Photographing Sharks in the Wild

There are so many ways to get have thrilling encounters with wildlife in the open ocean. My favorite kind of interaction is taking photographs of sharks and if I can’t be out there doing it then I’ll live through the experiences of my dive buddies. The team at Dive & Photo just recently returned from Florida with some amazing shark encounters and they came back with the photos to prove it.

Tips for Photographing Sharks in the Open Ocean

1. Good Dive Buddy – While your eye is glued to the camera lens looking for the most epic shot ever you want to make sure and have someone who is watching your back and aware of what’s going on around you. This will prevent any unwanted advances from your friend with fins…and TEETH.
2. Don’t Chase the Shark – Stay still and calm. Let the sharks come to you and you will get a much cleaner shot without spooking your subject. No matter how much you train you’ll never be able to out swim the man in the grey suit.
3. Move away from the Pack – Stay at a distance which enables you to avoid shooting other divers but yet keeps you close enough so you feel safe and secure. Think of interesting ways to compose the shot whether it’s a reef in the foreground or throw in a nice shipwreck in the background to make it look super cool!
4. Chum – If there is chum in the water make sure you are up current from it so you get clear visibility and the up side is your wetsuit will smell a lot better after the dive 🙂

Photos Courtesy: Ludek Subrt