Articles

Is it any wonder that the public image of an animal can be swayed by, well, an image? That’s the goal of Photographer of the Week, Steven Anderson, who in recent years has seen his photo library become filled to the brim with images of sharks, sharks and more sharks.

Kicking off DPG’s month-long celebration of sharks, Steven’s portfolio is appropriate to our editorial message: Positive images of sharks interacting with humans can help dispel the negative image of sharks as mindless predators. Steven’s knack for conveying the connection between photographic subject and the viewer dates back to receiving his first Instamatic camera and waterproof housing at the age of 12. He had an immediate desire to share what he saw underwater with others.

Fast-forward a decade (or two) and Steven’s award-winning images and public presentations within his community continue to change perspectives of sharks. He is also an active member of SharkSavers.Org and leads shark photography trips annually in an effort to educate divers and photograph sharks in their natural environment.
 

Colorful and healthy reef systems provide sharks with lots of food and promote healthy ecosystems. These reef sharks patrol the reef like a squadron of jets
 

Lemon sharks swim aimlessly across the darkened Tiger Beach, located off the West End Bahamas. They often bump into you in the dark of night…
 

Lemon sharks hover and interact with each other in hopes of a snack from chum baskets at Tiger Beach, Bahamas
 

Crystal River in Northern Florida: This manatee wanted to play with Steven and was very photogenic
 

The reef shark is the most common shark found on the coral reefs of the Bahamas. They spend much of their time hunting
 

Tiger sharks make their home at a shallow sandbar area known as Tiger Beach—which gets its name from these big sharks
 

Safety stops and surfacing on a shark dive provide great opportunities for a different type of image
 

Emma the world-famous tiger shark makes her appearance at Tiger Beach
 

This image represents a bit of family time. These beautiful spotted dolphin enjoy the clear blue water of the Bahamas to search for breakfast
 

This hawksbill turtle was a pleasant surprise to Steven, staying with him for half of a dive on the Sugar Wreck in the clear blue waters of the Bahamas
 

Steven fresh out of the water after a dive—one probably involving some sharky subjects

For more information on Steven’s work, both photographic and conservation-based, make sure to visit his official website.