Winners of the 2026 Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest

© Seong-Cheol Cho / UPY2026

Calm at the Heart of Turmoil. Winner, Macro. Cho: “While diving in Tulamben with my guide, Jaye, I encountered a commensal shrimp living within a naturally spiraling whip coral. Something I had long hoped to see, the coral’s deep, rich green formed a striking nest for the brightly colored shrimp resting inside. By introducing red and blue light against the green coral, I wanted to create a sense of intense beauty combined with visual turbulence, while expressing...