Australian Matty Smith Wins 2026 Underwater Photographer of the Year Title

Australian photographer Matty Smith secured the prestigious title of Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) for 2026 with his image titled 'Rockpool Rookies.' The winning photograph captures two young southern elephant seal pups situated in a rockpool on Sealion Island within the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). Smith employed a self-constructed dome port to achieve a sophisticated split-level perspective, balancing the illumination between the seals' fur and the ambient light of the setting sun to emphasize the subjects' interaction.

The image concurrently earned the top position in the Portrait category of the competition, which received nearly 8,000 entries from photographers across 28 nations in 2026. Sealion Island is recognized as the most significant breeding location for elephant seals in the Falklands archipelago, hosting over two thousand of the animals during the peak breeding season in October. Smith noted that he observed numerous young seals navigating the shallow rockpools awkwardly as they began learning to swim, a vulnerability highlighted by the photograph, as the pups are abandoned by their parents after weaning.

Dr. Alex Mustard, a marine ecologist and chairman of the UPY judging panel, praised Smith's technical execution in balancing the light for the under-over shot. Dr. Mustard, who has been involved in developing optical products for Nauticam and chairs the UPY jury, cited the species' recovery over the past century as a strong indicator of ocean resilience. The winning photograph, which captured a defining moment on Smith's first evening at the location, demonstrates precise lighting control achieved with his custom equipment.

The Underwater Photographer of the Year contest, headquartered in the United Kingdom and established annually since 1965, featured 14 distinct categories for its 2026 iteration, including a new section for smartphone images. The 2026 awards ceremony was hosted in London and sponsored by The Crown Estate. Other notable 2026 recipients included Khaichuin Sim, who won the Marine Conservation category for 'Innocence Meets Tradition,' documenting the pilot whale hunt in the Faroe Islands, Denmark. Sam Blount from the USA received the PADI Revealed (Up & Coming) Photographer of the Year award for 'Lunging Leopard,' a close-up of a leopard seal in the Antarctic.

The UPY competition, considered the world's largest underwater photography contest, emphasizes selecting images genuinely 'loved' by the panel. Judges, including Dr. Mustard and Peter Rowlands, convene in person to review every submission, a process described as 'proudly old school.' The winning images, such as Smith's portrayal of the abandoned seal pups at Sealion Island—a National Nature Reserve crucial for over 500 breeding female elephant seals each spring—underscore the importance of protecting fragile marine environments.