Entries for MARE FOTO 2026 closed on 21 September at 11:59 p.m. This seventh edition received a record 1,603 photographs. More than 1,100 images have been made available to support marine conservation initiatives.
The submitted photographs show the richness and beauty of the Balearic Sea and the Mediterranean, as well as people’s relationship with the marine environment: from stories of conservation to images that draw attention to threats.
The jury will select the winning photographs in the different categories. MARE Popularis, the people’s choice award, will be decided by a public vote on our website.
This edition features 26 prizes, with a total value of €10,000 in cash prizes and underwater equipment, and six honourable mentions: three for “Marine Protected Areas” and three for “Joan Pereyra: The Little Things”.
The winners will be announced on 13 November at the MARE26 gala. The selected photographs will be published on our website and may form part of the travelling exhibition that will tour the Balearic Islands in 2027.
Thank you to everyone who took part, and especially to those who made their images available so that photography can continue to help protect the sea.
© Joan Pereyra
Isabel is a marine biologist and a passionate photographer specialising in intimate landscapes and details of nature. The creativity of her vision blurs the line between literal and abstract representations of the natural world. As a result, her images are imbued with a certain mystery that invites reflection.
Isabel is the author of two photography books: ‘Entre mareas’ (2021) and ‘Al borde de las mareas’ (2009). She took part in the ‘Objetivo Pura Vida’ project organised by the Spanish Embassy in Costa Rica and was editor-in-chief of the magazine IRIS, published by the Spanish Association of Nature Photographers, between 2011 and 2014. She has served as a jury member in prestigious international photography competitions such as Montphoto, Asferico and the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Carolina Wells is a professional underwater photographer originally from Cambrils who is now based in Mexico. With a background in artistic and documentary photography, she approaches the underwater world with a perspective that combines technical precision and visual sensitivity.
She is an accomplished technical deep-sea and cave diver who seeks to document, interpret and convey the fragility and ecological importance of little-explored underwater ecosystems, from historic shipwrecks to delicate cave systems. Through her lens, she combines scientific value with visual narratives that promote environmental awareness and the conservation of these unique environments, contributing to their long-term protection and preservation.
Juan Carlos studied biology and specialised in the biology and ecology of the Mediterranean Sea. He has carried out numerous studies on benthic communities and on ecological and environmental assessment. He took his first diving course while studying for his degree, and his diving has been linked to both leisure and work ever since. Through underwater photography, he has showcased, in numerous articles published in magazines and books, the beauty and species hidden on the seabed, which he discovered during his dives and studies.
Promoting the Mediterranean and encouraging its conservation is what has led him to write and edit countless articles and books, such as the well-known “The Mediterranean Marine Ecosystem: A Guide to its Flora and Fauna”, an essential reference for all lovers of the Mediterranean.
The Photography Competition for the Conservation of the Balearic Sea is subject to the code of ethics that regulates conservation photography, which all participants must respect and comply with. The spirit of this code of ethics focuses, above all, on these principles:
Read our complete code of ethics here: Association of Nature Photographers of the Balearic Islands, AFONIB
