Every year we have one special category in the Photo Contest for a specific type of marine creature. We try to choose something that can be found in both cold and warm water environments. Last year, it was Cartilaginous Fish (sharks, rays, ratfish). Today we are announcing our 2026 special category.
The Special Category for the 2026 SeaHorse Photo Contest is…
Marine Arthropods
“What the hell is a ‘marine arthropod?'” you might ask. Shrimp, crabs, sea spiders, horseshoe crabs are all marine arthropods. They’re among the most plentiful creatures in the ocean, so they shouldn’t be too hard to find.
According to Wikipedia:
Arthropods (Greek for jointed feet) have an exoskeleton (external skeleton), a segmented body, and jointed appendages (paired appendages). They form a phylum which includes insects, arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans. Arthropods are characterized by their jointed limbs and cuticle made of chitin, often mineralised with calcium carbonate. The arthropod body plan consists of segments, each with a pair of appendages. The rigid cuticle inhibits growth, so arthropods replace it periodically by moulting. Their versatility has enabled them to become the most species-rich members of all ecological guilds in most environments.
“What are the rules?” Basically, any image that includes a marine arthropod qualifies. It doesn’t have to be the primary focus of the image, you just have to have one in there. Oh, and it should be underwater, and not on your plate.
So get out there and start snapping pics of those crabs and shrimp and win fabulous prizes!
Randy Glenn Memorial Photo, Video and Art Contest
The 2026 Photo Contest will be held at Billy McHale’s in Federal Way, Thursday, October 22nd. Dinner starts at 6 PM, the contest gets underway at 7 PM. See the Photo Contest Page for all the rules.
Everybody is welcome, Everybody can vote!
Everybody is welcome, and one of the things that makes this event fun is that, although you must be a member to enter and win fabulous prizes, voting is done live at the event, and everybody (members and non-members) is allowed to vote.
So come on out!
Light Rail Carpool
Yes, Federal Way is a very long slog for many people, but Sound Transit light rail reaches as far north as Lynwood, across the lake to the Eastside, and all the way to Federal Way. We’re planning on setting up a carpool from the Federal Way light rail station to the event so you can glide above the traffic to the contest, and we’ll get you to Billy’s.
We will see you there!
