The ocean covers about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, serving as a home to diverse and breathtaking underwater gardens and marine wildlife. Truly, there is much to be discovered in the vast underwater world, and 17-year old photographer Ganden Medved-Po will give us a glimpse of its beauty as he unveils his “Life Below Water” ocean photography book.
A joint project with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) — Philippines, “Life Below Water” is a compilation of photos featuring scenic seascapes and surreal marine life. The photos in the book were taken between 2020 and 2021 by Ganden during the COVID-19 pandemic under the mentorship of world-renowned underwater photographer Scott “Gutsy” Tuason.
“I’m proud of this collaborative project with the WWF because it combines two of my passions in life: photography and the ocean. With the help of my mentor, we were able to capture beautiful images of our marine life in the Philippines. Through these photos, I hope people will have a better appreciation of our oceans and to learn to care for them more,” said Ganden.
WWF-Philippines Executive Director Katherine P. Custodio lauded Ganden for lending his talent, time and effort to promote awareness on marine conservation. “‘Life Below Water’ is a young person’s experience of the ocean, expressed through his chosen art of photography. The book is a reminder of why, what, how, and for whom we do our work of protecting our oceans.”
Now a senior high school student in International School Manila, Ganden expresses his gratitude for his parents for encouraging him to pursue his love for photography and the ocean while advocating for the environment.
