Photo: Ben Thouard // Oceanographic Magazine
To find the winners of their Ocean Photographer of the Year award, Oceanographic magazine sorted through a field of more than 15,000 images submitted by photographers all over the world. The winners span 10 categories, including: Fine Art, Wildlife, Adventure, Conservation (Impact), Conservation (Hope), Human Connection, Young, Portfolio, FFF, and Overall Ocean Photographer of the Year.
Among those winners is one name that should be familiar to fans of surf photography: Ben Thouard. Based out of Teahupo’o, Tahiti, the French-born ocean photographer has made a name for himself producing images that are awe-inspiring and beautiful. But the winning photo was taken of the jaw-droppingly heavy waters of Praia do Norte, Portugal.
“A rough day at Nazaré,” explains Thouard. “The wind was blowing from the north which makes the surf tricky. Not many surfers went out, but Justine Dupont and Eric Rebiere, who I was there to shoot, decided to give it a try. It was the end of the afternoon; the light was interesting from the beach instead of from the usual cliff view. It was hard to shoot anything because of the big sets and the saltwater in the air. But, eventually, this moment happened.”
“The winners of this year’s Ocean Photographer of the Year remind us that photography is more than art – it is a bridge,” said Will Harrison, director of Ocean Photographer of the Year in a press release. “Their images connect people to the ocean in ways words cannot, reaching those who may never dive in it or paddle on it, but whose lives are deeply intertwined with it. In a time of planetary urgency, their work invites the world to see, feel, and ultimately care, because we protect what we understand.”