Seahorse portrait helps win Ocean Photographer of the Year

An adult seahorse pictured with newly born juveniles in the shallow seaweed-filled waters of Moorea, French Polynesia. (Julien Anton / Ocean Photographer of the Year via SWNS)

By Dean Murray

A portrait of a male seahorse and two tiny juveniles has helped win Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026.

Seahorse portrait helps win Ocean Photographer of the Year

An American crocodile moves through the mangroves of Cuba, a habitat that provides shelter for feeding, breeding, nesting and raising young. Beneath the trees, fallen leaves break down into nutrient-rich sediment. (Jenny Stock / Ocean Photographer of the Year via SWNS)

Seahorse portrait helps win Ocean Photographer of the Year

A green turtle approaches the camera, appearing curious about her reflection in its dome port, captured in French Polynesia. (Jenny Stock / Ocean Photographer of the Year via SWNS)

Seahorse portrait helps win Ocean Photographer of the Year

A mother humpback whale and her calf glide through Tonga's warm, sheltered waters. (Jenny Stock / Ocean Photographer of the Year via SWNS)

Seahorse portrait helps win Ocean Photographer of the Year

Finalist Conservation Hope category: Thirty days after the 2023 Lahaina wildfire claimed 102 lives, thousands gathered off West Maui for a traditional Hawaiian paddle-out ceremony. Surfers and families formed a circle on the ocean, linking hands and releasing leis in memory of those lost. (Daniel Edmond Sullivan Jr. / Ocean Photographer of the Year via SWNS)

Originally published on talker.news, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.