The key facts
- The shortlist of the Close-up Photographer of the Year 2026 contest includes works selected from a record 15,388 entries
- The images are presented in 11 categories: animals, insects, arachnids, the underwater world, fungi and slime molds, studio art, and others
- A separate category is dedicated to young photographers; the winners will be announced in January 2027
A record number of entries and the shortlist of the eighth season
The international macro and close-up photography contest Close-up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) has published the shortlist of its eighth season. This year, a record number of works for the contest were in the running — 15,388 images from photographers from around the world. The selected images are distributed across 11 categories: among them 'Animals', 'Insects', 'Arachnids', 'Underwater World', 'Butterflies and Dragonflies', 'Fungi and Slime Molds', 'Intimate Landscape', and 'Studio Art', as well as a separate nomination for young photographers.
What the organizers say and when the winners will be announced
The contest's co-founder Tracy Calder noted that macro photography reveals details and angles that often go unnoticed, and called this year's shortlist a vivid example of imagination, technical mastery, and natural curiosity. The name of the grand prize winner and the winners in each category will be announced in January 2027. Until then, the organizers and the media continue to showcase selected works from the shortlist — among them images of spiders, caterpillars, dragonflies, frogs, underwater scenes, and studio still lifes, including works by young authors Spencer Hitchen and Emma Nawazesh.
