Marine Biologist, Scientific Diver & Conservation Photographer

Hugo Bret is a marine biologist, scientific diver and conservation photographer. Over the last years, his work focuses on topics such as climate change, marine sciences, and environmental activism.

In 2020, Hugo joined the media team of the ocean conservation NGOs Sea Shepherd France and the Cpt. Paul Watson Foundation as an onboard photographer and drone pilot and participated in a dozen of operations worldwide. His work has been recognized by the Ocean Conservation (Impact) Photographer of the Year award in 2025.

2025

1st place – Category Conservation (Impact) at the Ocean Photographer of the Year Awards 2025.

Highly Commended – Category Conservation (Hope) at the Ocean Photographer of the Year Awards 2025.

1st place – Category Landscapes and Environments at the Regional Agency for Biodiversity and Environment (ARBE PACA) photography contest

1st place – Category Public Choice at the Regional Agency for Biodiversity and Environment (ARBE PACA) photography contest

2024

1st place, Judges’ choice, Lhaviyani Turtle Festival Underwater Photography Contest, Maldives.

2025 : Book “Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025“ by Oceanographic (photo contributor with credits, 2 images out of 118).

2025 : Oceanographic magazine Issue 46 (photo contributor with credits, p78-79).

2024 : Guide “WORKS with Nature: Low Carbon Adaptation Techniques for a Changing World“ by Pamela Conrad and Kotchakhorn Voraakhom (p67, photo contributor with credits). Report presented at the UN’s COP29 conference in 2024.

2022 : National Geographic “Biggest bacterium ever discovered shakes our view of the single-celled world” by Sanjay Mishra (Web article, photo contributor with credits).

2022 : New York Times “You don’t need a microscope to see the biggest bacteria ever found” by Carl Zimmer (Web article, photo contributor with credits).

2026 : Ocean Days Festival, Bordeaux, France (Mai 21 – June, 4).

2026 : Camp Océan Sailowtech, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland (April 25).

2025-2026 : Ocean Photographer of the Year Awards 2025 official exhibitions:

• Ocean Photographer of the Year Awards 2025, London, UK (September 18)

• Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney, Australia (November 6, 2025 – May 3, 2026 )

• Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town, South Africa (December 13, 2025 – January 21, 2026)

• The Historic Dockyard, Chattam, UK (March 28, 2026 – invalid date)