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Owen Bornhorst

@owenbornhorst

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Follow @bornfromthereef for updates on my latest film

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We are super excited to release the first official trailer for upcoming film ‘Born from the Reef’!

Follow along @bornfromthereef for updates and more!

‘Born from the Reef’ tells the story of @coral.coco_ a passionate and resilient coral scientist from the Maldives. After increasingly devastating coral bleaching events, Coco and his team @maldivesunderwaterinitiative work to restore Maldivian coral reefs and protect those who rely on them. Using a cutting edge strategy known as larval restoration, they attempt to track coral spawning in hopes of collecting and releasing millions of coral babies onto degraded reefs. The only challenge is whether or not its already too late for these corals.

Directed by @owenbornhorst

Music ‘Vachuvarey’ by Folheymaa

#shortfilm #documentary #ocean #conservation #coralreef #maldives #mui #environment #storytelling taken in Six Senses Laamu by @owenbornhorst

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a year ago

There is no other place that compares to a seagrass meadow.

Unmatched biodiversity coexisting in just a few meters of water. When the morning light shines, an underwater world unlike any other is revealed.

Its beauty is only outshined by its importance. From combatting climate change to literally providing life giving oxygen, very few ecosystems have such a massive impact from such a small area.

Music original_soundtrack

#wildlifephotography #underwaterphotography #nikon #maldives #ocean #naturephotography #shark #stingray #seagrass #greenatolls #conservation taken in Six Senses Laamu by @owenbornhorst

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a year ago

Today we celebrate the silent guardians of our island, our seagrass meadows!

These plants can be a touchy subject here in the Maldives. They wash up on shores and don’t quite fit the “postcard perfect” idea of the Maldives, but these habitats are also quietly ensuring the future of both the Maldives and our climate at large.

From sequestering carbon more effectively than rainforest to defending these islands from coastal erosion, seagrass is working to protect our future!

With every snorkel, we’re proving that seagrass and tourism can coexist and laying the foundation for a future where these habitats are not only protected but celebrated!

🎥 @owenbornhorst

#maldivesunderwaterinitiative #sixsenseslaamu #marineconservation #worldseagrassday #seagrass taken in Six Senses Laamu by @owenbornhorst

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8 months ago

Three weeks ago I came to Baja California Sur in search of some of our oceans most epic encounters…

What I never anticipated was simultaneously witnessing the silent plea of one of our planets most precious ecosystems, coral reefs.

When high ocean temperatures persist for long periods of time, corals expel the symbiotic algae which provides majority of their food and energy. Without them the coral becomes extremely vulnerable to disease or even death.

This years El Niño has forced the corals far beyond their upper thermal limit leading to this hauntingly-beautiful phenomenon.

Across every reef we visited, not a single coral with healthy colored tissue.

While we humans can withstand these temperature anomalies, oftentimes, the species we share this planet with cannot.

At a certain point we must decide whether we are okay with this new future: less color, less diversity, and less life.

***CLARIFICATION FOR SLIDE 3***

While the Pacific side of Baja California Sur is experiencing SSTA anomalies ranging from 2-8C, in the Sea of Cortez, where the corals are the most prevalent, they are only experiencing SSTA between 2-4C.

Sources;
Earth.nullschool.net SSTA Orthographic
Medellin-Maldonado et al. (2026), “Beyond bleaching…”
Ortuño López, Mongabay Latam, 2025
Cole et al. (2026), “Recent Strengthening…”

#elniño #baja #coralreef #coralbleaching climatechang taken in Baja California Sur, Mexico by @owenbornhorst

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8 days ago

Love you Laamu !

Thank you @sixsenseslaamu & @maldivesunderwaterinitiative for the best year of my life.

Instagram capped me at 20 tags, sorry @erinldoherty @gisellekellyreis @aka.tobbi and many more who managed to evade my camera… taken in Laamu Atoll by @owenbornhorst

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a month ago

Shnoot City!

A brief moment where this eagle ray decided to showcase the full extent of her glorious nose.

Normally buried in a cloud of sand or scrunched up scanning the substrate below for shellfish, capturing this this frame was more rewarding than you’d imagine.

And of course it was in the seagrass…

@nikonusa z6ii & @isotta_underwater_housings

#maldives #underwaterphotography #wildlifephotography #eagleray #seagrass taken in Six Senses Laamu by @owenbornhorst

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a month ago

I am once again asking for a moment of your time to spread seagrass propaganda…

I am so unbelievably fortunate to have seen so much that our ocean has to offer, but nothing has come close to the impression that the seagrass meadows of the Maldives have left on me.

This is a place that continues to surpass my expectations with every snorkel, and my passion has only grown the more I learn about them.

These meadows protect our planet in more ways than we know, and it’s about time we do the same for them.

#maldives #underwaterphotography #wildlifephotography #nikon #seagrass taken in Six Senses Laamu by @owenbornhorst

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2 months ago

Dynamic duo

Yesterday I was blessed to encounter a cornetfish and eagle ray displaying a fascinating comensal hunting interaction.

Also known as shadow hunting, the cornetfish will track another larger animal using it as a hide to stalk its prey.

While eagle rays are predators as well, they typically forage shellfish beneath the seabed, making them an excellent disguise for a cornetfish.

Disguised behind the ray, the cornetfish can snatch up unsuspecting fish and crustaceans.

Interactions like this unfold in seagrass meadows around the globe.

Fortunately, here at @sixsenseslaamu these meadows are protected ensuring they will continue to unfold for generations to come.

@nikonusa z6ii @isotta_underwater_housings

#maldives #seagrass #eagleray #underwaterphotography #wildlifephotography taken in Six Senses Laamu by @owenbornhorst

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2 months ago

The reef that never ceases to amaze

From cleaning mantas to courting white tips, a dive at Fushi never dissapoints. Here are a few clips from one of those magical days yesterday.

#maldives #laamu #underwaterphotography #scuba #coral taken in Six Senses Laamu by @owenbornhorst

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2 months ago

This is what protected seagrass meadows look like.

From the bottom of the food chain to the top, these environments are critical habitats for countless species, and contrary to popular belief, incredibly beautiful.

Although they may not fit the postcard image of the Maldives, the views below of iconic megafauna, dancing light rays, and swaying grass certainly beats empty sand.

@nikonusa z6ii & @isotta_underwater_housings

#seagrass #maldives #underwaterphotography #wildlifephotography #conservation taken in Laamu maldives by @owenbornhorst

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2 months ago

A lone elephant wanders at the waters edge

These majestic giants are not just brawn’s, they hold the largest brain of any living land animal on the planet. Despite being smaller than their African counterparts, their brains can be 20% heavier.

#srilanka #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #aerialphotography #elephant taken in Sri Lanka by @owenbornhorst

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2 months ago

Oh to be a green sea turtle, carelessly munching the days away…

#seaturtle #maldives #underwaterphotography #nikonphotography #nikon taken in Six Senses Laamu by @owenbornhorst

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3 months ago