Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest Winners Showcase Marine Wildlife
Richard Rothstein's photograph of a nursing walrus on an iceberg in Arctic Norway won the judges choice award in the 2026 Ocean Conservancy Photo Contest, earning a $2,000 prize. The contest received over 1,000 entries judged by three wildlife photographers on impact, creativity, lighting, and composition. Rowan Dear won the staff choice award for an image of a giant cuttlefish near Whyalla, Australia. Nicole Pellegrino earned the people's choice award for a seal photo on Long Beach, New York. Honorable mentions include Mathilde Chevallay's emperor penguins in the Kerguelen Islands, David Fleetham's manatee in Crystal River, Florida, Aldo Gustavo Galante's rockhopper penguin in Patagonia, Argentina, Bingqian Gao's seahorse in Dominica, Bill Ehman's humpback whales in Hawaii, Michelle Hare's puffin at Machias Seal Island, Maine, Laura Murchie's dolphins in French Polynesia, and Akira Asahina's fish school near Okinawa, Japan. Judges noted a theme of animal portraits rising to the top.
Key facts
- Richard Rothstein won judges choice for 'Walrus Nursing' photo in Arctic Norway.
- Prize is $2,000 cash.
- Contest received over 1,000 photographs.
- Three expert wildlife photographers judged entries.
- Rowan Dear won staff choice for giant cuttlefish image near Whyalla, Australia.
- Nicole Pellegrino won people's choice for seal photo on Long Beach, New York, taken April 2024.
- Honorable mentions include emperor penguins, manatee, rockhopper penguin, seahorse, humpback whales, puffin, dolphins, and fish school.
- Judges looked for emotional connection to the ocean.
Entities
Artists
- Richard Rothstein
- Rowan Dear
- Nicole Pellegrino
- Mathilde Chevallay
- David Fleetham
- Aldo Gustavo Galante
- Bingqian Gao
- Bill Ehman
- Michelle Hare
- Laura Murchie
- Akira Asahina
- Andrés Ballesteros
- Angela J. Farmer
- Megan Bennett
- Jenna DiPaolo
Institutions
- Ocean Conservancy
- Smithsonian magazine
- PetaPixel
Locations
- Arctic Norway
- Norway
- Whyalla
- Australia
- Long Beach
- New York
- United States
- Kerguelen Islands
- Crystal River
- Florida
- Patagonia
- Argentina
- Dominica
- Hawaii
- Machias Seal Island
- Maine
- French Polynesia
- Okinawa
- Japan
- Arctic
- Long Island