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Passing overhead, the beautifully sleek form of a silky shark—Florida’s most iconic “pelagic” shark and a frequent visitor during the summer months (Nikon D500, Nikon 18–55mm VR II, Nauticam housing, Nauticam WACP-1, dual Retra Flash strobes, f/13, 1/30s, ISO 80)
 

In the pantheon of world-class shark diving locations, the east coast of Florida certainly deserves a spot. For those looking to photograph sharks, over the course of a year, upwards of a dozen species can be realistically seen and photographed. My absolute favorite of the regularly encountered sharks are silky sharks. These pelagic wanderers arrive in southeast Florida in late April as the water warms, and hang around through August before they continue their journey south and west into the Gulf of Mexico.

Silky sharks are not only incredibly beautiful, with their sleek and classic “sharky” appearance, but they can be extremely curious and interactive—perfect for photography purposes. A good silky dive can bring 10 or more individuals up to photographers’ cameras, and they aren’t small! Big silky sharks aren’t uncommon and seeing ones that are 10-plus feet long is not unusual. Silkies are open ocean scavengers so the scent of chum in the water is irresistible, and once they’ve arrived on a dive, their curiosity is often enough to keep them engaged.
 

Showing off its classic “sharky” shape, a silky turns towards the camera (Sony A7S Mark III, Nikonos RS 13mm, Isotta housing, f/3.5, 1/250s, ISO 64)

Diving with Silkies

Nearly a dozen operators in Florida offer shark diving experiences, usually departing from Riviera Beach or Jupiter. Freediving, snorkel, and scuba trips for sharks are run every day of the year that weather allows. Silkies are typically a deeper water shark, and while they can occasionally be encountered in waters shallower than 100 feet, usually you have to head further offshore. In water deeper than about 150 feet, you’ve entered the realm of the silky. The deep, summer waters are often glassy-calm and visibility can exceed 100 feet. Watching a bronze colored silky materialize out of the impossibly blue Gulf Stream is a spectacular sight.

While I have partaken of both freedive and scuba trips, I prefer freediving with sharks when possible, as I like the extra light provided by being shallow and being able to include the surface in my frames. While certain shark species like tiger or bull are slightly less inclined to come to the surface, silkies have no such qualms and will spend the entire outing right at the surface with divers and photographers.
 

Silky sharks generally hang around for a while and give the opportunities to try all sorts of different images, like blacking out most of the background for dramatic portraits (Panasonic Lumix GH6, Olympus 14–42mm f/3.5–5.6 lens, Nauticam housing, Nauticam WWL-1, dual Sea&Sea YS-250 strobes, f/11, 1/320s, ISO 100)
 

While some operators don’t require it, I prefer to be completely covered from head to toe in black or blue colored gear, as it makes me less contrasty in the water, and thus less likely to receive unwanted attention if a shark mistakes a bare hand or lower leg as something worth investigating. While they are safe to dive with, as with any predatory shark, silkies must be treated with respect and taken seriously. There is no place for carelessness in the water.
 

Freediving with silkies is a fantastic experience: They are beautiful, bold, and interactive (Panasonic Lumix GH6, Olympus 14–42mm f/3.5–5.6 lens, Nauticam housing, Nauticam WWL-1, dual Sea&Sea YS-250 strobes, f/10, 1/80s, ISO 100)
 

Diving with multiple silkies keeps you on your toes. They are sneaky and will often appear from between your legs or over your shoulder (Sony A7S Mark III, Nikonos RS 13mm, Isotta housing, dual Kraken KR-S160 strobes, f/3.5, 1/250s, ISO 64)

Photographing Silky Sharks

Silkies are bold! A wider lens is a necessity for photographing these inquisitive sharks, as they are not afraid to come in close. The images in this article were all shot either with fisheye lenses or wide-angle water-contact optics. Whether it be the humble Tokina 10–17mm fisheye, or the venerable Nikonos RS 13mm, or the Nauticam WACP-1, wide lenses are best. Generally, I would prefer a non-fisheye, so as not to over-emphasize the already long snout of this species. That said, with the proper angles and perspectives, this “tadpole” effect can be avoided.

Fortunately, silkies generally give lots of opportunities on a given dive, allowing a photographer to attempt all sorts of images of different styles. My preferred aesthetic is a moderate slow shutter to give a sense of motion. The ocean is anything but static and I like to portray that constant movement in still images. Perhaps my biggest tip with photographing sharks in general is to focus on one type of image at a time. Don’t try to shoot close-up portraits and distant in-habitat shots and slow shutter—all at once. Optimize your settings and strobe positions and powers for one style of picture, nail it, and then move on to the next. This is how you will come back with several fantastic images versus a whole lot of mediocre pictures.
 

Dropping a few feet below the surface allowed this remarkably calm silky to cruise directly overhead for a frame-filling portrait (Canon EOS R7, Tokina 10–17mm Fisheye lens, Ikelite housing, dual Ikelite DS230 strobes, f/13, 1/13s, ISO 100)

Conservation

An unfortunate reality in Florida today is that sharks are still heavily fished—both legally and illegally—and persecuted. A depressing percentage of Florida’s sharks, especially silkies, sport fishing-related injuries. Sharks trailing dozens of feet of fishing line, with massive hooks cutting into their jaws, stab wounds, bullet holes—it is sickening. Perhaps the best way to help conserve sharks worldwide, including Florida, is to get out there and swim with them. It is a bit cliché, but people will protect the things they love, and if sharks are experienced up close and personal in their realm, it really is hard not to fall in love with them.
 

Sadly, hooked silky sharks are an all-too-common sight in Florida waters (Panasonic Lumix GH6, Olympus 14–42mm f/3.5–5.6 lens, Nauticam housing, Nauticam WWL-1, dual Sea&Sea YS-250 strobes, f/13, 1/20s, ISO 100)
 

About the Author: Matthew Sullivan is a Florida-based wildlife photographer who has been diving since he was 10 years old. He has traveled extensively, visiting well-known dive destinations such as Guadalupe Island, Indonesia and the Philippines, but he also likes to dive closer to home in Florida. When not taking pictures underwater, he can be found trekking mountains, or exploring national parks and rainforests in search of new adventures and wildlife encounters.