UNDERWATER
PHOTO
AWARDS

International Underwater Photography Competition

WINNERS 2026

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2026

Mikhail Korostelev

Mikhail Korostelev

Moscow

Winner and laureate of international photo competitions: GDT European Wildlife Photographer, Wildlife Photographer of The Year, Nature Photographer of the Year, Underwater Photographer of The Year, Golden Turtle, National Geographic Russia, RGS, Sony Awards and others. Participant of the exhibitions Primordial Russia, Nature Photo Exp, Golden Turtle. Author of solo exhibitions in Moscow, Hong Kong, Macau. He is the founder of Team Trip (@team trip ru) and Whale Watching Russia (@whale watching russia). Activist for the freedom of killer whales and dolphins.

Entries in the contest: 20
Award-winning photos: 3
Finalists: 6

Best works

1
«Portrait of beluga whales»

Nomination: «Russia»
2
«Three mammals»

Nomination: «On a Single Breath»
3
«Hippos in the lake»

Nomination: «Wide Angle»
Finalist
«Sperm whale. Open your mouth»

Nomination: «Wide Angle»
Finalist
«Hunting»

Nomination: «Underwater Inhabitants and Animal Behavior»
Finalist
«Curious bear»

Nomination: «Russia»
Finalist
«A cloud of stingrays»

Nomination: «Wide Angle»
Finalist
«Portrait of beluga whales»

Nomination: «Russia»
Finalist
«At the bottom of the lake»

Nomination: «On a Single Breath»

User Voting

During the third stage of Nature Photo Awards, participants were able to take part in user voting and independently rate photographs by other authors. We have summed up all the submitted scores and formed a user rating of the works.

Results of User Voting
 

Wide Angle

1st place
Tony Cheng
«Sea Canary»

Shooting in difficult conditions is not the most transparent water. It is so much more interesting to see this photo. A great moment to shoot - all the animals lined up and as if specially posing for the photographer.

(automatic translation)

Andrey Narchuk

Unique shooting, a rare moment, a good composition! At the same time, very difficult conditions for work. A well-deserved prize.

(automatic translation)

Aleksandr Aristarkhov
Finalists of the nomination

Macro

1st place
shengwei luan
«circles»

Well-constructed shot. The look is riveted to a small shrimp, which the focus unmistakably found through all the curls of the coral. At the same time, the photo originally looked like this without excessive processing and even framing.

(automatic translation)

Andrey Narchuk
Finalists of the nomination

Underwater Inhabitants and Animal Behavior

1st place
Nadya Kulagina
«Hunting»

A wonderful moment in the life of fish. Good composition. The lighting balance is perfect. After all, it is so easy to highlight the scales of these silver giants.


(automatic translation)

Andrey Narchuk

Great shot! With a very dynamic plot, the author managed to build a competent composition and ensure the necessary technical quality.

(automatic translation)

Aleksandr Aristarkhov
Finalists of the nomination

On a Single Breath

1st place
Airat
«No name»

An unusual reading of the topic of this nomination. Freediver in a very dynamic position moves to meet the air. Not on the surface, but on the bottom. Photography violates many of the usual rules of underwater photography, but perhaps this is what sets it apart from others.

(automatic translation)

Andrey Narchuk
Finalists of the nomination

Underwater Art & Creative Vision

1st place
Stas Dobysh
«On the train»

The most unexpected photo in the competition. Agree that you do not expect to see a train under water and a person trying to board it with a suitcase. It's like the story of Platform 9 and 3/4 in reality. But it is such stories that awaken our imagination and give a good mood.

(automatic translation)

Andrey Narchuk
Finalists of the nomination

Ocean Environment & Conservation

1st place
Konstantin Novikov
«No way out»

A stunning photo that makes people think about the fragility of life. Originally made in color, the work has been translated by the author into BB, which perfectly emphasizes the tragedy of the scene!

(automatic translation)

Aleksandr Aristarkhov

This photo shows us a whole story about how human desire affects the environment. Mining delicacy caviar costs the lives of many sea creatures - seals, fish, birds ...

(automatic translation)

Andrey Narchuk
Finalists of the nomination

Mobile Photography

1st place
KAIDONG HE
«glimpse»

Beautiful picture. With a rare, for macro-photography plot. Very not easy to shoot the object shot very well. You can't believe it's on the phone.

(automatic translation)

Andrey Narchuk
Finalists of the nomination

Russia

1st place
Mikhail Korostelev
«Portrait of beluga whales»

An interesting project to shoot wild beluga whales in places of their socialization. Particularly worth noting is the complex shooting technique used to avoid disturbing animals.

(automatic translation)

Andrey Narchuk
Finalists of the nomination

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