Award-winning photographer Ben Thouard developed his passion for imagery and his obsession with waves growing up in Toulon, in the south of France, where he spent his days taking photos of his friends surfing.
After studying at a Paris photography school, Thouard travelled the world, working on his craft and shooting mainly landscapes and surf.
In 2007, he settled in Tahiti, where he began photographing the infamous Teahupo’o surf break.
Photo: Ben Thouard
Already well-known as a surf and ocean photographer, Thouard has recently risen to prominence for his unique underwater landscapes shot through Tahiti’s waves.
Photo: Ben Thouard
“I started spending all my days in the water exploring new ways of shooting,” he said. “I slowly realized that you could shoot a landscape through a wave. After the first few photos…[I thought] okay this is it, this is working, this is really what I’ve been looking for,” he recalled.
The result is a book called Surface, with more than 120 of Thouard’s spectacular images, released this year.
Photo: Ben Thouard
“Surface is more than just a series of photos,” Thouard explains. “It is a body of work that tells my story and expresses my personal vision of the ocean.”
Surface is available only from www.benthouard.com. The short film below introduces Thouard and shows how he captures some of his exquisite imagery.
