There are places in the world where nature sets the stage so perfectly, it feels unreal…

Guadalupe Island is one of them.

With some of the clearest visibility on the planet, the waters surrounding this volcanic island off the coast of Mexico offer more than just shark encounters. It offer light, drama, and dimension.

Here, the sun doesn’t just shine—it pierces the ocean, sending down beams of light that dance through the water.

Seeing the light dance is like something out of a dream.

I call them god rays (I didn’t coin the phrase, but I believe it.). When that light break through the surface, it feels less like diving and more like stepping into an underwater cathedral.

But what truly makes this place special isn’t just the light… it’s the subject.

The great white shark, arguably the most iconic predator on the planet, moves through the frame with power, grace, and mystery. And when that movement is wrapped in perfect light?

That’s when photographs stop being documentation and start becoming something else entirely.

Great white shark photography isn’t just about being in the water with them—it’s about knowing how to work with the conditions you're given. And at Guadalupe, the conditions are something special.

Because of the incredible water clarity and the quality of light, you’re able to shoot with more flexibility than in most shark diving locations. On this trip, settings made all the difference.

I shot the majority of my images at 1/250 to 1/320 shutter speed, f/9, and ISO 400.

Normally, when I’m shooting over deep water, I have to crank the ISO up to 800 or even 1000 just to compensate for light loss. But at Guadalupe, the visibility and natural light are so clean that I was able to drop the ISO down to 400—reducing noise and letting the clarity of the water and the detail of the shark speak for themselves.

The f/9 aperture gave me just the right depth of field to keep the shark tack sharp while letting the background light beams fall off softly—keeping that surreal, glowing atmosphere intact.

It’s a reminder that the ocean gives you moments—but it’s your settings that preserve them.

Photographing white sharks at Guadalupe isn’t without its obstacles—and one of the biggest is also the most visible: the cage.

I’ll be honest—I’m not a fan of shooting from cages. But I also understand why they’re necessary. Not to protect divers from the sharks, but to protect the sharks from the divers.

If everyone were allowed to swim freely with great whites, the potential for accidents would skyrocket. Not just from people ignoring safety protocols around an apex predator—but from inexperienced divers with poor buoyancy control, chasing sharks too deep or drifting away from the vessel entirely. It would be chaos. And eventually, something would happen that would ruin it for everyone—and for the sharks most of all.

So the cages stay.

But they do make photography challenging. The surface cages are attached to the dive vessel, and as swells pass through, they rock—sometimes violently. Trying to frame a moving subject while you’re being tossed around isn’t easy. Add in bubbles from other divers, bars in the way, and the fact that you’re sharing the space, and you’ve got to work hard for each shot.

But when it all lines up—the light, the shark, the split second of stillness—it’s magic.

Lessons Learned Beneath the Surface

After all these years, white sharks still teach me something every time I’m in the water with them. Here are a few takeaways from this particular trip to Guadalupe:

1. Be Ready, But Be Still

The action can come out of nowhere, and you have to be ready to shoot—but being calm and still in the water makes you part of the environment. Sharks respond to that. So do the photos.

2. Light Is Your Storyteller

The sharks are always majestic—but it’s the light that tells the story. Waiting for the right moment, when the rays hit just right, can turn a good photo into one that feels holy.

3. Gear Is Only Half the Game

Knowing your camera is important—but so is knowing your environment. Respect the cage. Anticipate the swell. Time your shots between the bounce. The ocean has its rhythm—your job is to learn how to move with it.

Sadly, Guadalupe Island is now closed to tourism indefinitely.

The Mexican government’s decision has left many of us—photographers, divers, conservationists—without access to one of the most important great white shark sanctuaries in the world.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to photograph these animals here over the years. Every trip gave me something: a deeper appreciation, a better image, a new story to tell. But more than that, it gave me connection—to the ocean, to the sharks, and to the people who came to witness something wild and rare.

My hope is that one day, Guadalupe will open again. Because I truly believe that ecotourism is one of the few things that can protect sharks—especially these sharks.

When the boats stop coming, the oversight stops too. And without that constant presence, this island becomes a target.

A quiet, unguarded place where poachers can slip in, and the very animals we came to celebrate may begin to disappear.

So yes, I hope we do go back.
Not just for the photos.
Not just for the thrill.
But for the sharks, and for our shared future with them.

Until then, I carry these images with me as reminders of what’s possible when wild places are protected… and what’s at stake when they’re not.