In the world of ocean photography, few capture the raw beauty of the sea like Canon Ambassador Ben Thouard. His stunning photos of surfing and underwater scenes have won awards including Ocean Photographer of the Year and Canon’s Editor's Choice Contest in both the Sports and Nature Categories.

For his latest exhibition in Paris, Ben used the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 printer to bring the beauty and emotion of the ocean to life. For him, the creative process is not complete without this final step, and he feels that the ability to proof and print his own work has given him greater control over the final output.

“Getting into printing was probably the next step missing in my equipment and in my process,” he says.

Growing up in France, Ben was an avid surfer, and says his passion for the ocean and for photography merged early on. When he was 19 years old, he decided to quit photography school in Paris halfway through his degree. He wanted to devote himself to photography by-the-sea full-time – and on his own terms. He took his first trip to Hawaii and spent three months shooting there. Then, two years later, he moved to Tahiti, where he now resides in his beachside studio.

“I love how, in photography, you can capture everything into one frame," he says. "I love how you can transmit emotion into one single frame.”

But for Ben, at least, the process isn’t finished until it goes to print and that emotion can be shared. “Because, when I love it, I have to print it,” Ben explains.

Ben is driven by a desire to capture new and unseen angles. “I’ve always hated shooting a photo that has been shot before. I always try to create new photos, get new angles, and surprise people with what you can do,” he says.

What really sets Ben’s work apart, however, is his immersive approach to ocean photography. Unlike many photographers who shoot from the shore, Ben dives into the water with his camera. His point-of-view is literally in the ocean. “One of my specialties is that I shoot all my photos [while] swimming,” he explains.

This unique perspective gives his images a distinctively visceral, emotive quality. And it is this that he feels is the crucial element to capture in a print.

"The goal is to bring the spectator or the reader into my element,” he says.

Tahiti's crystal-clear waters and unique wave formations have profoundly influenced Ben’s artistic vision. He says the clarity of the water in this part of the world, free from sand and seaweed, allows him to capture stunning underwater scenes that would be impossible in many other locations.

However, photographing the ocean still comes with unique challenges, such as dealing with ever-changing light conditions and the unpredictability of the sea. Ben highlights the importance of being prepared to capture fleeting moments.

"Everything happens so fast in the water,” he says. "It lasts a fraction of a second, and if you’re not ready, you’re going to miss the shot."

What is critical after this is preserving this detail and vibrancy in print, drawing the viewer into his underwater world.

The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 printer has become an integral next step in Ben’s workflow, allowing him to produce high-quality prints that preserve the vividness and emotional depth of his images.

Ben says the imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 has enabled him to capture the vibrancy and authenticity of his images in print.

“The goal was to create a consistent style and in particular a consistent blue that puts you in the same element,” he says.

The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 printer delivers exceptional clarity, which minimises graininess to capture the intricate details in underwater scenes. This is complemented by improved black density on fine art media, which allows for more accurate and deeper black expressions – crucial for depicting contrast and depth in marine environments.

Additionally, Ben’s images benefit from an expanded colour gamut especially in the blue areas, thanks to the imagePROGRAF PRO-1100's next-generation LUCIA PRO II pigment inks¹ and advanced image processing. This enhances colour reproducibility, particularly in the challenging blue-dark areas so critical in ocean photography.

For prints going on display, the new LUCIA PRO II ink formulation¹ delivers enhanced image robustness, ensuring high light resistance² and improved long-term preservation and durability. In addition, the new inks have greater abrasion resistance, which can be critical as prints are handled and transported for exhibitions.

Finally, connectivity and support are streamlined in the imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 with support for Wi-Fi, Ethernet and the latest security standards – translating into seamless, secure transfer of high-resolution images from PC to printer,

“I love printing my photos these days, because it completes the artistic quest," Ben says. "You’re searching underwater, you’re searching in the ocean, you’re capturing some moments. Printing them, putting them on the wall, and sharing them with the public is one of the most rewarding moments as a photographer.”

Ben Thouard’s unique vision, shaped by his life in Tahiti and his passion for the ocean, is brought to life through Canon's advanced imaging and printing technologies. By integrating cutting-edge tools such as the imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 into his workflow, Ben continues to push the boundaries of ocean photography, combining passion with technology and creating immersive experiences that captivate and inspire.

“You don't feel that emotion when you're just sharing a little square photo on social media,” Ben insists. “But when people get into the gallery and stand in front of a one-and-a-half metre-wide print, framed beautifully on the wall, they are just into the water with me.”