Well-known for his underwater photography and recognized by the world of scientific research, Laurent Ballesta is one of a number of avant-garde explorers such as Nicolas Hulot and Commandant Cousteau.
Born in Montpellier in 1974, he grew up on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and discovered his passion for underwater exploration at an early age. Well-known for his underwater photography and recognized by the world of scientific research, Laurent Ballesta is one of a number of avant-garde explorers such as Nicolas Hulot and Commandant Cousteau. In 2008, he co-founded Andromède Océanologie, a company that combines cutting-edge studies, oceanographic research and image enhancement.
At the same time, he set up the Gombessa expeditions, which enabled him to combine exploration with the production of documentary and artistic media as a testimony.
Author of thirteen books dedicated to marine photography and initiator of eight Gombessa expeditions to be discovered in documentary form, Laurent Ballesta loves to explore and share with as many people as possible. The marine world offers him a vast territory full of mysteries that he strives to capture in never-before-seen images. On October 11 2023, Laurent Ballesta won the prestigious "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" award for a shot of a horseshoe crab. This species, which has survived for over a hundred million years, is now facing the extinction of its habitat and overfishing. This latest shot will be presented exclusively at the "Alta Odyssea" exhibition.
© Speerstra Gallery