Morgan Maassen ©

In search of the ocean's soul

Portrait of Ben Thouard

Ben Thouard is one of the best underwater photographers in the world. He has dedicated over 20 years of his life to capturing the ocean's beauty and raw power in his photographs.

He grew up on the French Mediterranean coast and has lived in Tahiti for 17 years, within sight of one of the world's most beautiful waves: Teahupo'o. It was there that he developed his unique ability to transform the chaotic energy of the water into art.

However, Ben's career as a photographer began in a traditional way: he found an old camera at his parents' house and got started. It had belonged to his father, and Ben even built his own housing for it. He enjoyed his first successes as a photographer with his surfing and windsurfing photos taken in Hawaii. A logical choice of subject for a passionate surfer. What fascinated him about it in particular? He could use these photos to show the true size of the waves: "When a surfer rides a huge wave, there is a natural point of reference. Then everything immediately becomes clearer."

The biggest challenge here is the combination of anticipation and patience.

Ben Thouard

However, in recent years, Ben has moved away from pure action sports photography to focus more on personal projects that meet a higher artistic standard. He is currently particularly interested in underwater photography. "The biggest challenge here is the combination of anticipation and patience," he says. As conditions underwater can change very quickly, he has had to develop an understanding of how the ocean behaves in certain weather conditions. "What forces and currents arise? And how long can I actually stay underwater?”

His iconic photographs of transparent waves have since gained international recognition and are the result of over a decade of experience and technical refinement. They have already been published in two illustrated books: SURFACE and TURBULENCES.

We chose this motif for the International Ocean Film Tour Vol. 12 (2026) poster during a 45-minute window of perfect clarity, light and wave formation. It depicts Ben's local surf spot: Teahupo'o.

"From a photographic point of view, it was one of the best days of my life," he says. "You can prepare as much as you like, study the weather and the conditions, have ten years of experience, and know the place inside out... But days like that are few and far between. The ocean has given me a gift that I've been waiting a long time for."

Teahupo'o, the legendary surf spot in Tahiti, is Ben's 'outdoor studio'. The beautiful wave, which hosted the 2024 Olympic surfing competitions, is formed by a reef just below the surface of the water. This creates unique photographic opportunities, with boats and photographers able to position themselves very close to the breaking wave.

However, the abundance of beauty and subsequent media attention also present new challenges. An increasing number of people want to try surfing at least once in their lives. This surge in tourism can lead to overcrowding and dangerous situations for both surfers and local wildlife.

"I've lived in Polynesia for 17 years now, and it's clear to see how much tourism has increased, as well as the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems," says Ben. "The most obvious example of this is coral bleaching." An underwater landscape of dead coral instead of a colourful living coral reef is also a consequence of increasingly extreme water temperatures.

Beauty is everywhere. You just have to open your eyes.

Ben Thouard

If you ask Ben whether you need to travel to Teahupo'o to photograph the wonders of the ocean, he will tell you quite clearly that you don't. "You can take extraordinary pictures in Europe, too," he says. "In particular, the Atlantic coast, from Scotland to North Africa, has enormous potential. You just have to adjust your expectations. The Atlantic water may not be as clear as it is here, but you can still capture the ocean's power in Lanzarote—and that's just one example. Beauty is everywhere. You just have to open your eyes."

Even after spending two decades in a tropical paradise where he perfected his art, Ben has not reached the end of his artistic journey. He will likely continue to search for the ocean's endless and inspiring secrets for a long time, documenting his journey for himself — and, consequently, for all of us.