Shark Photography – Fin in Focus

Shark photography is an art in itself. It is not only about composition and light or being at the right place in the right time. The most important thing about shark photography is understanding the behaviour of the different species. And if you have the luxury, knowing individual sharks will help you improve your photography skills immensely.

 

Seeing a shark for the first time

A flash of grey catches the corner of my eye and I look up out of the water. A small, white tipped fin silently glides along the surface. When I pop my head underwater for another look, I see that I am sharing the water with my biggest fear: a shark. This is how my first shark encounter happened, now over a decade ago, and it quite literally changed my life. Instantly, my fear turned to fascination, and from that second on, my life became consumed with all things shark. 

Being from a small town in Ontario, Canada, the ocean had never been accessible to me until I travelled to Western Australia shortly after my 18th birthday. After meeting my first shark, however, I started calling the ocean home. I soon learned to scuba dive and quickly moved up the ladder to become a dive instructor. I travelled the world with this passion teaching people how to enjoy our magical underwater world and the incredible creatures that live within it. 

 

A new challenge – mastering underwater photography

Once I had really mastered the art of buoyancy control, I decided I wanted to capture the special moments that I was having in the ocean. I had done some photography classes in high school, and carried a topside camera around with me on my travels. So I had a basic understanding of the fundamentals of photography, but I had no idea how that translated underwater. This became my new challenge. I bought a second hand housing and camera setup and started teaching myself how to be an underwater photographer. This was not an instant success. Honestly, I am still learning new things about my camera, lighting, buoyancy, marine life, ocean conditions, etc every single time I am in the water! 

If you are new to underwater photography, check out our article on how to take photos underwater.

 

Becoming a shark photographer

Twelve years after my first shark experience, and after a number of years photographing everything from scuba/free divers to teeny tiny macro seahorses, I now tend to call myself a “shark photographer” because they seem to have become my main subject. I have this amazing privilege to spend most of my time in the water with sharks thanks to residing in the Bahamas. Here I work with the Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation (aka the Bimini Shark Lab). Bimini has an amazing diversity of shark species and habitats. They are all within a few minutes boat ride from each other. Bimini’s popularity as a shark lover’s dream can be attributed to the Shark Lab’s founder Dr. Samuel Gruber!

 

The Bimini great hammerhead sharks

Bimini is now one of the top destinations in the world for shark diving. More specifically, it is famous for diving with great hammerhead sharks. This is one of the only places in the world where divers can reliably encounter this critically endangered species. And we are not talking about seeing just one shark.

The Shark Lab has been studying these animals for a decade now. The team been able to establish an identification catalogue for over 60 individual sharks. We have learned that Bimini is part of their seasonal migration route. The hammerheads arrive here in the winter months like clockwork. We have about 10-15 regular sharks who visit the provisioning site daily. They stay in Bimini for the duration of the season, arriving in December and leaving in April annually. 

 

The basics of shark photography is understanding the typical behaviour of the species you will be photographing

Knowing these hammerhead sharks by name and understanding their individual personality and behaviour has allowed me to improve my shark photography skills immensely.

This is now my top tip for photographing sharks. Take some time to learn and understand the sharks you are photographing before you get in the water with them. For example, when I photograph hammerhead sharks, I behave much differently than I do with a baby lemon shark. When photographing a hammerhead, I know they are very skittish. If I freedive down too quickly, make jerky movements, or swim towards them too fast, they might take off and I could miss my chance to get the shot. However, if I’m calm, and time my approach properly, I can spend a few minutes in close contact with one of the most incredible animals on the planet!

A baby lemon shark, is a very different photographing experience. I know that I am much bigger than they are, and can be perceived as a predator. That is why I really limit my movement and try to make myself as least threatening as possible. I will remain very still, sometimes even hidden by the mangroves, and allow them to approach me. If I move from my position, I know it will take time for the babies to feel safe before they come close to me again. The baby lemon sharks are curious though. Once I build some trust they will come and inspect their reflection in my dome port and allow me to get some adorable close ups! 

 

Tips for shark photography

Of course, each species have different typical behaviour trends, but individual sharks have different behaviour and personalities as well. That is always something to keep in mind when you’re trying to understand and predict how a shark will behave when you’re photographing it. Most importantly, divers and underwater photographers must always remember that we are a guest in the ocean, and we have to respect the animals that inhabit it. Sharks are naturally predators, not puppies, and should always be treated with respect. You wouldn’t chase a lion in the African savannah for a picture, and you shouldn’t chase a shark in the ocean for one either. 

 

About the author

I am Chelle Blais and I have been photographing sharks for nearly 7 years. I have been with the Bimini Shark Lab since 2017 as a media creator & photographer, and also assist with the station’s research, outreach and fundraising.

Find me on Instagram & Facebook for lots of pictures of, you guessed it, sharks! For shark photography prints, check out my website.

If you’re interested in shark science, or just want to learn more about Bimini’s shark species, check out the Bimini Shark Lab. The lab also offers week long expeditions called Research Experiences where anyone can come and experience the life of a shark researcher first hand (and also get a chance to see all of the sharks and amazing habitats that Bimini has to offer!)