Aussie crowned Underwater Photographer of the Year
Australia's-own Matty Smith has another accolade to add to his already vast trophy cabinet, winning the annual Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY) 2026 awards.
The NSW-based photographer's winning image, Rockpool Rookies, was selected from more than 7,900 entries worldwide, and was captured on Sealion Island in the Falklands.
“Once their pups are weaned, elephant seal mothers abandon them ashore,” Smith said.
“I watched dozens of them clamber over one another in shallow rockpools, awkwardly learning to swim, and quite engaging to my presence. I’d come here for this moment, to witness and photograph their first solo lessons in life.
On the very first evening of my arrival, the sky ignited with colour. I donned my dry suit and rushed into the water, capturing a handful of frames before the light vanished. It turned out to be the defining moment of the trip, and I’m glad I didn’t hesitate.”
As well as the many accolades for his work, Smith is highly regarded in underwater photography circles for his distinctive under-over images, shot using special domes that he builds himself.
His image was captured on a Nikon Z9, with a Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 S lens, two Ikelite DS230 strobes and an Aquatica Digital AZ9 housing.
Marine ecologist and UPY judge Alex Mustard praised the technical and narrative strength of the image.
“Smith used a special dome he built himself to capture the under-over perspective, perfectly balancing his lighting on the pups’ fur with the setting sun. Elephant seals were hunted to the brink of extinction, but their recovery over the last century is a powerful example of ocean resilience.”
The competition had 14 categories, including Macro, Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck Photography, among others, along with three dedicated British underwater categories.
Other international category winners included Japan’s Kazushige Horiguchi, who won Behaviour for Clownfish Hatchout,
France’s Cecile Gabillon Barats, who claimed Wide Angle for a sperm whale calf portrait, and Israel’s Tom Shlesinger, who took Coral Reefs with a long-exposure shot of coral spawning.
The Up & Coming Underwater Photographer award went to American Sam Blount for Lunging Leopard, while China’s Jack Ho won the new Smartphone category.
Finally, the Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year title was awarded to Malaysia's Khaichuin Sim for a striking image of the annual pilot whale hunt in the Faroe Islands.
