Shawn Heinrichs

Aliases: shawnh (forum username), shawnheinrichs
Role: Underwater filmmaker, marine conservation activist, photographer, Wetpixel Senior Moderator
First appearance: 2004 (forum), 2006 (articles — [1])
Affiliation: Blue Sphere Media (founder), Wildsphere (founder), WildAid International (board member), Misool Foundation (board member), Wetpixel (Senior Moderator), Shark Savers (collaborator)
Awards: Emmy Award (cinematographer, Untamed Americas, 2013), Sea Hero of the Year (Scuba Diving Magazine, 2011), Our World Underwater 2014 Gold (Commercial, Conceptual and Fashion category)
Gear: Canon 1DX / 5D Mark III in Nauticam housings, Sigma 15mm fisheye with 1.4x teleconverter, Zen and Nauticam dome ports, Light & Motion SOLA 4000/2000/1200 lights, Backscatter Wahoo HD monitor
Forum posts: 1,031 (active 2004—2012)

Biography

Shawn Heinrichs is an underwater filmmaker, photographer, and marine conservation activist who became one of the most prominent figures in the Wetpixel community. He founded Blue Sphere Media, a production company whose mission is to “fuse dramatic imagery with intimate and thought-provoking stories, to connect people to globally important issues and inspire action” ([2]). He later founded Wildsphere, an organization dedicated to marine conservation campaigns, and serves on the boards of the Misool Foundation and WildAid International ([3]).

Heinrichs’s earliest Wetpixel activity was on the forums in 2004, where his forum username “shawnh” accumulated 1,031 posts through 2012, with his most active thread being the 117-reply “[4]” discussion. His first article contribution was a review of the Light & Motion Bluefin HD housing for the Sony FX1/Z1U in April 2006 ([5]), establishing him as a serious HD underwater video practitioner in the early days of high-definition underwater filmmaking.

He joined the Wetpixel moderating team in January 2007, specifically to lead conservation topics ([6]), and later became Senior Moderator, playing a dual role as both content creator, industry liaison, and conservation advocate. ADEX 2010 described him as a “filmmaker, lecturer, author, producer, documentarian, recipient of numerous awards and living legend” and “conservation photojournalist and founder & executive producer of Blue Sphere Media” ([7]).

Heinrichs worked closely with Berkley White and Sterling Zumbrunn at Backscatter, and collaborated extensively with freediver and model Hannah Fraser on conservation films ([8]). He also collaborated with underwater filmmaker John Weller on the “Last Oceans” conservation film series ([9]) and with Paul Hilton on the Manta Ray of Hope project ([10]).

In a 2013 interview, Heinrichs articulated his conservation philosophy: he realized he had been “speaking to the 1% of the converted, the believers” but not reaching “the other 99% of the population in whose hands the fate of the oceans rests.” This led him to embrace art and fashion as tools for conservation, reasoning that “most people are not that interested in the oceans” but “connect with other people far more readily” than with marine life. By pairing human subjects with wild marine animals, he aimed to reach mainstream audiences beyond the dive and conservation communities ([11]).

Conservation Campaigns

Amazon Shark Fin Campaign (2007)

In January 2007, Heinrichs discovered that Amazon.com was selling shark fin soup products and launched a grassroots campaign on the Wetpixel forums, urging members to contact Amazon and the supplier (Pacific Rim Gourmet, based in Kona, Hawaii). The thread attracted 115 replies and the campaign spread rapidly to DivePhotoGuide and ScubaBoard. Eric Cheng posted about it on the Wetpixel front page. Within 10 days, Amazon pulled the products from its inventory ([12], [13]) — an early example of organized online conservation activism in the diving community.

Shark Finning Documentation

Heinrichs shot his first conservation video in Raja Ampat in December 2006, documenting shark finning by poachers. His film “Shark Fin Frontier” was released through the DiveFilm Podcast (produced in association with Wetpixel), which “strikingly portrays the destruction of sharks and their populations, and includes scenes recorded when Shawn and his diving group stumbled across poachers who had just recently completed finning sharks seen dead below their boat” ([14]). He started a forum thread on “Conservation Video - Making an Impact” to discuss best practices for producing conservation-oriented films ([15]).

Manta Ray of Hope (2010—2013)

In December 2010, Heinrichs launched the Manta Ray of Hope project through Wildsphere, partnered with Paul Hilton and WildAid, to document and combat the growing trade in manta gill rakers used for a pseudo-medicinal remedy called Peng Yu Sai in China and East Asia ([16], [17]). He wrote extensively about the issue, warning that “manta and mobula rays are being slaughtered at unprecedented rates to satisfy a growing demand for their dried gills” and that “the overexploitation of sharks for shark fin has driven the traders to seek alternative sources of revenue” ([18]).

This campaign was a direct precursor to the March 2013 CITES vote in Bangkok that granted manta rays Appendix II protection ([19]). His film “Mantas Last Dance,” released in February 2013 to build momentum ahead of the vote, achieved over 200,000 downloads in its first 24 hours ([20]). The CITES protections officially came into force on 14 September 2014 ([21]).

Lush Cosmetics Anti-Finning Campaign (2011)

Heinrichs’s photography was featured alongside work by Eric Cheng, Alex Mustard, Jim Abernethy, Paul Hilton, Michael Aw, and others in Lush Cosmetics’ week-long anti-shark-finning campaign across 12 stores in Hong Kong and Macau in June 2011 ([22]).

Misool Foundation and Raja Ampat

Heinrichs has been deeply involved with the Misool Foundation in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. In 2010, he and John Weller journeyed to Raja Ampat as part of the “Last Oceans” conservation film series, filming an intimate manta encounter and promoting the initiative to ban all manta and shark hunting in Raja Ampat ([23]). He produced “Guardians of Raja Ampat” (2015), which was viewed by over 10,000 community members ([24]), and “Rangers of the Reef” (2016), documenting the Foundation’s no-take zone patrols ([25]). In 2017, he filmed a video celebrating a decade of Misool Foundation conservation successes, showing how the Foundation’s 1,220 sq km marine reserve — almost twice the size of Singapore — serves as “a sanctuary for every creature, from mantas to pygmy seahorses” ([26]). He co-hosted a Misool/WildAid fundraiser with Marit Miners at the Patagonia store in Portland, Oregon in November 2017 ([27]).

Gear Reviews and Technical Work

Heinrichs was an early adopter and reviewer of HD underwater video equipment:

Wetpixel Expeditions

Heinrichs led and co-led multiple Wetpixel expeditions:

Event Appearances

Photography Awards and Judging

Key Films and Productions

Conservation Films

Major Broadcast Productions

Collaboration with Hannah Fraser

Beginning around 2013, Heinrichs collaborated extensively with freediver and “world’s first professional mermaid” Hannah Fraser on conservation projects that paired her with wild marine animals. Their approach was deliberate: by creating “surreal” imagery that “captures the imagination,” they aimed to reach mainstream audiences beyond the dive community. Heinrichs described spending months planning each shoot, working 18—20 hour days, and coordinating with Fraser who freedives without a mask (seeing only “fuzzy shapes and light”). Their projects included whale shark fashion shoots, manta encounters, and the “Mantas Last Dance” film ([77], [78]).

Other Notable Activities

Timeline

References

Articles (editorial)

Forum threads (community)


Sources

  1. Wetpixel article, Apr 19, 2006: Light Motion Bluefin Hd Review
  2. Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2013: Interview With Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Fraser
  3. Wetpixel article, Oct 9, 2017: Misool Foundation To Host Fundraiser In Portland
  4. Light & Motion Bluefin HD Field Results (forum)
  5. Wetpixel article, Apr 19, 2006: Light Motion Bluefin Hd Review
  6. Wetpixel article, Jan 11, 2007: Shawn Heinrichs Joins Moderating Team For Conservation
  7. Wetpixel article, Feb 24, 2010: Adex Asia Dive Expo 2010 April 9 11
  8. Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2013: Interview With Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Fraser
  9. Wetpixel article, Sep 2, 2010: Raja Ampat Misool Manta Show Video
  10. Wetpixel article, Dec 9, 2010: Manta Ray Of Hope Documentary Project
  11. Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2013: Interview With Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Fraser
  12. Wetpixel article, Jan 11, 2007: Amazoncom Pulls Shark Fin Products From Inventory
  13. forum thread (forum)
  14. Wetpixel article, Feb 1, 2007: Divefilm Launches New Hd Video Podcast Website
  15. Forum thread: Conservation Video Making An Impact
  16. Wetpixel article, Dec 9, 2010: Manta Ray Of Hope Documentary Project
  17. forum thread (forum)
  18. Wetpixel article, Oct 7, 2012: Cites To Seek Protection For Mantas
  19. Wetpixel article, Mar 11, 2013: Cites Extends Protection To Shark Species
  20. Wetpixel article, Feb 25, 2013: Mantas Last Dance
  21. Wetpixel article, Sep 14, 2014: Cites Shark And Manta Protection Comes Into Force
  22. Wetpixel article, Jun 6, 2011: Lush Cosmetics Launches Anti Finning Campaign
  23. Wetpixel article, Sep 2, 2010: Raja Ampat Misool Manta Show Video
  24. Wetpixel article, Mar 16, 2015: Video The Guardians Of Raja Ampat
  25. Wetpixel article, Oct 17, 2016: Rangers Of The Reef A Documentary Short On Misools No Take Zone
  26. Wetpixel article, Mar 8, 2017: Video Misool Foundation
  27. Wetpixel article, Oct 9, 2017: Misool Foundation To Host Fundraiser In Portland
  28. Wetpixel article, Apr 19, 2006: Light Motion Bluefin Hd Review
  29. forum thread (forum)
  30. Wetpixel article, Aug 30, 2007: Light Motion Bluefin Pole Cam Mounting Kit Field Test
  31. Forum thread: Bbc Accepts Ex 1r Gates Housing Nano Flash And Swpc As Full Hd Aquisition
  32. Wetpixel article, Nov 15, 2014: Light Motion Announces The Sola 3000
  33. Wetpixel article, Oct 27, 2008: Wetpixel Bahamas Expeditions 2009
  34. Wetpixel article, Aug 1, 2008: Wetpixel Joins Liquidassetstv On The Turks Caicos Explorer Ii Sep 20 27 200
  35. Wetpixel article, Nov 22, 2008: Fijis First Annual Ultimate Shark Photo Video Shootout
  36. Wetpixel article, Jul 26, 2011: Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Trip Report
  37. Wetpixel article, Jun 24, 2011: Last Minute Spots Available For Mexico Whale Shark Trip
  38. Wetpixel article, Apr 26, 2007: National Association Of Broadcasters Show 2007
  39. Wetpixel article, Oct 25, 2008: Dema 2008 Ikelite
  40. Wetpixel article, Oct 26, 2008: Dema 2008 Equinox
  41. Wetpixel article, Oct 25, 2008: Dema 2008 Light Motion
  42. Wetpixel article, Oct 28, 2008: Dema 2008 Fisheye And Seatool With Interview
  43. Wetpixel article, Oct 8, 2010: Imaging Presentations At Dema 2010
  44. Wetpixel article, Sep 14, 2011: Dema 2011 Image Resource Center Schedule Announced
  45. Wetpixel article, Oct 28, 2011: Shawn Heinrichs Awarded Sea Hero Of The Year Award
  46. Wetpixel article, Feb 24, 2010: Adex Asia Dive Expo 2010 April 9 11
  47. Wetpixel article, May 3, 2011: Adex 2011 Report
  48. Wetpixel article, Apr 28, 2011: 2011 Wetpixel Scubacam Apres Adex Party
  49. Wetpixel article, Apr 18, 2012: Adex Singapore 2012 Report
  50. Wetpixel article, Apr 9, 2012: Wetpixel Party At Adex 2012
  51. Wetpixel article, Aug 13, 2013: Shanw Heinrichs To Speak At Tedxboulder
  52. Wetpixel article, Oct 24, 2013: Video Shawn Heinrichs At Tedx
  53. Wetpixel article, Oct 28, 2011: Shawn Heinrichs Awarded Sea Hero Of The Year Award
  54. Wetpixel article, Feb 19, 2014: Our World Underwater 2014 Winners Announced
  55. Wetpixel article, Mar 19, 2019: Call For Entries Sdufex 2019
  56. Wetpixel article, Aug 29, 2012: Sdufex Publishes Its Program
  57. Wetpixel article, Jun 27, 2022: Final Call Ocean Photographer Of The Year
  58. Wetpixel article, Aug 4, 2012: Whale Sharks In The News
  59. Wetpixel article, Aug 5, 2013: Image Manta Breach
  60. Wetpixel article, Feb 1, 2007: Divefilm Launches New Hd Video Podcast Website
  61. Wetpixel article, Jun 5, 2008: Divefilm Releases New Podcasts
  62. Wetpixel article, Jun 5, 2008: Divefilm Releases New Podcasts
  63. Wetpixel article, Dec 27, 2010: Say No To Shark Fin Soup Campaign Video
  64. Wetpixel article, Mar 13, 2012: Divefilm Hd Celebrates 100 Episodes
  65. Wetpixel article, Feb 25, 2013: Mantas Last Dance
  66. Wetpixel article, Oct 24, 2013: Betrayal New Video By Blue Sphere Media
  67. Wetpixel article, Jun 11, 2014: Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Frasers New Shark Video
  68. Wetpixel article, Mar 16, 2015: Video The Guardians Of Raja Ampat
  69. Wetpixel article, Oct 17, 2016: Rangers Of The Reef A Documentary Short On Misools No Take Zone
  70. Wetpixel article, Mar 8, 2017: Video Misool Foundation
  71. Wetpixel article, Oct 2, 2013: Untamed Americas Receives Emmy Award
  72. Wetpixel article, Dec 10, 2008: Cnn Feature Killed Just For Their Fins
  73. Wetpixel article, Feb 4, 2012: Dan Rather Reports On Shark Finning In All For A Bowl Of Soup
  74. Wetpixel article, Nov 28, 2015: Racing Extinction Goes To Air On 2 December
  75. Wetpixel article, Oct 9, 2017: Misool Foundation To Host Fundraiser In Portland
  76. Wetpixel article, Dec 18, 2018: Season 3 Of Tales By Light On Netflix
  77. Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2013: Interview With Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Fraser
  78. Wetpixel article, Jun 11, 2014: Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Frasers New Shark Video
  79. Wetpixel article, Aug 22, 2007: Fins Interviews Eric Cheng And Alex Mustard
  80. Wetpixel article, Aug 14, 2011: Sir Richard Branson Swims With Whale Sharks
  81. Wetpixel article, Feb 22, 2012: Shawn Heinrichs Writes About Oslob Whale Sharks
  82. Wetpixel article, Jan 3, 2012: The Dark Room
  83. Wetpixel article, Apr 24, 2013: Shawn Heinrichs Captures Epic Battle Between Orcas And Sperm Whales
  84. Wetpixel article, Mar 19, 2012: Shawn Heinrichs Injured In Skiing Accident
  85. Wetpixel article, Apr 18, 2012: Adex Singapore 2012 Report
  86. Wetpixel article, Apr 19, 2006: Light Motion Bluefin Hd Review
  87. Wetpixel article, Jan 11, 2007: Shawn Heinrichs Joins Moderating Team For Conservation
  88. Forum thread: Conservation Video Making An Impact
  89. Wetpixel article, Jan 11, 2007: Amazoncom Pulls Shark Fin Products From Inventory
  90. Forum thread: Amazoncom Sells Shark Fin Soup
  91. Wetpixel article, Feb 1, 2007: Divefilm Launches New Hd Video Podcast Website
  92. Wetpixel article, Apr 26, 2007: National Association Of Broadcasters Show 2007
  93. Wetpixel article, Aug 30, 2007: Light Motion Bluefin Pole Cam Mounting Kit Field Test
  94. Wetpixel article, Jun 5, 2008: Divefilm Releases New Podcasts
  95. Wetpixel article, Aug 1, 2008: Wetpixel Joins Liquidassetstv On The Turks Caicos Explorer Ii Sep 20 27 200
  96. Wetpixel article, Oct 25, 2008: Dema 2008 Ikelite
  97. Wetpixel article, Nov 22, 2008: Fijis First Annual Ultimate Shark Photo Video Shootout
  98. Wetpixel article, Dec 10, 2008: Cnn Feature Killed Just For Their Fins
  99. Wetpixel article, Oct 27, 2008: Wetpixel Bahamas Expeditions 2009
  100. Forum thread: Bbc Accepts Ex 1r Gates Housing Nano Flash And Swpc As Full Hd Aquisition
  101. Wetpixel article, Feb 24, 2010: Adex Asia Dive Expo 2010 April 9 11
  102. Wetpixel article, Sep 2, 2010: Raja Ampat Misool Manta Show Video
  103. Wetpixel article, Oct 8, 2010: Imaging Presentations At Dema 2010
  104. Wetpixel article, Dec 9, 2010: Manta Ray Of Hope Documentary Project
  105. Forum thread: Manta Ray Of Hope Project
  106. Wetpixel article, Dec 27, 2010: Say No To Shark Fin Soup Campaign Video
  107. Wetpixel article, May 3, 2011: Adex 2011 Report
  108. Wetpixel article, Jun 6, 2011: Lush Cosmetics Launches Anti Finning Campaign
  109. Wetpixel article, Jul 26, 2011: Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Trip Report
  110. Wetpixel article, Aug 14, 2011: Sir Richard Branson Swims With Whale Sharks
  111. Wetpixel article, Oct 28, 2011: Shawn Heinrichs Awarded Sea Hero Of The Year Award
  112. Wetpixel article, Jan 3, 2012: The Dark Room
  113. Wetpixel article, Feb 4, 2012: Dan Rather Reports On Shark Finning In All For A Bowl Of Soup
  114. Wetpixel article, Feb 22, 2012: Shawn Heinrichs Writes About Oslob Whale Sharks
  115. Wetpixel article, Mar 19, 2012: Shawn Heinrichs Injured In Skiing Accident
  116. Wetpixel article, Mar 13, 2012: Divefilm Hd Celebrates 100 Episodes
  117. Wetpixel article, Apr 18, 2012: Adex Singapore 2012 Report
  118. Wetpixel article, Aug 4, 2012: Whale Sharks In The News
  119. Wetpixel article, Oct 7, 2012: Cites To Seek Protection For Mantas
  120. Wetpixel article, Feb 25, 2013: Mantas Last Dance
  121. Wetpixel article, Mar 11, 2013: Cites Extends Protection To Shark Species
  122. Wetpixel article, Apr 24, 2013: Shawn Heinrichs Captures Epic Battle Between Orcas And Sperm Whales
  123. Wetpixel article, Aug 5, 2013: Image Manta Breach
  124. Wetpixel article, Aug 13, 2013: Shanw Heinrichs To Speak At Tedxboulder
  125. Wetpixel article, Sep 18, 2013: Interview With Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Fraser
  126. Wetpixel article, Oct 2, 2013: Untamed Americas Receives Emmy Award
  127. Wetpixel article, Oct 24, 2013: Video Shawn Heinrichs At Tedx
  128. Wetpixel article, Oct 24, 2013: Betrayal New Video By Blue Sphere Media
  129. Wetpixel article, Feb 19, 2014: Our World Underwater 2014 Winners Announced
  130. Wetpixel article, Jun 11, 2014: Shawn Heinrichs And Hannah Frasers New Shark Video
  131. Wetpixel article, Sep 14, 2014: Cites Shark And Manta Protection Comes Into Force
  132. Wetpixel article, Mar 16, 2015: Video The Guardians Of Raja Ampat
  133. Wetpixel article, Nov 28, 2015: Racing Extinction Goes To Air On 2 December
  134. Wetpixel article, Oct 17, 2016: Rangers Of The Reef A Documentary Short On Misools No Take Zone
  135. Wetpixel article, Mar 8, 2017: Video Misool Foundation
  136. Wetpixel article, Oct 9, 2017: Misool Foundation To Host Fundraiser In Portland
  137. Wetpixel article, Dec 18, 2018: Season 3 Of Tales By Light On Netflix
  138. Wetpixel article, Jun 27, 2022: Final Call Ocean Photographer Of The Year
  139. Bluefin HD review (article)
  140. Joins moderating team (article)
  141. Amazon shark fin campaign (article)
  142. DiveFilm HD Podcast / Shark Fin Frontier (article)
  143. NAB 2007 coverage (article)
  144. FiNS interviews (article)
  145. Bluefin Pole Cam review (article)
  146. DiveFilm podcasts (Whale Wisdom, Sardine Run) (article)
  147. Turks & Caicos expedition (article)
  148. DEMA 2008 Ikelite interview (article)
  149. DEMA 2008 Equinox interview (article)
  150. DEMA 2008 Light & Motion interview (article)
  151. DEMA 2008 Fisheye/Seatool interview (article)
  152. Fiji shark shootout (article)
  153. Bahamas Expeditions 2009 (article)
  154. CNN “Killed Just for Their Fins” (article)
  155. ADEX 2010 (article)
  156. Raja Ampat Misool manta show video (article)
  157. DEMA 2010 imaging presentations (article)
  158. Manta Ray of Hope project (article)
  159. “The Pledge” campaign video (article)
  160. ADEX 2011 report (article)
  161. Wetpixel/Scubacam ADEX party 2011 (article)
  162. Lush Cosmetics anti-finning campaign (article)
  163. Mexico whale shark trip (article)
  164. Isla Mujeres whale shark trip report (article)
  165. Richard Branson whale sharks (article)
  166. DEMA 2011 Image Resource Center (article)
  167. Sea Hero of the Year Award (article)
  168. “The Dark Room” essay (article)
  169. Dan Rather “All for a Bowl of Soup” (article)
  170. Oslob whale sharks (article)
  171. DiveFilm HD 100th episode / Befriending Giants (article)
  172. Skiing accident (article)
  173. ADEX Singapore 2012 (article)
  174. ADEX 2012 party (article)
  175. Whale sharks in the news (article)
  176. SDUFEX program (article)
  177. CITES to seek protection for mantas (article)
  178. Mantas Last Dance (article)
  179. CITES extends protection (article)
  180. Orcas vs sperm whales footage (article)
  181. Manta breach image (article)
  182. TEDxBoulder announcement (article)
  183. Hannah Fraser interview (article)
  184. Untamed Americas Emmy (article)
  185. TEDx talk video (article)
  186. “Betrayal” video (article)
  187. Our World Underwater 2014 winners (article)
  188. “Tigress Shark” video (article)
  189. CITES protections come into force (article)
  190. SOLA 3000 announcement (article)
  191. “Guardians of Raja Ampat” (article)
  192. Racing Extinction (article)
  193. “Rangers of the Reef” (article)
  194. Misool Foundation video (article)
  195. Misool fundraiser Portland (article)
  196. Tales by Light Season 3 on Netflix (article)
  197. SDUFEX 2019 (article)
  198. Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022 (article)
  199. Bluefin HD Field Results (117 replies) (forum)
  200. Amazon.com sells shark fin soup (115 replies) (forum)
  201. Conservation Video - Making an Impact (forum)
  202. New Film Intro (45 replies) (forum)
  203. Sony PMW-EX series discussion (39 replies) (forum)
  204. BBC accepts EX-1R/Gates/NanoFlash as full HD acquisition (forum)
  205. Manta Ray of Hope project (forum)