2021 Community Choice Award, Ben Thouard - Oceanographic

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Finalist Community Choice Award

Ben Thouard French Polynesia

17°50´50” S 149°16´2” W

A surfer wipeout, as captured from below the surface. “I shot this image under the wave of Teahupo’o,” says photographer Ben Thouard. “I call this image ‘The fight’ as it visually describes the feeling of getting wiped out at Teahupo’o and fighting with the turbulence to make it back to the surface as your board drags you backward. This is the unseen part of surfing, yet so mesmerizing.”

BEHIND THE LENS

2021 Community Choice Award, Ben Thouard

Ben Thouard France

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ABOUT THE IMAGE

  • Medium swell
  • Taken while freediving
  • Cloudy conditions
  • Mid-morning

Originally from the south-east of France, Ben´s passion for the ocean and photography brought him around the world. He discovered Tahiti 20 years ago and decided to call it home. After shooting watersports for magazines and brands for over a decade he decided to slowly take a turn in his career and shoot water in a more personal style. His goal is to capture what really inspires him. The beauty of nature, the element of water, the waves and more particularly the underwater world. That photographic quest draws a whole new perspective in his photography career. It inspired Ben to create three art books : Surface, Turbulences and Aqua Obscura and it opened doors to art galleries allowing him to pursue his own projects and to shoot what he really loves: water.

MORE IMAGES BY Ben Thouard

AdventurePhotographer of the Year

2025 Portugal

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025, BENTHO2

The OceanPhotographer of the Year

2022 French Polynesia

Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022, BT

Fine ArtPhotographer of the Year

2022 French Polynesia

Ocean Fine Art Photographer of the Year 2022, BT

AdventurePhotographer of the Year

2021 French Polynesia

2021 APoY runner-up, Ben Thouard

AdventurePhotographer of the Year

2021 French Polynesia

2021 Adventure Photographer of the Year, Ben Thouard

Reconnect. Immerse yourself. Be inspired.

Enjoy the vibrancy, beauty and impact of each year's finalist photography, celebrated in our Ocean Photographer of the Year coffee table book collection.

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