Photographing the World’s Biggest Shark | National Geographic

as a professional filmmaker and

as a professional filmmaker and photographer Tom Campbell pursues light

photographer Tom Campbell pursues light

photographer Tom Campbell pursues light and motion but under the sea he must

and motion but under the sea he must

and motion but under the sea he must also predict the behavior of a wild

also predict the behavior of a wild

also predict the behavior of a wild animal

animal

animal there’s an area that you can’t call the

there’s an area that you can’t call the

there’s an area that you can’t call the shot you don’t know what the animal is

shot you don’t know what the animal is

shot you don’t know what the animal is going to do so you make a calculated

going to do so you make a calculated

going to do so you make a calculated risk and you depend on your experience

risk and you depend on your experience

risk and you depend on your experience and your training and your abilities of

and your training and your abilities of

and your training and your abilities of photographer but you’ve always got that

photographer but you’ve always got that

photographer but you’ve always got that overwhelming desire to get that picture

Ningaloo reef Western Australia

Ningaloo reef Western Australia whale sharks are the largest fish in the

whale sharks are the largest fish in the

whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea

sea

sea and can grow to more than 30 feet long

and can grow to more than 30 feet long

and can grow to more than 30 feet long to showcase their enormous size Tom

to showcase their enormous size Tom

to showcase their enormous size Tom needs something or someone in the frame

needs something or someone in the frame

needs something or someone in the frame that someone is a drew Ross who didn’t

that someone is a drew Ross who didn’t

that someone is a drew Ross who didn’t learn to scuba dive until she turned 50

learn to scuba dive until she turned 50

learn to scuba dive until she turned 50 the trip to Australia was a great way to

the trip to Australia was a great way to

the trip to Australia was a great way to start my diving experience I knew it was

start my diving experience I knew it was

start my diving experience I knew it was going to be something sterling and

going to be something sterling and

going to be something sterling and exciting as a seasoned professional tom

exciting as a seasoned professional tom

exciting as a seasoned professional tom knows he can’t force the magic but he’s

knows he can’t force the magic but he’s

knows he can’t force the magic but he’s always ready

suddenly he sees his chance as a shark

suddenly he sees his chance as a shark starting to swim away we suddenly saw he

starting to swim away we suddenly saw he

starting to swim away we suddenly saw he opened up his mouth in this school of

opened up his mouth in this school of

opened up his mouth in this school of yellow fish that was below him moved

yellow fish that was below him moved

yellow fish that was below him moved right up into the center of his mouth

right up into the center of his mouth

right up into the center of his mouth Tom and aedra kick into high gear and

Tom and aedra kick into high gear and

Tom and aedra kick into high gear and swim hard to overtake the whale shark

swim hard to overtake the whale shark

swim hard to overtake the whale shark she’s swimming as hard as you can and I

she’s swimming as hard as you can and I

she’s swimming as hard as you can and I needed to catch up with the shark

needed to catch up with the shark

needed to catch up with the shark pushing the camera helping and while I

pushing the camera helping and while I

pushing the camera helping and while I was swimming I had to set the distance I

was swimming I had to set the distance I

was swimming I had to set the distance I had to set the f-stop to the light

had to set the f-stop to the light

had to set the f-stop to the light factor and I had to get everything set

factor and I had to get everything set

factor and I had to get everything set up on the lens just right I swam ahead

up on the lens just right I swam ahead

up on the lens just right I swam ahead of the shark got to the point where I

of the shark got to the point where I

of the shark got to the point where I could turn around but just enough time

could turn around but just enough time

could turn around but just enough time to squeeze the shutter so I got one shot

to squeeze the shutter so I got one shot

to squeeze the shutter so I got one shot squeeze it off and that was it Tom’s

squeeze it off and that was it Tom’s

squeeze it off and that was it Tom’s single frame proved to be a winner

the light was right the animal was there

the light was right the animal was there the diver was in position I got that

the diver was in position I got that

the diver was in position I got that split second they captured some kind of

split second they captured some kind of

split second they captured some kind of magic and it was a killer shot