GREAT WHITE SHARK

ASIA DIVE EXPO (ADEX 2014, 2019 SPEAKER)

Sharks are probably the most misunderstood animals that inhabit the world’s oceans, and Hollywood’s favourite shark, the great white, is surely the most maligned. Like other sharks, the great white is targeted for its fins, teeth and jaws, but it is rarely an object of commercial fisheries. The IUCN lists the great white as Vulnerable, and the species is included on Appendix II of CITES. It is also protected in the national waters of countries such as Australia, South Africa, Israel, and the USA (Florida and California).

Being in the presence of such an incredible animal is one that I look forward to every year at Guadalupe Island in Mexico, one of the best places to interact with them. I always look for great portraits, but I try to stay away from the typical frontal shot where the mouth is open and the teeth are visible and scary – which only serves to reinforce negative perceptions. I look for angles where all the animal’s impressive features can be seen but with a less-threatening appearance.