Suhuy Ja’”—or sacred water—these submerged networks represent an interconnected ancestral legacy that has nurtured life across countless generations. Tragically, this irreplaceable geological marvel is currently under serious threat. We have a profound obligation to protect this fragile ecosystem from destruction so these sacred subterranean rivers may continue to support future generations.

2nd Place: James Ferrara, USA

While diving inside a cave in the Kingdom of Tonga, I watched as a freediver was surrounded by a swirling school of baitfish. Sunlight pouring in from the cave’s entrance created a striking silhouette, perfectly framing the diver and fish in a fleeting moment of harmony between shadow and motion.

3rd Place: James Ferrara, USA

A freediver glides beneath the frozen surface of North America’s Lake Huron, suspended in a silent and surreal world. The view from below reveals intricate patterns in the ice, sculpted by weather and waves. Experiencing a scene like this makes braving the elements more than worthwhile.

Honorable Mention: Wendy Mitchell, Australia

There has never been a more critical time to take action to protect the places we love. Globally, coral reefs are being lost at an alarming rate, largely driven by the relentless impacts of burning fossil fuels. The release of carbon dioxide trapped in coal, oil, and gas is the leading contributor to climate change, driving ocean temperatures to extreme levels. Yet, hope remains through awareness and responsible leadership. A brighter future is possible if we champion local initiatives and cast our votes for those committed to protecting these critical ecosystems. This photo is a window into two worlds, a reminder of the interconnectedness of every element of our planet. The image was captured in the blue-water mangroves of Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, where communities rely heavily on the health of their reefs for sustenance and economic benefits from tourism. 

Big and Small Underwater Faces

1st Place: Kaushiik Subramaniam, UK

A curious juvenile gray whale approaches our boat in a lagoon in Baja California Sur, Mexico. This was an incredibly special encounter, as the whale spent over an hour with us, coming in close enough for me to dip my camera into the water and capture this image. These whales are known for their friendly and inquisitive nature, and seem to genuinely enjoy interacting with humans.

2nd Place: Verona Chadwick, Australia

In Anilao in the Philippines, this moray eel was hiding in a hole in a reef wall, popping its head out intermittently. A snooted flash with a color filter was set up behind the subject to create the red rim light—which wasn’t easy because the eel kept moving around. I used a second snooted flash to focus a narrow white beam on the eye. It took many attempts to get everything aligned to capture this shot.

3rd Place: Jeon Min-seok, South Korea

This bobtail squid was encountered during a night dive off Tongyeong Beach on Korea’s southern coast. As the cephalopod swam upwards, its arms opening wide, I managed to capture this picture, with the animal’s reflection on the surface.

Underwater Seascapes

1st Place: Ysabela Coll, Dominican Republic

Emerging from the darkness of a Mexican cenote, we entered this underwater garden teeming with colorful water lilies and small fish. The sudden contrast transformed the scene into a dreamlike world, where light, color, and life replaced the silence of the cave. Cenotes are vital freshwater reservoirs that sustain biodiversity and surrounding communities, yet pollution and climate change increasingly threaten their fragile balance. This moment of beauty is a reminder of our responsibility to protect these hidden ecosystems, where life depends on the purity and clarity of the water.

2nd Place: Bingqian Gao, UK/China

This expansive seascape captures one of the ocean’s most awe-inspiring spectacles: a “fever” of Munk’s devil rays (Mobula munkiana) gliding in unison in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. Bathed in the ethereal glow of the sun rays piercing the surface, the scene feels more celestial than aquatic. These vast migrations continuing to flourish beneath the surface remind us that protecting the ocean means safeguarding the ecosystems that depend on it. Listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List, these rays now receive CITES Appendix I protection, a crucial lifeline for the species and a promising sign for their recovery.

3rd Place: Eduardo Carrasco, Chile

I fought the buoyancy of my 12-inch dome to capture the split second when these Heermann’s gulls, on the lookout for a meal, shattered the silvered surface. This view from below highlights the raw, dynamic boundary between the worlds above and below the water’s surface, illustrating a profound interdependence where the life in the sky is irrevocably tied to the health of the deep.

Above Water Seascapes

1st Place: Bruce Sudweeks, USA

The life of a grizzly bear cub on Alaska’s Kodiak Island consists of eating, playing, and napping. These two cubs have started their day at sunrise, frolicking in the river that provides their meals. The river is full of salmon heading upstream to spawn as their last mortal act. The bear cubs will effortlessly select a few salmon to eat, thereby denying the fish the opportunity to reproduce.

2nd Place: James Ferrara, USA

This single long-exposure image was taken at Blue Cypress Lake in my home state of Florida. After careful planning and a short boat ride in the middle of the night, I used a tripod in the water and light painting techniques to illuminate the cypress tree beneath the Milky Way above. Rapid population growth has transformed much of Florida’s once-pristine landscape into a patchwork of development and concrete, yet pockets of untouched wilderness still remain beyond the reach of urban sprawl and light pollution. This image is a tribute to the Florida that once was and still exists in fragments today. It serves as both a celebration and a reminder that these natural spaces are fragile, and their future depends on the care and responsibility we choose to take.

3rd Place: Miesa Grobbelaar, South Africa/Australia

The seaweed farms of Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan, southeast of Bali, stretch across the water in rows of green. From above, I noticed how naturally the locals moved through them, not controlling the ocean but working in tune with it, with a sense of unity and collaboration, as if they were one with the sea. From the sky, it resembles a woven, living tapestry across the water, where human hands and nature are threaded together.

All of the winning images can be seen on the Dive Photo Guide website.

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