The images were taken at Red Bluff on Quobba Station in Western Australia.
I was headed to Red Bluff with my family as I knew there was some big surf on the way. This is a very remote camping location where the desert meets the Indian Ocean.
When I arrived with my family, the first thing I noticed was this huge bait ball. I could see from the camp that there were also a few sharks cruising through the bait fish. I was stuck between trying to set up camp for my family and also trying to capture this amazing moment.
After about 30 minutes of trying to set up camp, I had to quit and fly the drone. Once I got the drone in the air I was amazed at just how many sharks there were. Over 200 bronze whaler sharks feeding on the bait ball. The surf was pumping and it was awesome to see. I filmed the sharks for about one hour when I noticed the baitfish got pushed in very close to the shore. I could then see some big sharks close to the waves. It was then when I decided to land the drone and pick up my big camera and lens to try and see if I could get a shot of the sharks from the beach.
The shore break was quite large so the first wave came and I fired off a test shot to get my exposure and focus right. The very next wave rose up right on the shore and sure enough, there were 2 big sharks in excess of 2 meters in the wave. These sharks almost got washed onto the beach. I snapped away and ended up with 3 of my favorite shots. I stayed and waited for a further 2 hours and did not see them in that close again. It was awesome to watch as the surf was also very good and a lot of surfers surfing very closely without any problems.
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Phenomenal shot! Glad you landed the drone and took out your camera.
Beautiful. Just beautiful. One nanosecond of frenetic activity, speed, and the grace of two apex predators captured, frozen in time.
So the black is just fish? A bait ball, or baitball, occurs when small fish swarm in a tightly packed spherical formation about a common centre. It is a last-ditch defensive measure adopted by small schooling fish when they are threatened by predators. Per Wikipedia
Thank you, I had no idea what a bait ball was lol
Load More Replies...This is a Nat Geo shot. Tells a story with unusual shapes and amazing color. The hole in the bait school surrounding the lone shark is unique and compelling.
This is where background information changes the whole meaning. By itself, it looks like the surfers are in danger of attack. But knowing there is a bait school in the surf means the sharks are looking for easier prey.
Humans are not a prey of sharks, they don't like the taste of human flesh and can't digest it well. If we were there would be huge shark gatherings at every bathing beach. Most of the attacks happen either because the shark mistakes the human for something else or because there is an encounter in shallow water where it is difficult for the shark to escape so he attacks. And sometimes they just like to play / taste which is obviously something very bad to happen for the human.
Load More Replies...It's called a bait ball. It's basically a massive school of fish that swim together tightly to protect themselves from predictors nearby.
Load More Replies...Very nice juxtaposition of beach houses, shore, ocean and black, sinuous bait school!
more people are killed every year by coconuts falling from trees & hitting them on the head, than they do from shark attacks. If anything, you should be scared of trees. ;) :P
Load More Replies...It looks like the face of a cat oblivious of a fish right above his head.
Stunning photo! Made me wonder, if the sharks are scared if they get caught in such a wave that they won't be able to get free :D Just a random curious thought :D
I kinda wondered if they did it on purpose because they enjoyed it. We'll probably never know. Great pictures though.
Load More Replies...Keeps reminding me to visit wonderful Australia :-) Australia's food tv shows are awesome!
Marvelous photos. What a great joy it must give let alone to get to witness such a grand show of Nature. Thank you for sharing these moments.
Just had to be you... follow this guy on Instagram for amazing photography
Stunning photo! Made me wonder, if the sharks are scared if they get caught in such a wave that they won't be able to get free :D Just a random curious thought :D
I kinda wondered if they did it on purpose because they enjoyed it. We'll probably never know. Great pictures though.
Load More Replies...Keeps reminding me to visit wonderful Australia :-) Australia's food tv shows are awesome!
Marvelous photos. What a great joy it must give let alone to get to witness such a grand show of Nature. Thank you for sharing these moments.
Just had to be you... follow this guy on Instagram for amazing photography
