Winners Gallery
Finalist Fine Art Photographer of the Year
Ben Thouard French Polynesia
The final moments before a storm. "To this date, this is the most memorable moment that I have spent in the ocean," says photographer Ben Thouard. "The last moment of light combined with the glassy water and the heavy storm coming in out the back made for a stunning situation. This image was shot during the very last seconds before the storm hit. The next minutes were a different story: 50-knot winds and heavy rain that made the way home a little challenging."
BEHIND THE LENS
Ben Thouard France
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- Calm morning, before the storm
- Overcast
- Mid-morning shoot
- Taken while freediving
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
2026 French Polynesia
AdventurePhotographer of the Year
2021 French Polynesia
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.