Photographer Profiles

California-based photographer/diver Alex Suh is someone you could conservatively describe as “fearless.” He has a passion for the ocean, and as you might suspect from his amazing images, he says he has always been fascinated with sharks—particularly the Great White.

 

A photo posted by Alex Suh (@divewet) on Sep 28, 2016 at 10:44pm PDT

Combine all that with a love of adventure and you can understand why Suh has traveled the globe photographing these awesome creatures, everywhere from Great Whites off Guadalupe to Tiger sharks and Hammerheads in the Bahamas.

At an early age Suh dreamed of being a marine biologist and started taking scuba lessons at the age of 14. By the time he received his certification and went on his first shark dive, his fascination with photographing the creatures was set.

 

A photo posted by Alex Suh (@divewet) on Sep 15, 2016 at 11:36pm PDT

In somewhat of an understatement, Suh says “sharks can be rather unpredictable when floating on the surface." To capture his surface shots he typically sits at the edge of a shark cage. Even so, he admits this is a rather dangerous pursuit: “Parts of your body are exposed and you can be bitten while attempting to get your shot.”

 

A photo posted by Alex Suh (@divewet) on Jul 23, 2016 at 6:09am PDT

Hence, Suh firmly believes in using a “spotter” to advise when a shark is approaching. “You will eventually see the shark, but only when it’s within just a few feet from you,” he explains, “which may be too late.”

As for technique, Suh thinks about composition in advance and tends to shoot at ISO 400 with an aperture of f/11 or f/16 to maximize depth of field. He says he prefers the sun at his back to minimize surface glare, noting it’s more difficult to see an approaching shark when facing into the sun.

 

A photo posted by Alex Suh (@divewet) on May 4, 2016 at 7:58am PDT

You can see more of Suh’s spectacular work on his website and Instagram page. And be sure to look at our earlier story of a teacher using a GoPro to shoot Great Whites, and another on the best Instagram photographer to follow on shark week. 

Via DPG