Diving Up Close with Marine Life: Guidelines for Capturing Memorable Shots

Diving Up Close with Marine Life: Guidelines for Capturing Memorable Shots

Isla de Guadalupe, located off Baja California, approximately 400km (250 miles) southwest of Ensenada, is a renowned destination for cage diving with great white sharks. This biosphere reserve is home to a variety of natural prey for white sharks, including yellowfin tuna, Guadalupe fur seals, California sea lions, and northern elephant seals.

The best times to visit Isla de Guadalupe for cage diving with great white sharks are July and August, when energetic male sharks are most common, and October and November, when large females arrive.

For photographing the white sharks, the recommended setup includes fast shutter speeds to freeze motion, around 1/500 sec or faster to capture sharks in action underwater, as 1/320 sec was borderline in such conditions. Operators use tuna heads or tails as bait to attract the sharks close to the cages without feeding them, enhancing photo opportunities.

A camera capable of high shutter speeds (1/500 sec or faster recommended), underwater housing suitable for your camera model to ensure waterproofing, dual strobes or strong underwater lighting to illuminate subjects clearly and capture color, especially at depth, and wide-angle or fisheye lenses are typically preferred to capture the large sharks and their environment up close.

For instance, a Sony a6700, underwater housing, and dual Kraken KS-160 strobes were used on a comparable great white shark cage diving expedition in South Australia, illustrating the value of high-quality compact mirrorless cameras with capable strobe lighting for sharp, vivid underwater photos.

In summary:

| Best Time to Visit Guadalupe for Cage Diving | Recommended Photography Equipment and Settings | |---------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | July - August (males), October - November (large females) | Camera with fast shutter (≥1/500 sec), underwater housing, strong strobes or lights, wide-angle lens |

These months provide the best shark encounters, while fast shutter speeds and good lighting are essential to capture clear images of these powerful, fast-moving predators in underwater cage diving conditions.

No direct mention in the results about specific Guadalupe water conditions or visibility, but the seasonality aligns with best photo ops due to shark presence. If you pursue a trip, confirm with operators for any updated closures or regulations, as some recent closures at Guadalupe Island for diving have been reported elsewhere.

For those interested in experiencing cage diving with great white sharks at Isla de Guadalupe, George Probst, a seasoned shark diver and photographer, leads a group trip from September 24 - 29, 2016, organized by Bluewater Travel. Probst has been diving with and photographing sharks since 2006 and hopes his photography promotes responsible wildlife conservation.

Some well-known sharks at the island include "Tzitzimitl," a large female great white who is missing the upper portion of her caudal fin (tail), and "Lucy," a female great white shark who has been visiting Isla de Guadalupe for years, with a uniquely damaged caudal fin (tail) and generally curious nature.

For those interested in learning more about shark photography, tips for photographing sharks and silvery fish, and wide-angle underwater photo basics can be found in the further reading section.

[1] 10 Epic Shark Dive Destinations for Photographers [2] Tips for Photographing Sharks and Silvery Fish [3] Wide-Angle Underwater Photo Basics

The author, George Probst, spends his working days as a digital media specialist and user experience (UX) advocate.

Trips to Guadalupe are on a live-aboard basis due to the long boat trip from Ensenada. Dive duration in the submersible cage depends on depth, while dive time in the surface cage is limited by available space. Cage diving at Guadalupe is significantly different than open water scuba or free diving, with divers being negatively buoyant and using a 50lbs. vest and 5lbs. ankle weights each leg.

Shooting underwater in the cages is like shooting from a blind, with some wiggle room to move around and openings in the cages for larger rigs. The position of the sun and the calmness of the surface can create varied light patterns on the sharks. Activity at the surface can be circus-like when bait is used to attract sharks, while behavior down deeper can be more "laid-back." The bottom drops to depths of 60-90m (200-300') not far from shore at Guadalupe, creating a visibly bottomless view from above.

It's worth noting that surface cages are the standard type of cage, attached to the back of the boat with floating tops, while some operators also offer submersible cages.

For those seeking more information about underwater photography equipment, George Probst uses a Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 17-40L F4 Lens, Ikelite 5D Mark III housing, and Ikelite 8" dome port for his underwater photography. Fisheye lenses are also popular among underwater shooters.

This article was written by George Probst, a digital media specialist and user experience advocate by day, and a passionate shark photographer by passion.

1. Isla de Guadalupe, a renowned destination for cage diving with great white sharks, is located off Baja California and is home to a variety of natural prey for white sharks.
2. The best times to visit Isla de Guadalupe for cage diving with great white sharks are July and August, when energetic male sharks are most common, and October and November, when large females arrive.
3. For photographing the white sharks, the recommended setup includes fast shutter speeds to freeze motion, strong strobes or lights, and wide-angle or fisheye lenses.
4. No direct mention in the results about specific Guadalupe water conditions or visibility, but the seasonality aligns with best photo ops due to shark presence.
5. George Probst, a seasoned shark diver and photographer, leads a group trip for cage diving with great white sharks at Isla de Guadalupe from September 24 - 29, 2016, organized by Bluewater Travel.
6. For those interested in shark photography, tips for photographing sharks and silvery fish, and wide-angle underwater photo basics can be found in the further reading section.
7. Trip to Guadalupe is on a live-aboard basis due to the long boat trip from Ensenada and divers are negatively buoyant during cage diving, using a 50lbs. vest and 5lbs. ankle weights each leg.
8. Shooting underwater in the cages is like shooting from a blind, with some wiggle room to move around and openings in the cages for larger rigs, and activity at the surface can be circus-like when bait is used to attract sharks, while behavior down deeper can be more "laid-back."

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