Big Animals – Ragged Tooth Sharks, USA
Lovingly nicknamed “raggies,” the ragged tooth shark, or sand tiger, will make any photographer’s day with a shot of their many rows of fang-like teeth. Raggies take part in an annual migration covering over 600 miles. They mate in warmer northern waters, moving briefly even further north during the summer months and then returning to their nursing grounds in cooler waters in the south.
NORTH CAROLINA, USA
During the summer months, divers flock to North Carolina for the opportunity to dive countless wrecks. However, it’s what’s inside those wrecks that brings big animal photographers: dozens of sand tiger sharks.
When to Dive
Ragged tooth sharks can be seen all year round but the summer months are best.
Another reliable destination for Ragged Tooth Sharks in Australia’s Byron Bay. Located on the east coast of the country, Byron Bay regularly features dozens of these sharks along with manta rays, and leopard sharks. Go with Byron Bay Dive Centre or Sun Dive.
Do not swim after the sharks to get your photos. Wait patiently for them to swim to you, or swim slowly and steadily at an angle aimed ahead of them to intercept. Relax, breathe easy, be calm, minimize motion and do not make sudden movements with arms or feet. Getting close will be difficult if you do.
Do not touch the sharks. They may be lethargic and in a trance like-state, but will come to life quickly and dart from the area in a split second if you startle them.
Wrecks make excellent backdrops for your shark photos. Get the shark between you and the wreck in your viewfinder. Find where the sharks are loitering, compose your shot using an interesting part of the wreck as a background, and hope one (or more) will swim into your scene. This approach doesn’t always work, but when it does, your efforts will result in compelling images.
Be patient! Book as many days of diving as you can. Your first or second attempt diving North Carolina wrecks might not yield great sand tiger shots due to adverse weather, poor dive conditions or poor shark numbers. But persistence will pay off in the end.—Mike Gerken
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"Hawa ni aina ya papa wenye meno ya matete, wanaoitwa ""raggies"" au ""sand tiger"" na wanaonekana kama viungo vyao vya mbele." Kwa mfano, kila mwaka ndege hao husafiri umbali wa kilometa zaidi ya 600. Wao huoa katika maji ya kaskazini yenye joto, wakisafiri kwa muda mfupi kuelekea kaskazini zaidi wakati wa miezi ya kiangazi, kisha wanarudi kwenye maeneo yao ya kulea katika maji baridi zaidi kusini. Katika majira ya joto, wavuvi huja Carolina Kaskazini kwa ajili ya fursa ya kupiga mbizi kwenye mabaki mengi ya meli. Hata hivyo, ni kile kilicho ndani ya mabaki hayo kinachowasilisha wapiga picha wa wanyama wakubwa: makumi ya papa-tiger wa mchanga. Wakati wa kupiga mbizi Papa wenye meno yaliyochakaa waweza kuonekana mwaka mzima lakini miezi ya kiangazi ndiyo bora zaidi. Mahali pengine panapofaa kwa ajili ya Sharks Ragged Tooth katika Ghuba ya Byron ya Australia. Kisiwa cha Byron Bay, kilicho kwenye pwani ya mashariki ya nchi hiyo, huwa na samaki wengi kama vile manta ray, shark, na leopard. Nenda na Byron Bay Dive Center au Sun Dive. Usiogee baada ya papa ili upate picha zako. Ngoja kwa subira ili waogelee kwako, au uogelee polepole na kwa mwelekeo wa mbele ili kuwakamata. Kupumzika, kupumua kwa urahisi, kuwa mtulivu, kupunguza mwendo na usifanye harakati za ghafla na mikono au miguu. Ni vigumu kukaribia ikiwa utafanya hivyo. Usiwaguse papa. Wanaweza kuwa na uchovu na katika hali kama ya kutetemeka, lakini wataamka haraka na kutoroka katika eneo hilo kwa sehemu ya sekunde ikiwa utawashangaza. Mabaki ya meli hufanya mandhari nzuri sana kwa ajili ya picha zako za papa. Kupata papa kati ya wewe na mabaki katika viewfinder yako. Tafuta mahali ambapo papa wanazunguka, andika picha yako kwa kutumia sehemu yenye kupendeza ya mabaki ya meli kama mandhari, na tumaini kwamba mmoja (au zaidi) ataogelea ndani ya eneo lako. Njia hii haifanyi kazi kila wakati, lakini inapofanya hivyo, juhudi zako zitasababisha picha zenye kushawishi. Uwe na subira! Kitabu siku nyingi za kupiga mbizi kama unaweza. Jaribio lako la kwanza au la pili la kupiga mbizi kwenye mabaki ya meli ya North Carolina huenda likatoka kwa picha mbaya za mwitu wa mchanga kwa sababu ya hali mbaya ya hewa, hali mbaya ya kupiga mbizi au idadi ndogo ya papa. Lakini uvumilivu utalipa mwishowe. <unk>Mike Gerken Mpango wa Adventure yako >