Articles

A spectacularly colored mandarinfish, a sought-after macro subject, Romblon, Philippines
 

Louis David is a professional photographer, passionate scuba diver, and underwater photography enthusiast since 2017. He began his photography career in 2010 and has since focused on capturing the beauty and fragility of marine life. His passion has taken him to stunning locations like Raja Ampat, the Philippines, and South Africa, where he documents diverse underwater ecosystems. These areas provide endless opportunities to photograph spectacular marine species and environments, broadening both his photography skillset and his portfolio. Whether it be sharks, mandarinfish, seahorses or cephalopods, Louis will photograph any creature that wanders in front of his lens!

Louis is deeply committed to ocean conservation, working on projects such as a European-funded initiative documenting Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and his personal project "Un regard sous l'eau pour un avenir sur terre" (A look under the water for a future on land). These projects aim to raise awareness of the critical need to protect our oceans at a time when they need it the most.

When not diving, Louis enjoys traveling, savoring great food, and spending time with his partner and young daughter. His curiosity and passion for the ocean drive his work, and he says that he hopes his photography inspires others to take action in preserving the incredible underwater world for future generations.
 

A tiny and adorable bumblebee shrimp crawls across the hilly terrain of a sea cucumber, Ambon, Indonesia
 

Bull sharks lurk in the murk off Protea Banks, South Africa
 

A dragon whip coral shrimp on its namesake whip coral, Romblon, Philippines
 

Oceanic blacktips—the larger, open water version of the more familar inshore blacktip shark—patrol Aliwal Shoal, South Africa
 

An X-ray view of a larval flounder on a blackwater dive, Romblon, Philippines
 

The fearsome-looking but shy sand tiger (ragged-tooth) shark surrounded by a school of fish, Aliwal Shoal, South Africa
 

A fantastically adorned juvenile Indian threadfin trevally, Anilao, Philippines
 

Two young humpback whales cruise through beautiful sun rays off La Réunion in the Indian Ocean
 

A miniscule larval mototi octopus, the cousin of the more famous blue ring, encountered on a blackwater dive, Anilao, Philippines
 

A wobbegong and a whitetip reef shark have a snooze together, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
 

A larval wonderpus floats through the inky blackness far offshore, Anilao, Philippines
 

A beautiful Coleman’s shrimp, nestled in the toxic spines of a fire urchin, Anilao, Philippines
 

The exceedingly difficult to find and remarkably diminutive Pontohi pygmy seahorse, Raja Ampat, Indonesia
 

To see more of Louis’ work, please give him a follow on Instagram and visit his website, www.louisdavidphotography.com.