Our oceans, our lifeblood

• Prize
  Bronze in Nature/Underwater
• Photographer
  Vanessa Mignon, Australia
• Date of Photograph
  September 2013-November 2019
• Website
  http://www.vanessamignon.com

In my opinion, healthy oceans are the most important thing on earth. They produce more than half of the oxygen in the atmosphere, absorb huge amounts of CO2, regulate weather and temperature, and are home to a huge biodiversity.
They are the lifeblood of planet Earth and humankind.
Many people would never have the chance to experience the underwater world. As a diver, and as a photographer, I feel it’s my responsibility to showcase the beauty and diversity of what lives below the waves. And I wish that my pictures can raise awareness of what is at stake, and inspire people to care and protect

• Biography
  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. I hope my photography can inspire people to protect our oceans.