World · India Bureau
French photographer wins top honour for rare seahorse family portrait
A French photographer's painstaking search through the waters of French Polynesia has yielded the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 grand prize. The winning image captures an intimate moment between a male seahorse and his two newborn juveniles.
LSN India ·
Julien Anton's dedication to documenting marine life has been recognised with the top award at the prestigious Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 competition. The photograph, taken in Mo'orea in French Polynesia, depicts a rare family group of seahorses in their natural habitat—a subject that required countless hours of patient searching and observation.
The image first secured the Wildlife category award before being selected as the overall grand prize winner, reflecting its exceptional quality and significance. Seahorse families remain relatively elusive subjects for photographers, making Anton's successful capture a noteworthy achievement in underwater photography.
The 2026 competition recognised the work of international photographers across multiple categories, celebrating outstanding images that document the world's ocean environments and marine species. The awards highlight the growing importance of visual storytelling in marine conservation awareness.