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Finalist Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean

Max Holba East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

8°16'33.3"S 124°20'44.8"E

"The locals of Alor use handwoven ‘Bubu’ baskets made from bamboo and the rattan plant as an efficient tool to catch fish," says Holba. "They are carefully placed in the reef and weighed down with heavy rocks. Once fish find their way inside the trap, a funneled opening on either side of the basket makes it impossible for them to escape. This fishing method is not only fascinating to observe, it is also proof that traditional fishing methods with minimal impact to the underwater world still do exist."

BEHIND THE LENS

Human Connection Award: People & Planet Ocean 2023, MH

Max Holba Austria

ABOUT THE IMAGE

  • Mid-afternoon
  • Flat calm seas
  • Sunny overhead
  • Cold upwellings underwater

Max is an Austrian underwater photographer and dive resort manager whose passion for the ocean began at age 10. Despite growing up in a landlocked country, his early fascination with the underwater world led him to pursue SCUBA diving and eventually photography to share its beauty. Now based in Indonesia as a co-owner of Alami Alor, Max founded the Alor Photo Academy to teach underwater photography and tell ocean stories. Through his imagery and education work, he aims to inspire a deeper connection to the sea and empower the next generation of ocean advocates.

MORE IMAGES BY Max Holba