Photographing Sharks

Back to the doctor's original point (Got anything for a headache?) :

I think it does not matter in the least what we think of or how we portray sharks in the Western world. Toothy or fluffy, the potential is for 1.3 BILLION people to want to eat the soup. Most people in China think the animals grow their fins back like clipped toenails anyway. They just don't care - anymore than you care if your trainers were made with child-labour in a third-world sweat shop. It's what you buy if you can afford it and if it's made in the third world, you can.

I am not anti Chinese or anti anyone else. I just want people to realise that everyone in the modern world has signed up to its demise as it existed until say 1945. As to the oil/America issue, I expect similar defences to be raised. I just got back from the USA. It's a way of life that will never be changed easily - and that is the same whether it's Chinese or American.

Have I managed to upset everyone?

One of the most engaging shots I've seen recently was by Fiona Ayerst of a juvenile blue shark in the Shark in Focus photo competition. I can't find a direct link to it, but you can find it on a slideshow at:

http://www.sharktrust.org/slideshow.asp?fi...6238#%23slides1

To me it sums up the vulnerability of sharks very well. Who knows what little chance that pup has to get to maturity, let alone to have pups of his/her own....

Cheers, Simon

Photo by: Fiona Ayerst from www.sharktrust.org

that is indeed a very engaging photo, the little guy looks so intrigued and curios about what is going on in a very friendly way. And bless that little pilot fish !

Back to the doctor's original point (Got anything for a headache?) :

 

I think it does not matter in the least what we think of or how we portray sharks in the Western world.

 

Have I managed to upset everyone?

There's really nothing to be upset about in your post, as pessimistic as it is. But I really do think it matters how we portray and educate people about sharks in the West through our photography, as one tiny potentially positive contribution to their survival.

Although your comments about China are true, as far as they go, a good deal of the world wide shark fishery doesn't fish solely for the Chinese soup market. As I mentioned in an earlier post, there is a lucrative market in the west for shark cartilage for the bogus treatment of arthritis. This, along with the market in shark meat (not to mention shark fishing derbies, which along with big game fishing, I find truly inhuman) results in the deaths of millions of sharks every year. So, China notwithstanding, a lot of sharks could indeed be saved every year if we can change the way enough people think about sharks in the West, whether photography is a part of it or otherwise.

So, simply throwing your hands up in resignation doesn't make sense. Think of it like setting aside wilderness preserve on land for endangered species: you aren't going to save those species that move out of the reserve, but at least you'll save some that live in reserves.

Many shark species are made up of distinct populations that live in particular regions- two such regional populations are porbeagles and Greenland sharks in the northern part of the Northwest Atlantic. So, let's use our imaginations for a minute: if these populations were protected somehow by a fishing ban, then even if every other regional population of these species were driven to collapse eventually, there would still be small populations here. At least a situation like this (as unlikely as it would be to actually have these species protected here) saves SOMETHING. They same could be said of other such regional populations around the world, whether oceanic or coastal species. They are not all going to end up in shark fin soup.

The biodiversity conservation movement lives and dies by its ability to protect WHAT IT CAN through such actions. Gee, given your point of view, we might as well just give up and start eating sharks ourselves, since there's nothing we can do anyway, might as well fiddle while Rome burns. I hope everybody who cares about wild things like sharks aren't so resigned to their demise!

Scott

<<<--- By the way, the avatar pix to the left is Crackers sitting on our sofa when he was about 2 weeks old: I rescued him and four other day-old infants from a nest right on our front lawn, just as the neighborhood cats were eyeing them. Sometimes, conservation efforts begin right on your front doorstep!

Two brief points on Alex' post:

1) There's a truism in newsrooms here in the States: If it bleeds, it leads. Also, as someone who has worked as a freelance PJ, I can tell you that, Yes, it's very competitive: The photo editor will simply buy a picture from another stringer, as it's his job to sell newspapers, and not give a damn about shark populations...

2) It depends on the target audience, and the media the photo will be reproduced in. For example, around Atlanta last year there were billboards with, you guessed it, a big shark baring his teeth. But! The billboards were for the Georgia Aquarium. So, if less attention is drawn with a photo that "insiders" deem better; but this results in fewer people going through the turnstiles to see these creatures up close and learn to appreciate them, then what have you accomplished?

(more)

As we are the community who takes/owns such pictures it is worth discussing whether we shoud allow them to be published. It is easy to blame the media for only wanting these types of images. But we are the ones who own them - should we resist a payday for the sake of sharks (or will the newspapers just buy the photo from another photog!).

Apologies to all about taking this a bit off about the fish farming and deep water vs coastal populations earlier today... But the shark harvest figure of 100 million per year is absolutely staggering; and you educated at least one more person -- Thank you!

An article in this month's Fathoms Magazine quoted poll numbers suggesting that 50% of Chinese people don't know that shark fin soup comes from shark fins.

I never imagined this would be the case, but if you can speak any form of Chinese, you know that the language is very colorful -- nothing means exactly what is being said, and a lot of food has creative names. So those numbers seem believable to me.

There is also the problem of the "white people" telling East Asians what to do. I'm sure it isn't received well. We need more folks like Jackie Chan and Yao Ming to come forward. I've corraled a few Asian photographers into producing a print ad against shark finning. We'll have it ready soon and will try to convince magazines to run it as a donation to the cause (especially in asia).

Personally, I like jaw-gaping shots and aggressive shark images. More than a few of my friends have seen the ones I've taken and have thought, "whoah. sharks are cool." They're afraid of sharks, but they also think they are great animals and might feel sorry that they are being depleted so quickly and wastefully.

An article in this month's Fathoms Magazine quoted poll numbers suggesting that 50% of Chinese people don't know that shark fin soup comes from shark fins.

 

I never imagined this would be the case, but if you can speak any form of Chinese, you know that the language is very colorful -- nothing means exactly what is being said, and a lot of food has creative names. So those numbers seem believable to me.

 

There is also the problem of the "white people" telling East Asians what to do. I'm sure it isn't received well. We need more folks like Jackie Chan and Yao Ming to come forward. I've corraled a few Asian photographers into producing a print ad against shark finning. We'll have it ready soon and will try to convince magazines to run it as a donation to the cause (especially in asia).

 

Personally, I like jaw-gaping shots and aggressive shark images. More than a few of my friends have seen the ones I've taken and have thought, "whoah. sharks are cool." They're afraid of sharks, but they also think they are great animals and might feel sorry that they are being depleted so quickly and wastefully.

That's really interesting, I never woud have thought that they didn't even know that shark fin soup was made with shark fins. When I was working as a fisheries biologist in the Bering Sea we caugth several sharks and i am proud to say dead or alve, I made them throw the sharks back. They wern't targeting sharks but its impossible not to catch one from time to time. Steps are being done to prevent shark finning like putting fisheries observers like myself on board fishing boats, unfortunatley its not worldwide.

I woud be very interested in seeing this print, please keep us all updated on how it is going. And as far as those teet barring photos are concerned, I agree, thats what people like to see, and i dont think that is the reason people are affraid of sharks. Sure it may not hurt to display them in a less agressive fassion, but a photo isn't going to change the way people see sharks.

Great topic Alex.

To the original thread, I don't think it makes any difference what type of shark images we shot as sharks will always be feared by the general public and sensationalised by the media. In every survey I have ever seen sharks are the number one animal, by a country mile, that people fear. Even the majority of people that do dive courses have a fear of sharks, it is only after encountering sharks in the wild that this fear starts to be replaced by fascination. No amount of education or photos or films, good or bad, will change this fear.

I personally love taking photos of sharks, especially the 99% of so called harmless sharks, which don't allow for big toothy shots. I have always had a great fascination of these animals, which lead me to snorkelling and scuba and underwater photography. However, I still had a fear of them until I encountered a few of the so called dangerous ones and found they were more timid of me. Today that fear has been replaced with respect, but I still don't like sitting on the surface in green water in great white territory.

The other threads of this topic are more of an issue with pelagic sharks numbers world wide in massive decline. Shark finning is the greatest threat to sharks, but many local fisheries and even recreational fishers impact on shark numbers.

I wish we could stop shark finning through education and government regulation, but as long as there is a demand, sharks will continue to be slaughtered for their fins until there are no pelagic sharks left!

I never imagined this would be the case, but if you can speak any form of Chinese, you know that the language is very colorful -- nothing means exactly what is being said, and a lot of food has creative names.

Not sure this is unique to the Chinese language. After all in the UK the national dish (as has been mentioned earlier) is battered, deep-fried fish and chips. The fish can be cod (favourite), haddock or other fish, and in the past "rock salmon" has been the cheapest option. "Rock salmon" is dogfish and I have looked at its prices and it is no longer substantially less than the others.

I'm afraid that I think that the issue of shark's fin soup has little to do with the way we portray sharks. On the whole I don't think that many people like to be reminded of the living animal when they are eating its dead remains (how many photos of fluffy lambs do you see when buying lamb?) and I'm not sure whether the association is often made (certainly I doubt it in the UK).

At worst I think that showing an image of a shark with its mouth wide open and displaying vicious teeth reinforces a well established perception, but as the Sun newspaper so expertly and vividly showed earlier this year, you can scare people with a shot of a basking shark if you do so in an appropriately sensationalistic way.

Spot on, Eric! But then you have a unique insight into the situation.

Most point was not meant to be pessimistic. It was meant to get people to redirect their thoughts to solving the problem effectively. I feel that educating people is great but it is important to educate the right people.

For example, Spanish fishermen will fish out millions of sharks while there is someone to buy them. We have to find a way to stop or reduce the demand. Farmers will grow opium poppies while there is a world-wide demand for cocaine. The farmers are not the problem. They could grow wheat!

My point is that Western world consumers drive these industries. That is US! If you ask anyone to choose between cheap products and the survival of the oceans (and the planet) what will their answer be?

I'm afraid that I think that the issue of shark's fin soup has little to do with the way we portray sharks. On the whole I don't think that many people like to be reminded of the living animal when they are eating its dead remains (how many photos of fluffy lambs do you see when buying lamb?) and I'm not sure whether the association is often made (certainly I doubt it in the UK).

Paul, that is not quite true over here in the States:

[That last item, on milk-fed veal goes back about 30 years: I saw the demand for free range veal skyrocket when spending my summers on my grandparents' farm in Tennessee]. My point here is that, at least here in the United States, people can be shamed into avoiding foods harmful to the animal.

Getting back to the pictures, perhaps the most powerful ones are those snagged in gill nets, like in this Ghostfish gallery. Those images, like the dolphins caught up in tuna nets, can indeed change popular opinions.

Incidentally, I looked at all four Chinese restaurant menus in the desk drawer last night, and not once did I see shark fin soup, or any other shark dish. [but then again, I've never seen dog on a Korean restaurant menu, either! ]

Waffling aside Dan.....

To the one part of your post that was relevant :

Getting back to the pictures, perhaps the most powerful ones are those snagged in gill nets, like in this Ghostfish gallery. Those images, like the dolphins caught up in tuna nets, can indeed change popular opinions.

I disagree. For one thing, dolphins have never ever been portrayed in the media as human hunters. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Displaying images of finned shark carcasses or sharks caught in nets may or may not elicit a strong reaction to protect sharks. I've showed my own mother images of finned shark carcasses and she had no reaction at all. She didn't know just by looking at the image what process was involved in killing the shark. She's not the only non diving person I know who has had a similarly disinterested reaction. So, I don't agree that images of dead sharks without education will necessarily garner more support.

Furthermore, not all blood and gore campaigns to educate are successful. Especially not about a species that has been portrayed by the media for so long as "the only thing in the water that's going to kill us!"

I firmly feel that an educational campaign backed by images and video of sharks as they are, and not as toothy man eating machines will engender a more positive reaction.

Julie,

This is exactly what the Aquariums here are doing for hundreds, thousands of people every day. But, as I pointed out above, sometimes it takes billboards of sharks with those big, grinning teeth to catch the attention of the public, and get Daddy to shell out the money to get the family through the turnstiles; as opposed to going to a movie, baseball game, amusement park, zoo, etc...

Once they are inside and looking at these magnificent creatures through the glass, then the "sale" can be made through education. (more...)

I firmly feel that an educational campaign backed by images and video of sharks as they are, and not as toothy man eating machines will engender a more positive reaction.

Eric, I commend you for your efforts to reach the east Asian people through magazine ads!

Incidentally, I looked at all four Chinese restaurant menus in the desk drawer last night, and not once did I see shark fin soup, or any other shark dish. [but then again, I've never seen dog on a Korean restaurant menu, either! ]

Dan,

Given the prices that restaurants charge for Shark's fin soup, it's no surprise that you won't find it in the takeout menu of your local Chinese restaurant. You'll find these on the front of the menu of higher end establishments, most often times, you'll see the fin prominently displayed in the restaurant's front window! Vancouver has a huge ethnic Chinese population with quite a few high end Chinese restaurants displaying huge dried fins for sale. A bowl can easily run you upwards of $50 EACH.

Also, being of Chinese heritage, I can tell you that we cannot simply ram western opinion down their throats. This will result in loss of "face" (respect), not only for the Chinese, but in their eyes, you will lose face as well, when one loses this, then you will be deemed not worthy of any attention. Having Jackie Chan and Yao Ming is spokespersons carries A LOT of weight...we should try to look for others who'd be willing to speak out.

The Chinese translation of Shark's Fin soup is does not even mention shark...it literally translates to Fish Fin soup. As Eric mentioned, Chinese (and many Asian) languages are very colorful and descriptive...in many instances, not even close to describing what the item is. One of my favorite dishes is a rich meat broth that has taro root to thicken the soup to an almost stew like consitency...it's called Buddha Jumping over the Fence!

My 2 cents (now that the C$ is worth something!)

Stu

The word for shark's fin in chinese is Yu Chi, which means "fish wing," so while the surveyed chinese may not know what a shark is, they do know it's fish related. The other issue is where that sample survey was taken. It's easy to take statistics out of context.

I remember in the late 90s, a few NGOs got together in HongKong (still the largest importer of sharks fin) to do a print campaign. They had a picture of a wedding banquet with finned sharks and blood stains. An accompanying educational media campaign made it very cool and the cause du jour did cause a significant drop in consumption for a few months... then it went right back up again. The unfortunate truth is that Hong Kongers and mainland Chinese are beyond education for conservation. Conservation has to be convenient as well. The only protection and chance for pelagic sharks is for international legislation for full protection. This will only increase the flow of the blackmarket but at least it'll slow down demand.

The issue of national pride does also play a part as Eric has mentioned. That has always been one of the major fuels for the pro-whaling spin doctors to use. Inciting national pride is difficult, especially when providing "proof of assimilation" to the western culture.

Incidentally, I looked at all four Chinese restaurant menus in the desk drawer last night, and not once did I see shark fin soup, or any other shark dish. [but then again, I've never seen dog on a Korean restaurant menu, either!

Dan -- the menu you are getting is not the menu a Chinese person gets. Totally different. It is not uncommon to have no overlap in the Chinese menu and the menu that is in English.

I concur with the side that thinks you can shoot and sell even the most aggressive picture of a shark, and not be contributing with their extinction. As must people said here, the problem isn’t that sharks are been killed for people who fears them (well in some cases, it is), they are been killed for fin soup purposes or something else.

I think that we first must research how many of the shark population are been killed for other purpose and compare those statistics with the sharks killed by angry people or scared people… then you should have a base for an opinion if your shots are contributing to the problem or not.

I concur with the side that thinks you can shoot and sell even the most aggressive picture of a shark, and not be contributing with their extinction. As must people said here, the problem isn’t that sharks are been killed for people who fears them (well in some cases, it is), they are been killed for fin soup purposes or something else.

I think it is not so much that people specifically kill sharks because of fear or anger, however they may not have much sympathy for conserving them as a result. So I do think there is something to be said for portraying them in a more sympathetic and vulnerable way. Creating some empathy for a creature is helpful, I think this is why we have very little trouble convincing people, in the West at least, that dolphins should be protected.

I concur with the side that thinks you can shoot and sell even the most aggressive picture of a shark, and not be contributing with their extinction. As must people said here, the problem isn’t that sharks are been killed for people who fears them (well in some cases, it is), they are been killed for fin soup purposes or something else.

 

I think that we first must research how many of the shark population are been killed for other purpose and compare those statistics with the sharks killed by angry people or scared people… then you should have a base for an opinion if your shots are contributing to the problem or not.

This is what I have been trying to say. They are not killing the sharks for soup because they fear them. Im not even sure how that topic came up, but it seems like it took off and people are thinking shark fin soup is a result from people fearing these animals.

Shark populations are not falling off because of the people that fear sharks, if certain species are dwindling it is because of the the fishermen who target them for soup. Unfortunatly, a photo isn't going to change their culture.

The point about fear is there is not global support to save them from any dangers as people fear them !