The Hunter

Oceanic Whitetips are masters of illusion, using countershading—a natural form of camouflage—to remain concealed in the vast blue. Their dark brown dorsal side blends seamlessly with the abyss below, while their pale underside mirrors the sunlit surface above, making them nearly invisible to both prey and potential threats. This evolutionary advantage allows them to approach unsuspecting targets with ease, striking with precision when the moment is right. In the open ocean, where there are no reefs or rocks to hide behind, survival depends on blending into the elements. In the balance of shadow and light, the Oceanic Whitetip thrives. I shot this photo during a trip to French Polynesia with a few friends—some of them shark divers and some scientists. We only had a three-hour window on the water before catching our boat back to Tahiti from Moorea, so we went straight out to a FAD (Fish Aggregation Device), which fishermen use offshore to attract pelagic species. These floating structures become a hub of life in the open blue, drawing in fish and, sometimes, sharks. We were over thousands of feet of deep water and had no idea if we'd even see a single shark. But within five minutes of arriving, we spotted our first Oceanic Whitetip. Then another… and eventually five of them. No bait, no chum—just us quietly floating, engines off, and these curious sharks circling us for over an hour. Oceanic Whitetips are opportunistic hunters, always investigating anything unfamiliar in their environment. In the vast blue desert of the open ocean, every encounter could mean survival—so they check everything out. Luckily for us, that curiosity didn’t turn into lunch. It was one of the most unforgettable and humbling encounters I’ve had out in the open sea.