Pierre Carreau‘s connection to the ocean stems back to his days as a surfer waiting for just the right wave to arrive. “Sitting on your board, touching the water—something very special happens,” he says. The closer he is to the ocean, the more at peace he feels.

When he was looking for an artistic outlet after ten years as a commercial photographer, it was no surprise that he turned to the ocean as his muse. He wanted to make a difference with his images but wasn’t interested in shining a light on the problems of the world. “What I really want to share is something more positive,” he says. “For me the only solution [to the word’s problems] is to give energy to people so we can have a good life.”

Living on the island of St. Barts afforded Carreau plenty of opportunity to be surrounded by water, but the challenge lay in honing his photographic vision. He likens the process of putting together the elements of the project to solving a puzzle. He wanted something with universal appeal that was also unique, beautiful to look at but layered with meaning and nuance, emotionally evocative without being overpowering.