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| “Life Below Water,” a new ocean photography book by 17-year-old photographer Ganden Medved-Po for the benefit of WWF-Philippines |
17-year old photographer launches book for the
benefit of WWF
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.
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Ganden
Medved-Po |
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.
All proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit the sustainable fisheries
work of the World Wide Fund for Nature - Philippines.
“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,
Gutsy Tuason, 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.” She also added, “To Ganden, thank you for
helping our fishing communities and for doing that in a way that is touching
and inspiring. It gives me so much hope that young people like you and your
peers in the WWF National Youth Council are doing what you can to change what
would otherwise be a tragic ending for many people in our country. You are
showing us how the power of one can create positive action in many.”
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Ganden Medved-Po
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Ganden’s love for the water started at a
very young age, and by the time he was eight years old, he was
swimming competitively. It was also around that time when he developed a
love for photography. “The first time I started taking photos was probably on
my parents’ old camera which they would use to document family celebrations and
occasions. That was an old Panasonic camera,” said the upcoming photographer, who is
the son of Christopher Po, chairman of Century Pacific Food, Inc. and Nanette
Medved-Po, founder and chairperson of HOPE and Plastic Credit Exchange.
Currently, his camera of choice is the Sony Rx100, which has been with
him on all his adventures.
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. Apart from
being the team captain of the school’s swimming varsity team, he is also active
in various organizations including the Photography Club Council where he
organizes events and workshops, as well as the Ocean ActivISM council,
advocating for ocean conservation and sustainability. In July 2021, he became a
member of the WWF-Philippines National Youth Council.
