Visit the exhibition
Discover the incredible stories of life on our planet through powerful photography and expert insight.
Open now
‘We were still a few metres from the surface, when I heard strange noises,’ explains Laurent. Curious, he approached slowly and was rewarded with the glorious sight of two Weddell seals – a mother and her newborn pup. ‘They looked so at ease, where I felt so inappropriate.’
Weddell seals give birth on ice and take their offspring for their first frosty swim a few weeks later. Eventually, the pups will grow up to be accomplished divers with excellent underwater vision. After familiarising themselves with their watery surroundings, adult seals can reach depths of 600 metres, staying submerged for up to 80 minutes.
Discover the incredible stories of life on our planet through powerful photography and expert insight.
Open now
France
Laurent has authored 13 photography books on underwater wildlife. As co-founder of Andromède Océanologie, he’s been leading major expeditions for 10 years. He illustrates the underwater world as both a naturalist and an artist, whether that be capturing the first images of a coelacanth taken by a diver at a depth of 120 metres, documenting 700 sharks off Fakarava hunting at night or photographing the deepest and longest dive in Antarctica.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.
Nima Sarikhani’s stunning picture of a sleeping polar bear was crowned 2023's People's Choice.
Read articleDiscover this year's shortlisted images and don't forget to vote for your favourite.
Read articleThe image, titled The Golden Horseshoe, has won Laurent Ballesta his second Wildlife Photographer of the Year Grand Title award.
Read article