Close-Up Photographer of the Year Unveils 2026 Shortlist
The competition's shortlist features 59 pictures across 11 categories chosen from 15,388 submissions.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Photography
Close-Up Photographer of the Year has published its 2026 shortlist of 59 pictures across 11 categories. The shortlist was selected from 15,388 submissions to the world's largest competition dedicated to close-up, macro and micro photography.
Why it matters
The shortlist offers a snapshot of the detailed, small-scale subjects that close-up photographers are capturing from around the world. It gives photography enthusiasts a benchmark for technique and subject matter in this specialized genre.
The shortlist of 59 pictures across 11 categories was drawn from 15,388 submissions, a selection rate of under 0.4 percent. Final winners are not identified in the available information.
The players
Close-Up Photographer of the Year
The world's largest competition dedicated to close-up, macro and micro photography, which publishes an annual shortlist across multiple categories.
Joao Pontes
A photographer whose animals-category image appears on the 2026 shortlist, captured with a Canon EOS R7 and a fisheye lens.
David Myles
A photographer whose fungi-category image appears on the 2026 shortlist, captured with an OM System OM-1 Mark II and a macro lens.
Steffen Foerster
A photographer whose image of a tussock-bird on a southern elephant seal, taken on Sea Lion Island, appears on the 2026 shortlist.
The details
Entries were judged for the CUPOTY 08 shortlist, which includes an animals-category image by Joao Pontes taken with a Canon EOS R7 and EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM lens. A fungi-category image by David Myles was made with an OM System OM-1 Mark II and a 90mm macro lens with a 1.4x teleconverter, and Steffen Foerster photographed a tussock-bird picking at a southern elephant seal on Sea Lion Island in the Falkland Islands.
Timeline
• 2026: Close-Up Photographer of the Year publishes its shortlist of 59 pictures.
Industry Dynamics
As the eighth edition of Close-Up Photographer of the Year, the 2026 shortlist continues a niche competition that focuses on macro and micro photography. Its growing submission count of 15,388 indicates sustained international interest in close-up imagery.
Photography enthusiasts can use the shortlist to study composition and technique in macro and close-up work. Those interested in entering future editions can review the categories and standards reflected in this year's selections.
The takeaway
Close-up photography rewards patience and attention to small subjects, as shown by the variety of animal, fungi and insect images on this year's shortlist. Studying these selections can help photographers refine their own approach to macro work.
Further reading
Explore more close-up imagery in our Photography section.
