Mastering Underwater Shots with Alex Mustard

Alex Mustard turns his consideration to that true crowd-pleaser – shark images

Photographs by Alex Mustard

I like my rugby, so I’ve been glued to the telly for a lot of the autumn watching the egg-chasers’ World Cup. Once once more, when rugby reaches excessive stakes knockout matches, it’s the purpose kicker that so typically decides the match.

And for the second World Cup in a row, Handré Pollard of South Africa (and Leicester, who he was busy enjoying for when the event began) made the distinction when it counted, because the Springboks received three matches in a row by a single level to clinch the title.

op sportspeople actually present their mettle when the stress is at its best, coaching and preparation permitting them to carry out at these essential moments.

In many disciplines of underwater images, like the favored pursuits of reef huge angle and macro, we’ve time to assume and take into account our photographs. But when the motion hots up, equivalent to once we leap in with sharks, the character of the problem adjustments.

We want each sharp reactions and that spare capability to make good photographic selections underneath stress, to ensure we transcend a report shot and really profit from these alternatives.

Creating photographs that individuals wish to take a look at is an purpose that unites all photographers, and there’s no argument that this needs to be simpler when diving with thrilling topics. But the joy of those encounters – and the stress of desirous to get a shot – typically stifles our creativity.

This month’s column is about taking advantage of the dear alternatives that come when photographing sharks, a topic that’s assured to get our coronary heart pounding and our shutter finger pumping.

Photographing them usually includes some ready round, interspersed with high-octane moments. The problem is to maintain a cool head, when the chance presents itself and your adrenaline is flowing.

Like an elite sportsperson, the important thing to such success is preparation, figuring out your methods and figuring out how encounters will pan out.

A profitable shark photographer research the species, plans for the doubtless photographs, rehearses and optimizes settings. Then within the second we’ve to stay to our plan and take the absolute best model of the picture we’ve ready for, slightly than snapping away randomly.

Sharks are moderately simple to shoot. They are often higher photographed with a wide-angle zoom, than a fisheye.

Nauticam’s WWL and WACP lenses are my most well-liked choices as a result of they provide a really huge zoom vary, have a great angle of protection on the widest finish (130˚) and don’t make sharks look skinny and weedy like rectilinear huge angle lens do.

We typically use strobes to gentle them, balanced with the ambient gentle, however a number of the bigger species are photographed in ambient gentle solely.

Beyond that, the principle rule with shark images is that there’s positively not one measurement that matches all. The photographic method differs drastically species to species, location to location and in addition with how the encounters are run by the operators.

Starting with the largest species, basking and whalesharks, the principle problem is commonly discovering them and getting good encounters.

The majority of photographs are taken snorkelling with out flash, though in a couple of locations the place whalesharks are drawn to boats, equivalent to within the Maldives or Indonesia, there will be the prospect to dive and use flash.

When capturing with out there gentle it is very important use it properly, swim barely in direction of the solar because the shark approaches, so it passes you with the solar on it. With whalesharks, in case you have the abilities it is usually attainable to freedive beneath them and shoot silhouettes.

Sharks that relaxation on the seabed are favourites with photographers as a result of they don’t swim away, permitting us time to compose them of their surroundings, or get shut ups of faces and different particulars.

Nurse sharks are a widespread instance, however I additionally love the angel sharks of the Canaries, the wobbegongs of Raja Ampat and the resting whitetips of Socorro.

Other sharks, like scalloped hammerheads, supply ephemeral encounters, the reward for venturing into their realm and ready quietly and patiently for them to method. With such restricted alternatives, being prepared together with your lighting and settings is important.

Reef sharks are extra dependable, however typically cautious and may keep past splendid images vary. In some areas we might use bait or chum to draw them in. Some of you might not agree with attracting sharks with the scent of a meal and I’m not right here to vary your thoughts.

I believe we should always all solely take the forms of underwater images we’re proud of, however I’ll share why I’m joyful to make use of bait, as a result of I see so many locations world wide the place the sharks have been fished out.

And baited sharks positively assist shield shark populations by turning them right into a dwelling commodity for the area people. Baited dives give repeatable and predictable encounters and are the simplest technique to shoot sharks. Challenge your self to transcend the apparent photographs and to strive extra superior methods, like lengthy exposures.

Many of the largest sharks require bait. Over the final 20 years various tiger shark dives have been developed world wide. Tiger sharks are clever and rapidly adapt to those dives, however they continue to be extremely highly effective predators.

Do your analysis completely and select your operator and placement fastidiously to have a protected and respectful expertise. Just as a result of others have executed a dive, doesn’t imply it’s properly run.,

Safety is an enormous a part of these dives, following the native operators directions and keep away from getting caught in your viewfinder, oblivious to what’s going on round you. Practice capturing from the hip, aiming on the pectoral fin on the shark, not its head, so that you keep away from chopping off its tail in images.

The nice white is high of the shark tree and all of the dependable encounters with them are baited. All operators additionally use cages, which restrict our motion and images choices, however do imply we’re freer to give attention to our digital camera than on different huge shark dives.

White sharks are stealthy and also you want you senses on crimson alert so that you don’t miss a move.

This range of experiences is a part of what makes shark images such a satisfying department of underwater images.

It is a style that rewards these that may carry out within the essential second of a detailed move. It is not any marvel some underwater photographers get completely addict to such a images. In future columns, we’ll dive deeper into the specifics of various shark dives.