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These images can give you the chills sometimes. More than anything your seeming proximity to the sharks, even if you are in a shark cage. What I like here is the light (and bubbles?) near the back of the image and the far top left. Also, the lighting and shadows on the shark itself.

Hi Johannes,

This series on sharks is truly great and I am enjoying it a lot. This picture is my second favourite after this other. I shall commend you again on the composition again. It is amazing how each fin fills again a major axis of the shot (diagonal, upward), and I find excellent the space in front of the nose, where it seems to be plunging any second. The bubble trail is also great as the side light. It is unfortunate that there is that second bubble trail in the top left corner, is a bit distracting.

I never did any underwater photos and I am interested in -roughly- the protections which are put in place. I assume you were in some sort of arranged cage of something similar. The animal does not seem very interested to you, is this also normal? On other pictures it looked like being fed.

Ciao, s.

Fantastic shot Johannes! Well done!

Congratulations, this is impressive. Everything is perfect, despite the rush of the nearness of the subject.

Errr ... scary ... i mean the monster shark.

Oh, btw, this shot is absolutely superb !!!

 

~~ Chong Shi Hou

The standard protection for underwater white shark viewing is a cage (and preferably a dry suit because the water is very cold). Even though a shark may, apparently, not be looking at you, he is very well aware of your presence, your movements and, check this out - he even knows if YOU are aware of HIS presence! Contrary to the "JAWS" fiction concept, sharks are not out to "get you" and we are not on their menu. 99% of shark attacks are really inquisitive bites just to determine if we are "tasty" and, apparently, we are not. The problem is that the Great White Shark has a bite force of a few tons! No other animal equals that. So, even when he lets you go, after an initial "nibble", the wound is usually serious, if not fatal. The photos, here, in which the sharks are more "enthusiastic" were taken at moments when the sharks leap forward to grab the bait, which is being pulled away from them as the shark closes in. The bait entices the sharks to come closer to the boat, but they are not being fed with it. Because this is done in close proximity to where sharks feed on seals naturally, they mistake the bait for a wounded seal and try to go for it, while I try to go for the sharks.

Johannes, thanks for the details. I learnt a thing or two, what is always good.

 

Best, s.

You've done an awesome job capturing the power and grace of this remarkable predator. The light streaming through the water, the color and composition. A wonderful folder. Thank you for sharing the photos and information.

I love this photo. Great work.