Smart News | July 6, 2026 6:15 p.m.

These 11 Wildlife Images From the Ocean Conservancy’s Photography Contest Showcase the Wonder of Earth’s Waters

Seals, penguins and fish are featured in the nonprofit’s annual competition to inspire care for the world’s oceans

cropped: two dolphins approach the camera

Two dolphins swim up to the camera. The recognized images from this year's Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest all feature animals. Laura Murchie / 2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest

These 11 Wildlife Images From the Ocean Conservancy’s Photography Contest Showcase the Wonder of Earth’s Waters

Seals, penguins and fish are featured in the nonprofit’s annual competition to inspire care for the world’s oceans

Carlyn Kranking | Associate Web Editor, Science

July 6, 2026 6:15 p.m.

Richard Rothstein had never encountered a walrus before. But as he floated in a skiff among icebergs in Arctic Norway, he noticed two female walruses in a seemingly protective stance. In the middle was a baby, nursing from one of the adults.

“The walruses seemed to completely tolerate our presence as there appeared to be no alteration of their natural behavior,” Rothstein says in a statement. “It was truly an experience of a lifetime.”

The photograph he took of the moment, Walrus Nursing, earned the top prize in this year’s Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest. The honor, called the judges choice, comes with a $2,000 cash prize.

“I loved the calm moment, the reflection and the connection between the walruses,” Andrés Ballesteros, one of the contest judges, says in the statement. “It feels very natural, honest and emotional.”

two adult walruses and a baby sit on a small iceberg, reflected in the water below — *Walrus Nursing*, judges choice: Three walruses, including a nursing baby, sit on an iceberg in Norway. Richard Rothstein / 2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest

The annual contest received more than 1,000 photographs of marine wildlife and habitats this year. A panel of three expert judges, who are themselves wildlife photographers, graded the images on impact, creativity, lighting and composition.

“We look for photos that evoke a strong emotional response, that make the viewer feel a connection to the ocean,” Megan Bennett, senior manager of digital outreach at the Ocean Conservancy, tells Smithsonian magazine.

As the judges looked through the submissions, a theme started to emerge in their favorite photos: animals. The entries included “gorgeous seascapes and sunsets,” Jenna DiPaolo, chief brand and communications officer for the Ocean Conservancy, tells Smithsonian magazine. “But as is often the case, the ones that rose to the top were portraits of ocean wildlife, and I think that’s because we crave to see and connect with animals on an interpersonal level.”

a cuttlefish looms large over the ocean floor with light shining in from above — *The Lone Ranger*, staff choice: A male cuttlefish looks for a mate in Australian waters. Rowan Dear / 2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest

Photographer Rowan Dear earned the staff choice award, selected by voters among the Ocean Conservancy’s staff. Dear’s image, taken near the coast of Whyalla, Australia, captures a male giant cuttlefish looking for a mate.

The photo is “an absolute showstopper,” contest judge Angela J. Farmer says in the statement. “The sunburst breaking through the surface turns an ordinary dive into something almost cinematic. The cuttlefish’s intricate textures and shifting purple-to-copper tones are stunning, and the way the light rays guide your eye right down to it shows real mastery of natural underwater lighting.”

a young seal sits on the sand, looking at the camera — *Sweet Seal*, people’s choice: A young seal on a beach in New York Nicole Pellegrino / 2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest

Selected by a public vote, the people’s choice award went to photographer Nicole Pellegrino, who captured this image of a seal resting along the shore of Long Beach, New York, in April 2024.

“Some photographs capture a moment,” contest judge Farmer writes on Instagram. “The very best photographs change the way we see the world.”

Here are the honorable mention awardees from the competition.