Same Planet. Different Worlds.

Photographer

Marina Valitova

Category

Special Category - Digital Enhance Photography

Company

Marina Valitova

Submission Group

Amateur

Year

2026

Country / Region:

Russia

Let me take you to an interplanetary journey. The astronaut is a freediver. The inspiration is our EARTH. The helmet is a symbol of human's curiosity. Curiosity has always guided me way of seeing the world. I was always fascinated by the idea of exploring places beyond human reach and discovering worlds that nobody had ever seen. And I spent hours in my childhood watching Jacques Cousteau's documentaries, captivated by the mysteries hidden beneath the surface of our own planet. Today, freediving has become both a means of exploration and artistic medium. By entering the underwater environment on a single breath, I experience landscapes that challenge our usual perception of space, gravity, scale and movement. My work is not about documenting the underwater world. It is about curiosity itself: the instinct that drives us to look beyond the horizon, ask questions, and imagine what might exist beyond what we can immediately see. I hope the work encourages a moment of wonder. A pause. A question.

Credits

Arnaud Palu
More Gold Winners
Professional
2026

Photographer

Daniel Ceng - Anadolu Agency

Category

Editorial Photography - Photojournalism

Country / Region

Turkey

Professional
2026

Photographer

Venla Shalin

Category

International Photography - Finland Photography

Country / Region

Finland

Professional
2026

Photographer

Melissa N. Robertson

Category

Nature Photography - Weather

Country / Region

United States

Professional
2026

Photographer

Charné Baird

Category

Commercial Photography - Food & Beverage

Country / Region

Canada