There are moments when you browse the web and come across photos that make you stop and think. The surreal and captivating "Underwater Realm" project of Anuar Patjane Floriuk does exactly that.
Floriuk shows us a black and white underwater world, where shoals of fish, huge whales, and apex predators capture our imagination. The reason that I want to share Floriuk's artwork is to show you just how beautiful conservation photography can be.
Underwater Photography With a Mission
Floriuk, a photographer and social anthropologist born in Mexico, is passionate about photography as well as our environment. With "Underwater Realm," he stresses that the vast, submerged biosphere is a mostly unknown treasure that we are about to lose due to human action. As we are brutally overfishing the world's oceans, the balance of our planet seems to be locked in a downward spiral. Conservation and environmental protection were already on his agenda, but as Floriuk saw the oceans change during his free time as a diver, something happened to him. I guess that's true for every location. The more you immerse yourself in an environment, the more it grows on you.
Above is one image titled "Pet your Shark" that really struck me. Floriuk describes the photo of a bull shark as how unlikely a shark attack is against humans. Bull sharks, now common along the coasts of Mexico, simply don't care about us. “We need to stop fearing sharks,” said Floriuk. “Killing them just to get their fins to make soup and then throwing back the dying sharks back into the ocean is just one of the most brutal things I have seen a human do to another being.”
Check out Floriuk's evocative submerged monochromes in his gallery or follow him on Instagram or Facebook.
Photos used with permission by Anuar Patjane Floriuk.
Wonderful photos. Thanks!
Sometimes I'll see photos, intended to bring awareness to a cause and wonder how they'll actually help anything. Not too long ago there was one where "art" was made from garbage to call attention to the amount of garbage we create. Nope. Don't see it. I know it's a problem but the photos didn't do anything. These are almost the opposite. I would give anything to be able to "swim with the sharks" but the photos make it look so idealistic, it's easy to forget they're in danger.
Anyway, thanks again!
Gorgeous images. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful. Probably the best underwater images I've ever seen, and the black and white really enhances the excellent use of light and shadows.
Any idea what kind of equipment he uses? I don't normally care about or ask that question, but the underwater aspect of it makes me curious.
Extraordinary beautiful photos!
Imagine catching a lion, cheetah or tiger just to cut off one of its legs and then release it back in nature... disgusting!
Beautiful images. Thank you for sharing.