Shark Photographer of the Year 2026

Entries for Shark Photographer of the Year 2026 is opens for entries on 1st July

It is time to enter your best images of sharks, skates and rays. To have a chance of winning a shark diving trip of a lifetime in Aliwal Shoal, South Africa. 

This year you can enter up to 3 images. There are no categories to select from. We will assign each image entered into all the categories they are eligible to compete in. 

In a change from last year, the Shark Photographer of the Year award will be given to the photographer with the best set of three images. Each image will be given points by our judges, and the photographer with the highest total over the 3 images will be crowned overall champion. 

The best images from the British Isles, and Overseas will be awarded. And then additional awards will be given to photographers that capture stunning images that reflect the work of the Shark Trust. 

This year we are asking photographers to pay an entry fee of £5 to help cover our admin fees for running the competition.

Please read the competition t&cs before entering. 

Enter now

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Finalists, selected by a panel of judges, will be shown at For the Love of Sharks at the Royal Geographical Society, London on Friday 27th of November, where the winners will be announced.

Prizes & Sponsors

All winners will be invited to attend For the Love of Sharks in London to receive their trophy.

All winners, runners up and highly commended images will receive a Shark Trust certificate.

The Shark Photographer of the Year Champion will receive a diving trip to South Africa courtesy of Diverse Travel and Agulhas House & Diving. *T&Cs apply

British Isles Winner will receive - tbc

Overseas Winner will receive - tbc

More category prizes to be announced later in the year...

A huge thank you to our competition sponsors:

Diverse Travel, Agulhas House & Diving 

Judging Panel

Our judging panel are all professional underwater photographers who have decades of experience photographing sharks and rays between them. 

Charles Hood, Chair of Trustees at the Shark Trust; Simon Rogerson, Editor of Scuba Magazine and Patron of the Shark Trust & Nick Robertson-Brown, award winning photo-journalist and long-time supporter of the Shark Trust. 

See Shark Photographer of the Year 2025 Results