Winners Gallery
1st place The Ocean Photographer of the Year
Ben Thouard French Polynesia
The moment a surfer gets wiped out and worked by the turbulence of one of the heaviest waves in the world. "This is the unseen part of surfing," says photographer Ben Thouard. "I have so much respect for both the wave and the surfers - surfing such a heavy wave is a huge challenge."
BEHIND THE LENS
Ben Thouard France
ABOUT THE IMAGE
- 6-foot swell
- Mid-morning shoot
- Taken while freediving
- Site accessed by boat and then a swim
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
Fine ArtPhotographer of the Year
2022 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.