Articles

By Jeremy Cuff

The Idea

By this stage of my trip, three days in, I’d learned that Mexico’s Socorro Islands were full of photographic opportunities and challenges in equal measure, with divers tending to spend a lot of time hovering in the blue, waiting for the “big things”. But seeing is one thing, getting close enough for good photography is another, especially if you plan on using a fish eye, which is my lens of choice.

As a result of the animals not getting close, I’d found that I was taking fewer pictures than I would normally do. A photographer might only get one or two close encounters on each dive, so it was important to be in “ready for action” mode. This was put to the test at the excellent Roca Partida seamount.

Due to the random nature of the encounters, I can best summarize my approach by saying that there wasn’t any pre-conceived “idea” about what to capture other than a general awareness of the light levels, ensuring that the camera and strobe settings are thought out in advance, and having an alertness to any opportunities that may present themselves on the dive, which will likely be fleeting and unrepeatable.

The Shot

On the first dive at “the rock”, as I scrambled to get my camera from the boatman (or “Pangero”) after a backwards roll into the water, I heard,  “Jeremy, quick get the camera, sharks!”

This dive was a real stroke of luck; we’d been dropped into the path of huge school of Silky Sharks, possibly numbering a thousand individuals. It was an incredible sight and is often referred to in the diving community as “shark wallpaper” and an increasingly rare spectacle in today’s impoverished seas.

The school moved quickly, forming and reforming in a swirling vortex as divers kicked hard into the blue to get as close to the action as possible. We also noticed that a few dolphins joined the fray too.

This early morning dive offered little light underwater, so it was vitally important to be ready – in this case I’d already set my ISO to 400 in anticipation. It was also overcast, with the morning sun occasionally peeking through the gaps.

The “wall of sharks” was encountered upon entry into the water, and upon the descent through blue water with no visual reference, so it was crucial to think quickly and intuitively about the settings, taking into consideration the brightness at the surface and the darkness below. It was all over very quickly, as the sharks soon moved away.

During our remaining dives at Roca Partida over two days, we enjoyed other encounters with Silky Sharks, but not in the same numbers seen on the first dive. As with any schooling fish it was a case of trying to make sense, photographically, of what you’re seeing before the opportunity had passed. In essence, you’re looking for order amongst chaos, shapes amid randomness, and being prepared to kick hard for it in the current.

The crew of the liveaboard, the Solmar V, including Rey (a veteran of 9 years experience diving these remote volcanic isles) and marine biologist Eric couldn’t contain their enthusiasm for what we had witnessed. It was the most sharks that they’d ever seen in a single dive.

Though “shark wallpaper” images are nothing new in underwater photography, it was certainly a new experience to me, and I was delighted to be able to capture this spectacular but fleeting spectacle. It always gets a “wow” from anyone that sees it.

About The Author

Jeremy Cuff is a UK based underwater & travel photographer, photojournalist and enthusiast of the natural world. He's travelled extensively and his work is regularly and increasingly published in diving magazines and websites. You can see more of Jeremy's work on his website.