World Nature Photographer of the Year 2026 Winners

Gold, Underwater and World Nature Photographer of the Year 2026

The World Nature Photography Awards have introduced their 2026 winners, and this 12 months’s grand prize winner is an underwater picture—a heart-warming shot of a white humpback calf and her protecting mom by Jono Allen. Captured within the waters of Vava’u, Tonga, the uncommon humpback—only one in 40,000 are born with this lack of pigmentation—is known as Mãhina, that means “moon” in Tongan.

In the caption, the Australian photographer writes: “Watching this spectacular and curious moon white whale calf play and roll through the water represents the remarkable success story of a species given the chance to recover after being heavily targeted by whaling and once being brought to the brink of extinction. Considering the resilience of this awe-inspiring species, sightings of such rare individuals renews hope in what can happen when conservation is championed and wildlife is allowed to thrive. Mãhina is a living reminder of what is possible when conservation works—a species once on the brink, now rebounding.”

The 2026 version of the awards attracted entries from photographers in 51 international locations throughout six continents, showcasing photographs that replicate the beautiful magnificence and vulnerability of the pure world. Check out the class winners and runners-up on the World Nature Photography Awards website. Congrats to everybody who positioned!

 

Silver, Underwater, “What Lies Beneath” by Matthew Sharp

 

Bronze, Underwater, “Green Sea Turtle Surrounded by Glass Fish” by Aimee Jan

 

Gold, Nature Art, “Ghost of the Reef” by Simon Biddie