Shane Gross: "A rare privilege"
In this year's Ocean Photographer of the Year, Canadian marine conservation photojournalist Shane Gross won the Conservation (Hope) Photographer of the Year category, as well as the Ocean Portfolio Award. He recently also won the Grand Title award in the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year. In this interview, he speaks to Oceanographic about his photojournalism approach, the background of his winning images, and more.
Oceanographic: Shane, your winning image speaks so much for the human connection with nature and ocean life. When did you yourself first connect with the ocean?
Shane Gross: “I first experienced the ocean at four years old on a family trip to the Bahamas. I remember snorkelling and digging my hands into the soft, white sand, pretending they were crabs. It is one of my earliest memories. I had a feeling of comfort in the ocean and never wanted to leave. I wouldn’t see the ocean again for another four years but was lucky to spend my summers at a lake and got lots of time snorkelling, looking for crayfish and northern pike in Saskatchewan.”
Oceanographic: How did you get into underwater photography?
Shane Gross: “No grand story here – I just started to do it. I’d been scuba diving sporadically for about 10 years and knew I wanted to make really good underwater pictures, so I went down to the bank and lied to them, saying I needed a car loan. I didn’t think they would give me the loan if they knew it was for a camera, lenses, underwater housing, and strobes. Soon after that, I became a dive instructor and moved from the Canadian prairies to the Bahamas so I could spend as much time as possible in the water.”
Oceanographic: How would you describe your style of photography?
Shane Gross: “Honestly, I don’t think it’s up to me to define my style. I will say, however, that I try to tell unique and otherwise overlooked stories in a journalistic way.”
Oceanographic: Congratulations on your category win in this year’s Ocean Photographer of the Year competition! What made you enter the competition this year?
Shane Gross: “Each year the OPY collection of images is unique and interesting. It’s always surprising what the esteemed panel of judges choose. I’m proud to be a part of that.”
Oceanographic: This year, you won the Conservation (Hope) Photographer of the Year category with your image of a sea turtle being released in the Seychelles (and we’ve popped it below for everyone to see). What’s the story behind this shot?
Shane Gross: “I was on assignment for the Save Our Seas Foundation as part of the Ocean Storytelling Grant on D’Arros Island in the Seychelles and it was my last day. The researchers were tagging juvenile blacktip sharks in a net when this green sea turtle swam into it. They were prepared for this scenario and responded quickly to untangle her and then tag her. As they were about to release her, I stuck my camera in the water and grabbed a few shots. I remember thinking about how pristine the turtle looked and how beautiful the seagrass setting was. She is now an ambassador for her species, collecting valuable data that will help in their protection.”
Oceanographic: Well that’s a lovely story. Let’s get technical… What camera, equipment, and settings did you choose for the shot?
Shane Gross: “I was shooting a dependable Nikon D500 in an Aquatica housing with a Tokina 10-17mm lens and Sea&Sea YS D3 strobes. I shot it at 1/320 sec at f/14 and ISO 200.”
Oceanographic: And how did you feel in that moment, when capturing that image?
Shane Gross: “It was my last day of the assignment, so I felt a few things. I felt lucky to be there and grateful to have the opportunity at all, let alone this opportunity to photograph the release of such a beautiful animal. I also felt the pressure to deliver great images so I didn’t want to screw up and I wanted to make sure I thought of absolutely everything.”
Oceanographic: Well, needless to say – you didn’t screw it up, Shane! Tell us, on a personal level, what makes the image so important to you?
Shane Gross: “The image represents achieving a goal I had for almost a decade – winning the Save Our Seas Foundation Ocean Conservation Storytelling Grant. Then I also got to go somewhere very few people get to go – D’Arros Island and St. Joseph Atoll in the Seychelles. On top of that, I got to work with amazing people and numerous charismatic species. It was a dream come true!”
Oceanographic: It would seem then, that dedication and hard work really does pay off! What advice would you offer to aspiring underwater photographers?
Shane Gross: “It’s all about time. Spending time in the water. The more time you put in, the better the results you’ll see. I mean this on the small scale and the large scale. On the small scale, can you spend five more minutes in the water? Ten more minutes? How can you find a way to stay in longer than anyone? On the large scale, stick with it for years and years and watch how you grow.”
Oceanographic: So Shane, if not this moment, what is your favourite ocean moment to date?
Shane Gross: “That’s impossible, but one recent one was spending time with a particular humpback whale mother and calf in Tubuai, French Polynesia. The calf’s name is Yuki and he and his mother were genuinely curious of us snorkellers. I was there for four weeks and saw them almost every day. To see how much he’d grown over those weeks and how his behaviour changed from an uncoordinated, floppy newborn to a more confident and graceful dancer was a rare privilege.”
Oceanographic: What’s the main aim behind your photography? What are you trying to achieve?
Shane Gross: “There is, of course, immense personal satisfaction in spending time in the water with amazing wildlife, but my larger aim is to bring a love and appreciation for the ocean to people who may not already have it. I’m immersed in an ocean lifestyle, but most people are not. Most people hardly think about the ocean at all. I want to convert a few over to our side as that can help push the needle towards protecting the ocean.”
Oceanographic: Shane, it has been a pleasure and congratulations, again, for your OPY category win this year. Where will your next adventure take you?
Shane Gross: “Next, I’m heading back to Tubuai in French Polynesia to spend time with humpback whales. Yuki and his mom will likely be hanging out at different islands this year, but who knows who will be there. I’m very excited to see what the ocean brings us this time.”
You can now see all 2024 Ocean Photographer of the Year category winners and finalist images here. Or for the latest updates on the entry process and more, go follow OPY on Instagram: @opy_awards
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