411 Dive Log Australasia April 2025

Nikon D810 16 TO 35 mm zoom lens. The challenge here is to illuminate the diver, Emma, as well as the shark and to avoid over exposing the very pale shark face. You have to move strobes around to the top of the frame and balance the natural back ground light whilst being careful to illuminate skin tones correctly in the green water.

They were ‘aghast’ when I selected my close-up lens to photograph the Silver Tip Whalers on Fathers reefs. However, I had a dive plan. I wanted to get full frontal face shots of Silver Tips in feeding mode. I sat with my back to a coral rock. My dive guide, Digger, was directly above me, waving a fish frame a few inches above my head. The two metre Silver Tips came at me at speed and took the bait. I took the photos when the shark was zooming in less than half a metre. By a stroke of luck, some turned out as expected.

I had some close-up photos of Silver Tips in full frame. Apart from the enormous exhilaration of the close encounter with my favourite shark of all, I was thrilled to get the shot. By the way, I have dived with sharks thousands of times and I never felt any fear; Just the pure joy of meeting a superb life form right up close and personal in all its majesty in the wild. The other thing about sharks, is that they have excellent table manners. They wait their turn.

91 Dive Log Australasia #411 April 2025

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