Shark Photography

Type: Underwater photography technique / specialization
Related techniques: Wide-angle photography, close-focus wide-angle
Key locations: Tiger Beach (Bahamas), Cat Island (Bahamas), Jupiter (Florida), Beqa Lagoon (Fiji), Guadalupe Island (Mexico), Isla Mujeres (Mexico), Aliwal Shoal (South Africa), Protea Banks (South Africa), Cocos Island (Costa Rica)

Overview

Shark photography is one of the most challenging and sought-after specializations in underwater imaging. As Mike Veitch wrote in his influential 2006 Wetpixel guide, “Underwater photographers dream of creating powerful shark images. But doing so is no easy task. Contrary to what the media would have us believe, sharks are not ever-present predators lurking beneath the surface waiting to catch unsuspecting humans. As experienced divers know, not only is it difficult to get close to sharks, many divers go for years without seeing one at all” (^[1]).

The challenge of shark photography lies in the combination of technical skill, animal behavior knowledge, and the ability to remain calm in close proximity to large predators. The Wetpixel community has been deeply involved in shark photography since the site’s earliest days, with co-founder Eric Cheng participating in Bahamas shark expeditions aboard Jim Abernethy’s M/V Shear Water from 2002 onward (^[2]) and later joining the board of directors at Shark Savers in 2011 (^[3]).

Approach and Technique

Lens Selection

Different sharks and scenarios demand different lenses. Mike Veitch’s 2006 guide outlined the principle that full-frame wide-angle lenses (such as 15mm) can make a five-foot grey reef shark look like “a minnow” due to the large amount of “dead space” around the subject. He recommended medium-angle lenses (28mm, 35mm) or zoom lenses (12-24mm, 18-35mm) for reef sharks, as the narrower field of view fills more of the frame with the subject. For close-up shark portraits emphasizing “cold eyes and sharp teeth,” he recommended a 60mm or similar lens for full-frame head shots (^[4]).

For large sharks in clear water, wide-angle lenses remain standard. Daniel Botelho used a Nikon D4 with a 16mm lens in a Nauticam housing with Zen dome ports and Sea&Sea YS250 Pro strobes for his oceanic white-tip and dusky shark work at Cat Island, shooting at f/8-f/10, 1/250s, ISO 320-500, with a white balance setting of 5260K (^[5]).

The 30-Degree Rule

One of the most practical composition guidelines for shark photography is what Mike Veitch called “the 30 degree rule”: position yourself so the shark faces toward the camera at 30 degrees or more from parallel. This captures the head — the most dramatic part of the shark — as the primary element, creating a three-dimensional look and a sense of personality. Flat, side-on shots resemble fish identification guides and lack impact. As Veitch put it: “Not only does this create a 3 dimensional look to the photo, it also creates personality. Creating personality and a sense of interaction will set your image apart from the ‘i.d. photo’ approach” (^[6]).

Stealth and Patience

Sharks are highly sensitive to sudden movement. As Veitch observed, “On countless occasions, I have watched sharks turn tail and flee as an overly excited photographer races after it with ‘strobes a’blazin.’” The recommended approach is to remain calm, move slowly, and avoid large clouds of bubbles. “A small steady stream of bubbles is less intrusive than the large explosion associated with holding your breath!” (^[7]).

Daniel Botelho emphasized a similar philosophy: “Interaction with the animal is important, as the closer you get, the better for colors and texture… understanding how to track the animal and about their body language is super important as it allows the photographer to stay very close” (^[8]).

Using Schooling Fish as Camouflage

In areas with large schools of fish, a photographer can use the schooling fish as camouflage. Veitch noted that schooling fish will sometimes surround a diver for protection, and by remaining still, a photographer can “shield himself from the shark until ‘Bang!’, off goes the camera.” The resulting images fill the “dead space” with fish, transforming an ordinary shark shot into a compelling predator-prey interaction image. Locations like Palau (with jacks and snappers) and French Polynesia (with crescent tail big-eyes) offer these opportunities (^[9]).

Surface and Split-Shot Techniques

Photographing sharks near the surface offers the best natural light conditions. Daniel Botelho chose to snorkel rather than scuba dive when photographing oceanic white-tips at Cat Island, noting that “the sharks come much closer” to snorkelers and that “most of my shots would be taken close to the surface where the light is the most beautiful.” He added: “Whenever I have the opportunity to photograph animals that stay close to the surface I like to take advantage of this. Why go deep if we have the best light on the surface?” Free diving skills also enable deeper compositions, including sand-bottom images at 15 feet (^[10]).

Split-shots (over-under compositions) of sharks at the surface are among “the most demanding compositions” according to Botelho (^[11]). These require calm surface conditions, precise positioning, and careful exposure balancing between the above-water and below-water portions of the frame. Alex Suh captured split images of great white sharks breaching at Guadalupe, showing their arching backs as they landed from chasing the chum line (^[12]).

Slow Shutter and Motion Techniques

On the 2012 Wetpixel Bahamas Sharks and Dolphins expedition, trip leader Jason Bradley described using slow shutter speeds with rear-curtain flash to photograph tiger sharks at dusk: “I took advantage of this by slowing down my shutter speed and going for long exposures and popping my flash at the end. This is one of my favorite techniques to use in photographing moving animals. It gives a feeling of motion and energy that is often absent from wildlife images that stop motion” (^[13]).

Studio Lighting Approaches

Hollywood photographer Michael Muller brought professional studio lighting techniques to shark photography, creating a custom underwater “studio” setup for shooting shark portraits in Beqa Lagoon, Fiji, and testing the system during a shoot in the Galapagos. He emphasized the importance of understanding light control: “The minute you think you have got this thing called photography ‘down’ is the day you should maybe put the camera down because your being very ignorant” (^[14]). In 2016, Muller published a 165-page book, Sharks: Face-to-Face with the Ocean’s Endangered Predator, and used Phase One medium format cameras with studio lighting to photograph great white sharks breaching off South Africa (^[15]).

Photographing People with Sharks

Composing images of divers or models with sharks requires precise timing and communication. Daniel Botelho described the process while working with models Debra Canabal and Noortje Beenackers at Cat Island: “Shooting pictures of people and sharks is very tricky as the timing needed to perform such kinds of composition needs to be precise. Although it may seem to be happening quite slowly, in fact the action all happens very fast and the models and photographer need to be able to communicate very efficiently to make it happen” (^[16]).

Ben Von Wong’s 2016 “Shark Shepherd” photo shoot in Fiji demonstrated another approach: working with champion freediver Amber Bourke, a specially designed dress by Ali Charisma, four support divers, and real sharks over three days during the midday hours (11am-1pm) when both light and sharks were optimal. The images, shot on a Sony A7r-ii with 16-35mm lens in a Nauticam housing with DP-170 dome port (ISO 400, f/4.0, 1/200s), went viral in support of a petition for Malaysian shark sanctuaries (^[17]).

Baited Shark Encounters

Baited diving — using chum, bait crates, or fish scraps to attract sharks — is the most reliable method for shark photography but remains controversial. Mike Veitch acknowledged the controversy in 2006 while noting that professionally run shark feeds offer the easiest way to get close to sharks: “With bait in the water, sharks lose their wariness of divers. In fact, sharks often brush up against divers on their way to the food” (^[18]).

Two main feeding setups exist for reef sharks: the “chumsicle” approach, where divers kneel on the bottom as sharks feed on a frozen pile of fish guts, and the bucket-feeder approach, where a designated feeder distributes fish in a more controlled manner. The bucket method is preferred for photographers because it offers more predictable shark positioning (^[19]).

Jim Abernethy of JASA developed a distinct approach to baited shark encounters that was less of a “feed” and more of a scent-based attraction. During Wetpixel expeditions aboard the M/V Shear Water, the crew set up bait crates at stations on the reef to attract sharks to the area while divers photographed them. Crew members would swim back and forth between stations, giving the bait boxes “a little shake to bring the sharks in.” This approach attracted tiger sharks, lemon sharks, and reef sharks to sites like Tiger Beach, Tiger Madness, and Shark Paradise in the Bahamas (^[20]).

Cristina Zenato of UNEXSO in Grand Bahama demonstrated another facet of shark interaction: the ability to induce tonic immobility in Caribbean reef sharks through nose stimulation, causing them to settle into a diver’s lap “like a puppy dog.” Stephen Frink filmed this behavior during Bahamas Underwater Photo Week (^[21]).

The Shark Feeding Debate

The debate around shark feeding intensified after a February 24, 2008 fatality aboard the Shear Water, when diver Markus Groh, a 49-year-old lawyer from Vienna, Austria, was bitten by a bull shark during a shark diving expedition at a site called “The End of the Map” in the Bahamas. Groh was bitten in the calf, evacuated by Coast Guard helicopter to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, and died from blood loss. The incident drew international media attention and prompted debate about whether baited shark diving should be regulated (^[22]).

Eric Cheng maintained a detailed chronicle of the event on Wetpixel, documenting the media coverage and the diving community’s response. He specifically corrected widespread misinformation: the bite did NOT occur at Tiger Beach (as some media outlets falsely reported), and the shark involved was a bull shark, not a tiger shark. He also noted that competing dive operator Neal Watson publicly criticized Abernethy without media disclosing Watson’s competitive interest. The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office listed Groh’s mode of death as accidental. The Bahamas ultimately did not ban the practice (^[23]).

In 2016, a US Congressional bill (S. 3099, the “Access for Sportfishing Act of 2016”) proposed banning shark feeding in US waters for any purpose “other than to harvest sharks,” prompting outrage from the diving community. As one commenter noted, the bill was primarily designed to benefit sport fishermen at the expense of dive tourism (^[24]).

A 2017 scientific paper attempted to quantify the economic benefits of shark diving to the Bahamas, estimating that around US$113.8 million is generated annually by the shark diving industry. Tiger Beach alone generates around US$2.7 million per year, though only 2.4% of expenditures were made in the Bahamas (the rest going to US-based liveaboard operations) (^[25]).

Safety Considerations

Adam Hanlon wrote a detailed editorial after a 2017 fatal shark bite at Cocos Island, Costa Rica, emphasizing that no feeding or spearfishing was involved. He explained how sharks investigate unknown objects through a sensory sequence: “smell, followed by sight, vibration sensing, electro reception, touch (bump), mouth and finally bite.” He emphasized that such events are investigatory rather than predatory, and that “every time we venture into the oceans, among the risks we HAVE to accept is the presence of creatures that are potentially dangerous to us” (^[26]).

The 2012 Wetpixel shark expedition briefing described essential safety protocols: divers should be covered head to toe with no white or bright colors, specific hand signals are used, and when tiger sharks are present, all attention must focus on the tiger shark while smaller species “quickly take a back seat and blend into the background like reef fish or remoras.” As trip leader Jason Bradley observed, this mental shift — from watching every reef shark nervously to treating them as irrelevant background while tracking the tiger — is “a funny thing” that happens naturally through self-preservation instinct (^[27]).

Jim Abernethy himself was bitten by a shark in January 2011, resulting in hospitalization but only minor injuries.

Disputed: The article title says “lemon shark bite” but the article text says “Caribbean reef shark.” The species involved is unclear from the source (^[28]).

Abernethy immediately reaffirmed his commitment to shark advocacy, stating: “each day more than 200,000 are killed — mostly for shark fin soup. Since the 1970s, sharks populations have plummeted by as much as 80 percent, with some species reduced by a staggering 97 percent” (^[29]).

Key Locations

Tiger Beach, Bahamas

Tiger Beach, located off Grand Bahama, became one of the world’s premier shark photography destinations through the operations of Jim Abernethy and the M/V Shear Water. The shallow sandy bottom (approximately 20 feet deep) provides excellent lighting conditions for photographing tiger sharks, lemon sharks, and Caribbean reef sharks. Nearby sites include Tiger Madness (slightly shallower, offering “protection from the wind” and fewer lemon shark distractions) and Shark Paradise (used for introductory dives with reef sharks) (^[30]).

Wetpixel ran annual shark and dolphin expeditions to Tiger Beach from 2002 onward. The first trip in 2002 included Eric Cheng, Jim Watt, David Fleetham, and Andy Sallmon, with five Canon D60s and several other digital cameras aboard (^[31]). The March 2006 trip included Cheng, Alex Mustard, and James Wiseman, with “numerous tiger sharks and great hammerhead posing for photographs” (^[32]). Tiger Beach was also the primary location for Brian Skerry’s National Geographic assignment on Bahamas sharks, published in the March 2007 issue (^[33]). Daniel Botelho listed Tiger Beach as one of his three favorite dive sites in the world (^[34]).

The famous tiger shark “Emma” — approximately 15 feet long — was a regular presence at Tiger Beach, known to the Shear Water crew for years. During the 2012 expedition, Captain Jamin described Emma as “persistent and excited.” She repeatedly nosed divers’ housings, on one occasion opening her jaw and mouthing photographer Jason Bradley’s camera before swimming over him (^[35]).

A 2017 study quantified Tiger Beach’s economic impact at approximately US$2.7 million per year, though most expenditures went to US-based liveaboard operations rather than Bahamian businesses (^[36]).

Cat Island, Bahamas

Cat Island in the eastern Bahamas became known as one of the few reliable locations for oceanic white-tip sharks. Jim Abernethy discovered the population there approximately in 2005 after hearing reports from local fishermen, leading to multiple successful expeditions. In a particularly epic 2007 trip, divers swam for days with more than 20 oceanic white-tips at once (^[37]).

Eric Cheng led the 2008 Wetpixel oceanic white-tip expedition to Cat Island with eight guests, encountering sharks for three days of diving. He described the sharks as living up to their reputation: “investigating individual divers one at a time without any fear at all. They are one of the easiest sharks in the water to photograph; divers just float around in the water and wait for the sharks to approach” (^[38]).

Norbert Wu described a Cat Island expedition where divers had “six hours of diving with sharks” in clear blue oceanic water, encountering both oceanic white-tips and silky sharks. During the trip, an 800lb marlin arrival provoked the white-tips into feeding behavior, with one tasting Norbert’s strobe (^[39]). Daniel Botelho used Cat Island for Walt Disney Company assignments, originally commissioned to photograph dusky sharks but also producing extensive oceanic white-tip coverage (^[40]).

Jupiter, Florida

Jupiter, Florida, sits close to the Gulf Stream and offers encounters with multiple shark species. Photographer Alan C. Egan reported that a group of divers saw eleven species of sharks in four days, including a great white. The Jupiter Deep Ledge is an advanced drift dive starting at 108 feet, where bull sharks are the primary attraction during winter months. Great hammerheads migrate through from January to April, and tiger sharks appear year-round with peak sightings in winter. Egan noted that some tiger sharks bore tags from Bimini, Bahamas (^[41]).

Egan described bull sharks as “one of the hardest sharks to photograph as they rarely approach closely and are always in the wrong position for the shot! When close they are normally under your feet and they also make rapid ‘charges’. Just when you think you have the shot they veer off, descending back down to the deep.” He observed that only juveniles follow divers to shallower depths, while larger adults remain cruising at 140 feet (^[42]).

Beqa Lagoon, Fiji

Beqa Lagoon in Fiji hosts Aqua-Trek’s “Ultimate Shark Encounter,” which Howard Hall described as offering “more species of sharks than the average diver sees in a lifetime” on a single dive. Up to eight species frequent the site: nurse sharks, lemon sharks, silvertip, whitetip, blacktip, grey reef, bull sharks, and tiger sharks. Wetpixel partnered with Aqua-Trek for the first Fiji Ultimate Shark Photo & Video Shootout in April 2009, limited to 10 photographers and co-led by David Fleetham and Shawn Heinrichs (^[43]). Michael Muller also used Beqa Lagoon for his studio-lit shark portraits (^[44]).

Isla Mujeres, Mexico (Whale Sharks)

Isla Mujeres off the Yucatan Peninsula is the premier location for photographing whale shark aggregations. Wetpixel ran annual whale shark expeditions there from 2011 through at least 2019 (^[45]). During the 2017 trip, the group encountered over 100 whale sharks in dense groupings feeding on bonito eggs. The whale sharks’ “botella” (bottle) vertical feeding behavior — where they stop swimming and adopt a vertical position to gulp plankton-rich water — provides unique photographic opportunities, as stationary sharks can be approached closely “as long as this is done carefully, calmly and slowly” (^[46]).

Mexican regulations now require operators to attend courses on correct shark interactions, and limit groups to two snorkelers plus a guide in the water at a time. The number of permits has been significantly reduced to limit environmental impact (^[47]). The 2018 trip noted that the eggs at that time of year came from rainbow runners rather than the little tunny common earlier in the season (^[48]).

Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks, South Africa

Aliwal Shoal off the KwaZulu-Natal coast is known for blacktip shark encounters and tiger shark feeds. Photographer Allen Walker established himself as one of South Africa’s leading shark photographers through his work with blacktip sharks there, using his images to highlight the damage caused by KwaZulu-Natal shark nets (^[49]). Andy Murch photographed blacktip feeds run by experienced shark feeder Walter Bernardis at Aliwal Shoal, noting that “although his baited dives at Aliwal Shoal are officially tiger shark feeds, the encounters attract scores of oceanic blacktip sharks” (^[50]).

Protea Banks, located 8km offshore from Margate in KwaZulu-Natal, offers encounters with up to seven shark species depending on the season: ragged-tooth sharks, blacktips, bull sharks, tiger sharks, and two varieties of hammerheads. The average depth of around 30m makes air consumption and decompression limits significant considerations. Don Silcock described Protea Banks as enjoying “a reputation as one of the best places in South Africa to dive with sharks” (^[51]).

Guadalupe Island, Mexico (Great Whites)

Guadalupe Island, 200 miles southwest of San Diego off Baja California, is one of the world’s premier cage-diving destinations for great white sharks. Water temperatures average 65-70F and visibility often exceeds 100 feet. Eric Cheng, who visited Guadalupe twice before organizing the 2006 Wetpixel expedition, noted that “white sharks are around the boat within 30 minutes of arriving. It is not uncommon to see a dozen or more individuals during the course of 5 days of diving” (^[52]).

The 2006 Wetpixel Guadalupe expedition, co-led by Eric Cheng and Norbert Wu aboard the Solmar V, was a seven-day trip with a specially built two-person “cinema cage” featuring two 4’ x 8’ windows, lowered to 20 feet below the surface (^[53]). Wetpixel continued Guadalupe expeditions, with Abi Smigel Mullens leading a 2018 trip aboard the Solmar V (^[54]).

In 2016, a great white shark breached and fell into a cage during a Solmar V trip at Guadalupe. The diver, Chan Ming of Shanghai, swam out of the cage while the shark found its own way out through the top hatch, which was opened by crew. The entire incident lasted about 20 seconds; neither the diver nor the shark sustained serious injuries. The viral video sparked international debate about cage diving safety, with coverage reaching the New York Times. Solmar V noted in their statement that “shark breaches of this magnitude are a one in a million occurrence” (^[55]).

Don Silcock also covered great white shark photography in Australia, noting the sharp contrast between the sensationalist media treatment of shark attacks and the actual statistics: in 2015, out of approximately 100 million “visitations” to Australian waters, there were 22 confirmed unprovoked shark encounters, only 1 of which was fatal (^[56]).

Notable Shark Photographers

Jim Abernethy

Jim Abernethy is one of the world’s most experienced shark divers and photographers. His book Sharks — Up Close (2009) was endorsed by Howard and Michele Hall, who called his photographs “the most spectacular underwater shark photographs ever taken,” and David Doubilet, who wrote that Abernethy’s “shark images are unique and intensely intimate because he personally knows these elegant creatures” (^[57]). His M/V Shear Water served as the base for Wetpixel’s Bahamas shark expeditions for over a decade. He also discovered the Cat Island oceanic white-tip population circa 2005, initially during an exploratory trip with Brian Skerry and National Geographic (^[58]).

Daniel Botelho

Daniel Botelho, a Brazilian photographer who worked on assignments for National Geographic and Walt Disney Company, specialized in sharks and large marine animals. His favorite dive sites — Protea Banks (South Africa), Tiger Beach (Bahamas), and Shark Reef in Beqa Lagoon (Fiji) — were all premier shark locations. He named Amos Nachoum, Eric Cheng, and David Doubilet as his photographic inspirations (^[59]). His 2012 great white shark “out of the cage” assignment for Walt Disney Company was, by his own assessment, “both the biggest challenge and the best experience” of that year (^[60]).

Andy Murch

Andy Murch is a specialist big animal photographer who founded Big Fish Expeditions, an adventure tourism company focused on putting divers in the water with large marine predators. He also founded the Elasmodiver shark and ray photography site and the conservation-focused Predators in Peril project, spending “much of his spare time talking his way onto gill netting and shark fishing boats to gather controversial images of endangered species and bycatch” for international conservation groups (^[61]).

Joe Romeiro

Filmmaker Joe Romeiro of 333 Productions, who saw his first shark at age five, co-founded his company with fellow producer and shark conservationist Bill Fisher in 2007. His films Silent Requiem, Death of a Deity, A Lateral Line, and Shark Culture won multiple awards. He specialized in mako sharks, describing them as having skin “alive with color and reflection,” and great hammerheads, which he called “the unicorn to find and film until recently.” A mako once destroyed his $5,000 lens during a dive. He named Brian Skerry, Howard Hall, David Doubilet, Andy Murch, and Andy Casagrande among his influences (^[62]).

Brian Skerry

Photojournalist Brian Skerry spent approximately ten weeks over nine months photographing sharks in the Bahamas for a National Geographic feature published in the March 2007 issue. The assignment, conducted partly from Jim Abernethy’s Shear Water, covered tiger sharks, great hammerheads, and oceanic white-tips. Photographers Brian Skerry and Mark Conlin were joined by writer Jennifer Holland and scientist Wes Pratt. Eric Cheng noted the article would reach 60 million readers with a conservation message (^[63]).

Shawn Heinrichs

Shawn Heinrichs of Blue Sphere Media, a Wetpixel Senior Moderator, combined shark photography with conservation activism. He was instrumental in creating a shark sanctuary in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, and was awarded the Sea Hero of the Year by Scuba Diving magazine in 2011 for his years fighting against shark finning. He pledged a portion of his $5,000 prize money toward the purchase of a ranger patrol boat for enforcement, with a matching program announced at the DEMA ceremony (^[64]). He co-led the Fiji Ultimate Shark Photo Shootout with David Fleetham in 2009 (^[65]).

Alex Mustard

Alex Mustard, Wetpixel’s associate editor, was a regular participant in Bahamas shark expeditions from 2005 onward. In 2020, Wetpixel Live featured his favorite shark images in a presentation spanning locations from Cuba to Cornwall, discussing equipment, techniques, and the reasoning behind his image selection (^[66]).

Mike Coots

Mike Coots lost his leg in a shark attack in Hawaii at age 18, but rather than avoiding the ocean, became a professional underwater photographer and shark conservation advocate. His passion for sharks comes through his popular Instagram account. He voiced support for CITES shark protections: “It would be amazing to see the U.S. support the shark protections proposed at the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species” (^[67]).

Species-Specific Challenges

Tiger Sharks

Tiger sharks at Tiger Beach are generally slow-moving and curious, as demonstrated by the famous individual “Emma.” During the 2012 expedition, Captain Jamin of the Shear Water described her as “persistent and excited.” Tiger sharks sometimes require hours or even a full day of baiting before arriving — during the 2012 trip, divers waited through breakfast, lunch, and the entire afternoon at Tiger Madness before a tiger shark finally appeared (^[68]). The shallow, sandy bottom at Tiger Beach provides good ambient lighting conditions.

Bull Sharks

Alan Egan described bull sharks as “one of the hardest sharks to photograph as they rarely approach closely and are always in the wrong position for the shot! When close they are normally under your feet and they also make rapid ‘charges’. Just when you think you have the shot they veer off.” He noted that only juveniles follow divers to shallower depths, while larger adults remain at 140 feet. The Jupiter Deep Ledge dive starts at 108 feet with a drift upward, requiring careful attention to depth as the bottom drops to 147 feet. Bull sharks “seem to hunt in packs” and are “the only species that gets my full attention the whole time they are about” (^[69]).

Oceanic White-Tips

Oceanic white-tips, which Jacques Cousteau called “the world’s most dangerous shark,” are pelagic species found in open ocean. Once among the most common sharks in the ocean, they have been hunted to near extinction — veteran shark scientist Samuel “Doc” Gruber told Eric Cheng that decades ago they were “everywhere,” but that it had been many years since he had seen one alive (^[70]).

The first planned and organized cageless night dive with multiple oceanic white-tips was completed in the Bahamas by All Fins On Productions, inspired by Peter Gimbel’s 1970 documentary Blue Water, White Death. Gimbel’s team had shot nighttime sequences from within cages, a decision Gimbel reportedly regretted (^[71]). These sharks are more curious and bold than reef sharks, and are photographed effectively using snorkeling and free diving techniques in blue water (^[72]).

Whale Sharks

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean and gather in massive aggregations at sites like Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Jacques Cousteau famously claimed he had only ever seen three whale sharks in his life; a visit to Isla Mujeres would have increased that number by a significant margin (^[73]). They feed by ram-filtering water or in vertical “botella” position. Photography is conducted while snorkeling, and Mexican regulations limit the number of people in the water at one time. The key challenge is keeping pace with these animals, which can be 20-40 feet long (^[74]).

Great White Sharks

Great whites are primarily photographed from cages at locations like Guadalupe Island and the Neptune Islands (Australia). Cage photography requires wide-angle lenses due to close quarters. Some photographers, including Daniel Botelho, have worked outside cages with great whites under carefully controlled conditions for assignment work, describing this as “both the biggest challenge and the best experience” (^[75]). Don Silcock provided extensive context on Australian great white photography, noting the contrast between media sensationalism and statistical reality (^[76]).

Great Hammerheads

Joe Romeiro described great hammerheads as the “unicorn” of shark species to find and film, though encounters became more reliable at locations like Bimini, Bahamas, and Jupiter, Florida. His footage from Bimini in early 2013 was described as “silky smooth and beautiful” (^[77], ^[78]).

Conservation and Photography

Shark photography on Wetpixel has been inseparable from shark conservation. The community extensively covered the global shark finning crisis, with hundreds of articles tracking anti-finning legislation, shark sanctuary creation, and conservation campaigns from 2004 onward.

Rob Stewart, the Canadian filmmaker behind Sharkwater (2006) and Sharkwater Extinction (2018), was closely connected to the Wetpixel community and frequently dived with Jim Abernethy. Stewart’s body was found by an ROV close to a wreck he had been diving on off Islamorada, Florida in February 2017. He was 37 years old. Wetpixel described him as “an ocean activist, filmmaker and shark conservationist who set out to change the way the world thinks about sharks.” His own words captured his philosophy: “When you’re underwater and you see the thing you been taught your whole life to fear. And it doesn’t want to hurt you. And it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen” (^[79]).

Eric Cheng joined the Shark Savers board of directors in 2011, alongside Sue Chen of Reef Check Foundation, Wyland Icon award-winning dive center owner Martha Watkins Gilkes, and journalist Douglas David Seifert. The organization also expanded its board of advisors to include Jim Abernethy and Howard and Michele Hall. Shark Savers, founded in 2007, focused on education and awareness around commercial shark fishing (^[80]). Cheng was also involved with the Shark Angels conservation project, which provided non-sensationalist footage to media outlets during the 2008 Shear Water incident (^[81]).

Wetpixel and its partner site Divester raised funds through t-shirt sales to adopt “Cut-Tail,” a 16-foot-long male great white shark that returned every autumn to the Farallon Islands, through the Shark Trust. Cut-Tail was described as “a curious and feisty shark” who was “often seen sticking his head out of the water” (^[82]).

Shawn Heinrichs was instrumental in establishing the Raja Ampat shark sanctuary in Indonesia and pledged his Sea Hero of the Year prize money toward purchasing a ranger patrol boat for enforcement (^[83]).

As Daniel Botelho observed: “My worst nightmare is the word ‘extinction’, so every time I hear this word I get really passionate about protecting the species under threat. Right now my focus is the shark campaign, as these guys will be vanished soon from Earth if we don’t take good care of the situation” (^[84]).

Wetpixel Shark Expeditions

Wetpixel organized regular shark photography expeditions from 2002 through at least 2019:

• Bahamas Shark Expeditions (2002-2016+): Annual trips aboard the M/V Shear Water with Jim Abernethy, visiting Tiger Beach, Tiger Madness, Shark Paradise, and other Bahamas shark sites. The 2002 trip included Eric Cheng, Jim Watt, David Fleetham, and Andy Sallmon (^[85]). The March 2006 trip included Cheng, Alex Mustard, and James Wiseman (^[86]). The July 2008 trip offered 8 full days of shark action for 8 guests; Wetpixel noted in booking: “We screen our passengers, and accept advanced divers with a shark-diving experience ONLY” (^[87]).
• Cat Island Oceanic White-Tip Expeditions (2006-2012+): Trips to Cat Island for oceanic white-tip encounters. The 2008 expedition, led by Eric Cheng with eight guests, had three days of diving with the sharks (^[88]).
• Fiji Ultimate Shark Shootout (2009): Partnership with Aqua-Trek in Beqa Lagoon, co-led by David Fleetham and Shawn Heinrichs, limited to 10 photographers, with round-trip airfare from Los Angeles included (^[89]).
• Whale Shark Expeditions (2011-2019): Annual trips to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, for whale shark aggregations, with limited group sizes (maximum 6 participants) and daily snorkeling with whale sharks (^[90], ^[91], ^[92]).
• Guadalupe Great White Shark Expeditions (2006, 2018): Cage diving at Guadalupe Island aboard the Solmar V. The 2006 trip, co-led by Eric Cheng and Norbert Wu, featured a 7-day itinerary with a cinema cage, capped at 16 divers (^[93]). The 2018 trip was led by Abi Mullens (^[94]).

Timeline

• 2002-07: Eric Cheng, David Fleetham, Jim Watt, and Andy Sallmon join first Bahamas shark expedition aboard M/V Shear Water with Canon D60s (^[95])
• 2003-02: Craig Jones announces Bahamas shark photography expedition with Jim Abernethy and Dive Magazine (^[96])
• 2005-04: Wetpixel Bahamas Shark Expedition 2005 returns with images of tiger sharks, great hammerheads, lemon sharks, and reef sharks (^[97])
• 2005-06: Wetpixel announces Guadalupe great white shark expedition with Eric Cheng and Norbert Wu (^[98])
• 2006-03: Mike Veitch publishes shark photography guide on Wetpixel (^[99])
• 2007-01: Wetpixel and Divester readers adopt great white shark “Cut-Tail” through the Shark Trust (^[100])
• 2007-03: Brian Skerry’s National Geographic Bahamas shark feature published (^[101])
• 2008-02: Diver Markus Groh fatally bitten by bull shark at “End of the Map” during Shear Water expedition (^[102])
• 2008-05: Eric Cheng leads oceanic white-tip expedition to Cat Island with 8 guests (^[103])
• 2009-04: First Fiji Ultimate Shark Photo & Video Shootout at Beqa Lagoon (^[104])
• 2009-12: Jim Abernethy publishes Sharks — Up Close (^[105])
• 2011-01: Jim Abernethy hospitalized after shark bite (^[106])
• 2011-01: Eric Cheng joins Shark Savers board of directors (^[107])
• 2011-06: First planned and organized cageless night dive with oceanic white-tips filmed by All Fins On Productions (^[108])
• 2011-10: Shawn Heinrichs receives Sea Hero of the Year (^[109])
• 2012-03: Michael Muller’s studio shark portrait setup featured (^[110])
• 2012-08: Wetpixel Bahamas Sharks and Dolphins 2012 expedition, led by Jason Bradley (^[111])
• 2013-01: Daniel Botelho interview discusses professional shark photography career (^[112])
• 2013-01: Joe Romeiro films great hammerheads at Bimini, Bahamas (^[113])
• 2014-05: Cristina Zenato demonstrates shark “tonic immobility” at UNEXSO, filmed by Stephen Frink (^[114])
• 2016-01: Ben Von Wong’s “Shark Shepherd” photo shoot goes viral (^[115])
• 2016-06: Michael Muller publishes Sharks: Face-to-Face with the Ocean’s Endangered Predator (^[116])
• 2016-07: US Congressional bill proposes banning shark feeding except for harvesting purposes (^[117])
• 2016-10: Great white shark breaches into cage at Guadalupe during Solmar V trip (^[118])
• 2017-02: Rob Stewart dies during filming of Sharkwater Extinction at age 37 (^[119])
• 2017-02: Study quantifies Bahamas shark diving industry at US$113.8 million annually (^[120])
• 2017-08: Wetpixel whale shark trip encounters 100+ sharks at Isla Mujeres (^[121])
• 2017-12: Fatal shark bite at Cocos Island prompts Wetpixel editorial on risk acceptance (^[122])
• 2018-08: Wetpixel whale sharks 2018 expedition to Isla Mujeres (^[123])
• 2019-08: Wetpixel whale sharks 2019 expedition, continuing the annual tradition since 2011 (^[124])
• 2020-07: Alex Mustard presents favorite shark images on Wetpixel Live (^[125])

Additional Wetpixel Live episodes covered shark photography across the series: “5 Best Shark Images” (Ep 14), “Photographing Oceanic White Tip Sharks” (Ep 65), “Tiger Beach” (Ep 119), “Shark Conservation and UW Image Makers” (Ep 173), and “Photographing Big Animals” (Ep 205) (^[126], ^[127], ^[128], ^[129], ^[130]).

References

Wetpixel Live