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Not Your Average Teenage Underwater Photographer
By Jason Heller, August 21, 2008 @ 02:00 AM (EST)
Editor's Note: We receive many stories and images from DPG members, recounting amazing trips, adventures and experiences. I'm often very impressed. But one day recently I received an email from Matthais Scheer, a 15 year old underwater photographer, which really blew me away. Surely there are many young underwater photographers out there, but as you'll soon see, Matthias is off to a great start. Makes me think back to what I was doing when I was 15, definitely nothing like what you're about to read - enjoy!
by Matthias Scheer
I live onboard a 96' dive/research boat with my mom and two Costa Rican crew members. I am 15 years old and photography is my life and obsession. We are currently traveling and doing dive charters in and around Panama and Costa Rica. I have a Nikon D200 in a Subal Housing with Sea and Sea strobes and my mom shoots HD video with a Sony FX1 in a Light and Motion housing.
These photos are from Phantom's most recent adventure out to Cocos Island. They are all from one gigantic bait ball that we were able to spot from the surface by the tell tale signs of slashing fins and diving birds. Apparently, a huge log sheltering thousands of baitfish had providentially drifted into Chatham Bay at Cocos Island from many miles away in open water. The log brought in literally hundreds of oceanic sharks and tuna into uncommonly shallow water approximately 30-50 feet. Even from the surface, it was an unbelievable vision.
At the sight of such a magnificent feat of nature, I begged my mom to let me swim to the bait ball to get some pictures, but to no avail. There was no way she was going to let me venture into the very middle of ferociously feeding sharks by myself. Thankfully for me Clay Jorgensen, owner and diver master from Panama Divers, offered to go in with me. My mom reluctantly allowed me to go into the chaotic frenzy.
Hastily putting on an oversized BCD, I dove into the water, closely followed by Clay. At first I couldn't see any clear signs of shark mayhem, but that soon changed. A school of countless assorted baitfish appeared, surrounded by the silhouettes of hundreds of tuna and sharks. Even as I approached the bait ball more "sharks came, renting great holes in the bait ball's protective school and killing dozens of fish. As we came closer to the main action I was mesmerized by its strange, savage beauty. One could even say there was a certain order to how the bait ball was slowly decimated. The sharks and tuna would work together; the sharks killing and stunning all in their path, and the tuna picking off any weak or injured bait. There was no escape for anything inside the ball.
It is a great wonder then, after observing this mass destruction and slaughter performed by the sharks and tuna, that I decided to go into the action zone - the bait ball itself. Maybe it was my feeling of invincibility behind the camera that gave me the courage. Either way, I got very close to a lot of very big, hungry sharks - sometimes I would have to use my camera to scare the sharks away to a safe distance. This was wonderful to get some great photos, but terrible for my mom who was watching from the surface. I'm surprised she didn't have a heart attack after seeing me among innumerable sharks. This experience was definitely the highlight of my Cocos Island Trip.
Matthias
Matthias' Mom Susan (hey thanks for letting Matthias get in and shoot the sharks!)
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