Underwater photography: how photographers take incredible photos of ocean life, and bring to light issues of marine behaviour and conservation
- Underwater photographers can take years learning how to dive and perfect their art, working under a range of constraints not endured on land
- Some teach others the technical aspects of their craft, combining travel and the guiding of scuba divers in some of the world’s best underwater locations
In May 2022, while at work as a photographer for Ocean Eco Adventures, Ollie Clarke was exploring the depths of Ningaloo Reef, off Western Australia. Swimming just a few feet away from him was a whale shark surrounded by a huge bait ball.
A bait ball is a spherical, dense swarm of often panicked fish, assumed when large predators are nearby and there’s no nook or cranny to cower in. Fish hide behind one another in a thick, ball-like shape, which exposes the fewest to the predator.
“Whale sharks are deepwater fish, spending most of their time way offshore in the pelagic zone [the immense volume of water that makes up the middle layer of the ocean], where there is nowhere to hide,” Clarke says.
“Often, small fish will use whale sharks for shelter and even transport – they ride the bow wave of the whale shark as it swims through the water.”
On that occasion, more and more fish, including other predators such as giant trevally, gathered around the whale shark.
“Usually, the trevally will pick off the smaller fish when the whale shark is in deep water and then retreat when it comes to the surface, giving the [shark] an opportunity to feed on plankton.
