From dramatic aquatic encounters to deep caves to fish and amphibians closely guarding their eggs, there’s an entire world below the surface that few of us ever really get to see. That’s where images like those in the annual Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) come in, glimpsing some of the darkest depths and most alluring and fragile ecosystems on the planet.The top prize of the 2026 competition, which has been running annually since 1965, goes to Matthew Smith for his capture of two young sea lions in the Falkland Islands. Additional winning images include Natalie Yarrow’s tableau of hinge-beak shrimp inside a pink barrel sponge, Khaichuin Sim’s observation of the controversial annual whale hunt in the Faroe Islands, and Sam Blount’s dramatic encounter with a leopard seal.© Kirsty Andrews (U.K.), “Dusk Encounter,” Porthkerris, Cornwall, U.K. Runner-up in the British Waters Wide Angle categoryUPY’s categories range from portraits to coral reefs to macro images, all with an emphasis on the diversity, beauty, and vulnerability of the vast parts of our submerged world. We’ve shared a selection of our favorites here, but you can see the entire winners’ gallery on UPY’s website, and follow updates on Instagram.© Anton Sorokin (U.S.), “Egg Clutcher,” San Francisco Bay Area, California, U.S. Third place in the Behavior category© Dan Bolt (U.K.), “New Life,” Manse Point, U.K. Third place in the British Waters Macro category© Simon Theuma (Australia), “A Time to Dream,” The Gutter, Shellharbour, NSW, Australia. Third place in the Macro category© Steven Kovacs (U.S.), “Screaming Swallower,” Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. Runner-up in the Portrait category© Natalie Yarrow (U.K.), “Crowded House,” Bali, Indonesia. Highly commended in the Up & Coming category and winner of Most Promising British Underwater Photographer 2026© Kazushige Horiguchi (Japan). “Clownfish Hatchout,” Kagoshima Minamisatsuma, Japan. Winner of the Behavior category© Fabian Becker (Germany), “JAWS,” Bohol, Philippines. Runner-up in the Macro category© Sam Blount (U.S.), “Lunging Leopard,” Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica. Winner of the Up & Coming category and Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026© Renee Capozzola (U.S.), “Sunset Patrol,” Fakarava, French Polynesia. Runner-up in the Coral Reefs categoryDo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article A Pair of Sea Lion Pups Wins the 2026 Underwater Photographer of the Year appeared first on Colossal.