For most people, sharks are magnificent creatures – but definitely the sort of beasts you would want to avoid coming into close contact with in a dark corner of the sea.
In fact, given the chance to get up close and personal with the most menacing of all fish, most of us would say a polite ‘no thankyou’.
But not Andy Murch.
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Rather you than me: In this image, Andy is almost able to reach out and touch the teeth of a great white
Ones to watch: ‘Even among the same species certain sharks have different personalities,’ Andy says
A photographer who can definitely be described as ‘fearless’, he specialises in incredible close-up images of these fabled predators of the sea.
And, as this incredible collection of images shows, he ventures where few others would go even with the protection of a shark cage – including within snap-jawed range of great white sharks.
Andy has photographed a whole host of sharks – from great whites and hammerheads to whale sharks – and always at a time when they are at their most ferocious: Feeding time.
A selfie with a difference: Andy pops up in shot for this close-up with a hammerhead shark
Coming right at ya! Andy’s knowledge of shark behaviour enables him to capture images in safety
By photographing the animals in such a way, Andy, 47, aims to show that the sharks are far more interested in eating fish than they are people.
In fact, in his 15 years of diving and interacting with these misunderstood animals, this daring British lensman’s only near-death experience occurred when his breathing equipment malfunctioned. ]
As this spectacular sequence of images shows, Andy calls on his extensive knowledge of the creatures to take the perfect picture of sharks feeding barely inches from his face.
Deceptive: A trick of the camera suggests that this big whale shark is about to devour a nearby snorkeller
Necessary skills: Andy says that ‘a deep understanding of shark behaviour is also absolutely critical’
By using a mixture of fish and squid to attract the sharks, Andy waits until their mouths are fully extended before taking each shot – and has never once been harmed.
Desperate to show sharks in a whole new light, Andy now runs an adventure travel company that brings people face-to-face with the majestic predators.
‘I’ve swum with countless sharks, and they generally show no aggression towards divers,’ he says.
‘When I do manage to entice sharks close to my camera, they sense the electrical fields surrounding my strobes and lights, but mostly they’re just looking for the fish that they can smell.’
Out of the deep: Andy says that sharks are misunderstood creatures – and that he has never been bitten
Black eyes, silver skin: The beauty of these astonishing creatures is wholly apparent in this photo
‘It’s important to respect these creatures. I don’t wear chain mail, but I do wear equipment that isn’t shiny or brightly coloured, because I don’t want a shark to think it sees a fish and bite me in its confusion.
‘The only near-death experience I’ve had was when my breathing equipment malfunctioned 100ft underwater, and I almost didn’t make it back to the surface.
‘Unfortunately, sharks are still portrayed as bloodthirsty monsters by Hollywood.
‘But, in reality, sharks are the ones that are under threat from us.
Anyone for a swim? This unnerving picture shows a crowd of sharks waiting under a dive boat
‘Their numbers have been reduced to a tiny fraction of what they once were.
‘We are in serious danger of losing some species if we continue to fish for them.’
There is, of course, considerable skill to what Andy does. Capturing a shark on camera at just the right moment is, he says, all about the speed of the cameraman.
‘It’s very difficult to get a good mouth-gape shot,’ he says.
‘Good reflexes and an underwater camera that has a fast-focusing, wide angle lens are both important. A deep understanding of shark behaviour is also absolutely critical. Every shark is different.
‘Even among the same species certain sharks have different personalities. Some get far more excited than others, so it’s very important to read the sharks and pay attention to how each one responds to me.’
