TITLE: Our Oceans, our Life

Healthy oceans are the lifeblood of planet Earth and humankind. Unfortunately, many people only see the surface, and from the surface, everything seems the same. In reality, things are changing… The oceans are being contaminated, overfished, some precious habitats are being destroyed. I could focus on the destruction that is happening, but instead prefer to show the beauty of the underwater world. Many people would never have the chance to see those animals. As a diver, and as a photographer, it’s my responsibility to showcase the diversity of what lives below the waves.
I like the use of black and white with underwater pictures, as I find it adds depth to the picture. Also at times underwater conditions can be tricky, with low visibility, or particles in the water. Black and white helps with those.
Those pictures were taken in different locations over the years, of sperm whale, dwarf minke whales, humpbacks, turtles, whaleshark, leafy sea dragon, Australian sea lion and blue sharks. They are just a tiny representation of what lives under the waves, but I do hope they inspire the viewer to learn more about our oceans and how to protect them.

AUTHOR: vanessa Mignon (Australia)

I have always been fascinated and captivated by the natural world and its wildlife.
I have a special affinity with the oceans. I was born in Brittany, in the West of France, and spent most of my childhood on the beaches of that wild coast. And, with my 2 grandfathers in the navy, I grew up listening to amazing travelling tales who captured my imagination.
I got my first SLR camera at the end of 2009 and a few months later bought an underwater housing. Since then I have been very fortunate to travel to remote locations and witness amazing wildlife spectacles including the Manta feeding vortex in the Maldives, Whale sharks feeding frenzy in West Papua or Humpback whales courting behaviour in the Kingdom of Tonga.
During those trips I met passionate people committed to protect those creatures and their environments. Their devotion was inspiring. I became very keen and focused on sharing the beauty of the world around us and hopefully playing a part in protecting it. I hope that my photography and experience sharing can inspire others and increase people awareness of how diverse and beautiful nature is, and how essential it is to protect it. There is so much at stake, and we all play a part in protecting the world we live in.