Apparently, the first sighting of a Basking Shark off the UK coastline was reported this week. This gets me very excited about getting back in the water with these huge sharks to get some more images. Basking Sharks start arriving in spring on the south coast, and by the time the summer arrives they can be spotted all around the UK. We are booked in for a 4 day weekend in June with Charles Hood in Cornwall, but hope to get down there sooner as well. Basking Sharks are endangered, but happily are protected in UK waters. All sightings should be reported to the Shark Trust's dedicated website to further scientific research to help understand more about these elusive creatures.
The images posted here are from June 2010. Basking Sharks, if you are lucky enough to find them, swim/feed in a regular pattern, hoovering up plankton, so you can get a feel for where they are swimming and position yourself, without chasing them away, to get a close pass. Sometimes they get so close that you can worry about being swallowed up whole! As they are so close to the surface, on sunny days, there is no need for strobes. Work on getting reflections, sun bursts and other natural light shots. Other tips for getting the "wow" shot of this amazing shark: watch out for backscatter as the water will be full of zooplankton; take lots of photos when you get the chance, as meeting one in the water is a rare and special event. Remember to enjoy the experience!
