Euan Rannachan Talks His Incredible Shark Photography

Known for his up-close-and-personal photos of nice white sharks, Euan Rannachan isn’t any unusual photographer. Without worry, he throws himself into seas world wide to get near the apex predator he has admired since childhood. As a photographer and visible artist, he honors these sharks by means of unbelievable images and paintings.

Whether he’s recreating the notorious Jaws film poster or 3D-printing replicas of shark jaws, Rannachan’s thoughts is all the time transferring. For years, he centered on the waters of Mexico’s Guadalupe Island, taking the chance to hone his abilities and examine sharks. Now, he’s expanded into different international locations, bringing his information and keenness with him, however all the time holding the identical spirit to doc the true nature of sharks.

We had the possibility to talk with Rannachan about his love for sharks and the way this has knowledgeable his inventive observe. We additionally focus on what it was wish to encounter an awesome white for the primary time and the way he retains himself protected within the water. Read on for My Modern Met’s unique interview and keep up to date on his adventures by following him on Instagram.

When did your love of sharks start, and the place does your ardour for them come from?

My fascination with apex predators goes again so far as I can keep in mind. As a child, whereas most children had posters of automobiles or planes, I additionally had a life-size polar bear poster on my wall that I used to be utterly obsessive about. I’ve all the time been drawn to highly effective animals, from birds of prey and bears to, in fact, huge white sharks.

For a very long time, I believed seeing nice whites up shut meant touring all the best way to South Africa, New Zealand, or Australia. Then I came upon about Guadalupe Island. In 2016, after getting all my gear waterproofed and at last making the journey, I got here face-to-face with them for the primary time. That second of trying a white shark within the eye modified every part—it turned a lifelong fascination into one thing I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to for the remainder of my life.

Can you share a bit about your first stay encounter with a shark and what that felt like?

The first time I ever bought within the water with nice whites was additionally the primary time I’d ever breathed with no snorkel. I used to be hooked as much as a hookah line from the boat, and actually, that alone was overwhelming—determining the way to breathe, how to not tangle the rope, the way to hold from blowing bubbles in entrance of different individuals whereas they have been making an attempt to see the sharks. At first, the toughest half wasn’t the sharks in any respect—it was studying cage etiquette and the way to truly use my digicam underwater.

But as soon as I settled in, every part modified. The first time an enormous white shark cruised previous the cage, I wasn’t scared—I used to be buzzing with pleasure. Being eye-to-eye with them is like standing in entrance of a dwelling dinosaur. It’s utterly out-of-body, and each single encounter feels that manner. Different sharks, completely different behaviors, completely different moods—no two are the identical. Even now, I nonetheless get butterflies, not out of worry, however out of affection for being of their presence. That very first dive confirmed it for me: that is one thing I’d be doing for the remainder of my life.

When did images come into the equation, and the way did you develop your abilities?

I’ve been an expert photographer for shut to twenty years now. Over that point, I’ve worn a variety of hats—capturing every part from NASCAR campaigns for Clorox and product work for Burt’s Bees, to masking the San Jose Sharks, documenting big-wave browsing at Mavericks, and serving as Creative Director for Dakota Shy Winery in Napa for the final 15 years. By now, I do know my digicam just like the again of my hand.

But I didn’t get the possibility to {photograph} nice whites till 2016 on my first journey to Guadalupe. That was a complete new studying curve. Shooting underwater was nothing like something I’d accomplished earlier than—establishing the housing, determining how gentle and movement labored under the floor, and simply troubleshooting in actual time. It was irritating at first, however as soon as I bought it dialed in, it opened up a very new world of potentialities.

Since then, it’s been fixed evolution—new lenses, new cameras, new methods—however the function has all the time been the identical. Photography is my instrument for exhibiting sharks the best way I see them: highly effective, sure, but additionally stunning, advanced, and worthy of respect moderately than worry. If my work can begin that dialog and alter even one particular person’s perspective, then it’s doing its job.

What do you’re keen on most about sharks, and what’s the very best a part of photographing them?

What I really like most about nice white sharks is that they’re basically dwelling dinosaurs. You’re within the water, sharing area with an apex predator, and but you may coexist with them—that’s not one thing you are able to do with lions or tigers. I’ve spent lots of of hours within the water with these sharks, and never as soon as have they ever proven aggression towards me. I’ve seen them aggressive towards different animals, certain, however by no means towards people. That shattered a false impression I carried with me into the cage—one which I feel lots of people have due to Hollywood and the best way sharks are portrayed.

Another factor I really like is how each single encounter is completely different. Some sharks are curious, some cautious, some have clearly simply eaten, others are looking. You by no means know what you’re going to get—it’s like Christmas morning each time you drop into the water. From a images standpoint, that unpredictability makes it each extremely difficult and deeply rewarding. The circumstances are all the time altering—gentle shifts, particles drift by means of, behaviors differ—and also you’ve bought to remain sharp. It calls for complete focus, however once you get it proper, it’s probably the most satisfying issues you may seize on digicam.

What’s the most important false impression you are feeling that individuals have about sharks?

The largest false impression individuals have about sharks is that the second you step into the ocean, you’re going to get ripped to shreds. That’s a narrative Hollywood has bought us for many years, however it couldn’t be farther from the reality. I’m within the water with nice whites on a regular basis, usually just some toes away, and so they’re utterly superb with me being there. Yes, there’s a cage, however actually, it’s extra for my peace of thoughts than the rest. If a shark actually needed in, it might. The actuality is, they’re not these senseless consuming machines individuals think about.

What I hope my work does is give sharks one other probability in individuals’s eyes. If somebody seems to be at certainly one of my pictures and begins to query what they thought they knew—in the event that they see the intelligence, the curiosity, or simply the sheer fantastic thing about the animal—then possibly they will put apart the outdated Hollywood narrative and begin seeing sharks for what they are surely.

How do you guarantee your security whereas within the water with sharks?

Safety relies upon so much on the scenario. At Guadalupe, the sharks are there to feed on the huge pinniped colonies—elephant seals, sea lions, fur seals—so the danger of mistaken id is actual if you happen to’re simply free-swimming. A shark trying up at your silhouette might simply confuse you for a seal. That’s why cages are the most secure choice there. They give individuals, particularly first-timers, the possibility to see one of many ocean’s prime apex predators up shut with out taking pointless dangers.

Other locations are a special story. When we’re out with blue sharks, makos, or different species, we often free-dive with no cage. In these instances, we use a bait line ethically to deliver the sharks in. The present carries the slick out, the sharks observe it in, and we meet them on their phrases. That’s when consciousness turns into every part. You hold eye contact, you identify presence, and if a shark comes a bit of too shut, a easy redirection—a hand on the snout to softly push them away—is usually sufficient. Usually, our guides deal with that so visitors can simply expertise the second.

Whether it’s in a cage or on a line, the hot button is respect. Sharks aren’t on the market looking us. If you keep calm, conscious, and assertive, they acknowledge you as one other huge presence within the water and customarily go away you alone.

Your love of sharks even extends into different inventive mediums, like charcoal drawings and sculpture. Is there any medium you haven’t but explored that you just’d wish to attempt?

I’ve explored a variety of completely different mediums with sharks—charcoal drawings, conventional sketching, and particularly sculpture by means of 3D printing. Drawing them is all the time enjoyable for me, regardless that water and floor element could be difficult to get proper. It’s a problem, however one I get pleasure from. With sculpture, I deal with recreating jaws. I’d by no means need a shark to die for the sake of its jaws, so 3D printing offers me a strategy to create correct replicas with none hurt. I also have a huge four-foot set of jaws in my kitchen that I constructed from a scan of a 22-foot white shark that was misplaced to bycatch. That piece grew to become the idea for a complete aspect enterprise the place I make customized jaws for individuals.

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with VR—drawing in three dimensions and truly strolling across the type of a shark. It looks like a glimpse into the way forward for how we would create and share artwork. For now, I’m principally in conventional mediums and 3D printing, however exploring extra immersive expertise like VR is certainly one thing I’d wish to hold pushing into.

I do know that shark conservation is a matter close to and expensive to you. Please inform us what we are able to do to assist be certain that sharks proceed to thrive.

If somebody is basically considering sharks, the very best factor they will do is definitely go and see them within the wild with a good, moral dive firm. Getting within the water with these animals—seeing them with your individual eyes—is the quickest strategy to break by means of the outdated fears and actually perceive simply how unbelievable they’re. Not everybody can try this, in fact, however for individuals who can, it’s life-changing.

For others, supporting conservation efforts is large. Do your homework. Make certain the group you’re backing is moral and clear, after which discover methods to contribute. That doesn’t all the time imply cash. Volunteering your time, spreading consciousness, or just serving to amplify the best voices could make an actual distinction.

I’m a giant advocate of ecotourism accomplished responsibly, as a result of it not solely funds analysis and conservation but additionally educates individuals in essentially the most direct manner potential. When individuals see sharks for themselves, they cease seeing monsters and begin seeing the very important position they play in our oceans. That shift in perspective is what helps guarantee sharks proceed to thrive.

What’s subsequent for you?

What’s subsequent for me is basically simply staying prepared for the second I can get again within the water with nice whites. Guadalupe, which was such an enormous a part of my work and my artwork, has been closed for just a few years now. There are rumors it would open once more, however till that’s official, I’m holding my deal with different elements of the world. New Zealand and Australia are on the prime of my listing. They’ve bought some unbelievable nice white exercise proper now, and I’d like to spend time there within the close to future. South Africa continues to be hit and miss, however it’s one other place I’d ultimately wish to discover.

In the meantime, I’m staying busy creating. I’m nonetheless deeply concerned in my artwork path at Dakota Shy, capturing big-wave browsing at Mavericks, and photographing music festivals like BottleRock, Aftershock, and Ohana. I’m making movies, creating artwork, and holding the momentum going throughout all these completely different inventive shops. But at the back of my thoughts, I’m all the time ready for the possibility to get again to what I really feel I used to be put right here to do—capturing white sharks. That’s the work that drives me most, and I’ll be prepared the second the chance comes.

Euan Rannachan: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to characteristic pictures by Euan Rannachan.

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