Here are more pictures of "her" - taken two and three years ago.

She used to be relaxed before she was hooked, and wouldn't mind letting me play with her.
Photo by Amanda Cotton (2008)

After her trauma her personality changed - she is now afraid of humans.
Photo by Wolfgang Leander (2010)

She can be easily recognized by the pigmentation marks on her belly.

Back in 2008 she had been already hooked with light fishing gear. The small hook that was embedded in the left corner of her mouth didn't really do much damage to her. I tried to free her from the hook but couldn't get it out with my bare hands.

Look closely, and you will see the hook and a piece of nylon.
Photo by Wolfgang Leander (2008)

In March 2007 she was featured in National Geographic - she was a star then; she still is!!

Photo by Brian Skerry (National Geographic)

Amanda Cotton and Shark Diver Magazine

Shark Diver Magazine upcoming cover - photo by Amanda Cotton

As per "A Cotton Photo" I became aware of Amanda Cotton's photo of two Tiger Sharks will be on the next Shark Diver Magazine as this issues will be distributed at this year's CITIES meeting in Qatar in an effort to promote eco-tourism for sharks.


Say Eli Martinez: "A slight change in plans! This is the new cover for issue 22. I originally had one of Andy Murch's images for the cover, but I was asked by the PEW institute if I would mind changing it to a less scary-in your face looking cover. The reasoning behind it is, issue 22 is going to be passed around at this years CITIES meeting in Qatar. The hope is to use the mag to promote eco-tourism for sharks. They asked to use SDm for this purpose. Something I was extremely proud to do. The new cover is by Amanda Cotton, this is the cover I had planned out for issue 23-so I decided it to just flip-flop issue # covers."


Congrats to Amanda for the great photo and to SDM to focusing more on eco / conservation content.

Fiona Ayerst and Amanda Cotton: Two world-class underwater photographers.

Photo: Fiona Ayerst

The better an image, the less it needs to be explained....which is how I would describe Fiona Ayerst's photography.

Click here to enjoy Fiona's remarkable work.

Photo: Amanda Cotton

While Amanda Cotton is a highly talented and rigorously trained photographer, Fiona, a very successful ex-lawyer, became a self-taught photographer when she realized that an office job, no matter how demanding and rewarding financially, wasn't her thing in the long run.

Now, don't think that as an autodidact Fiona is less professional than Amanda - she is not!!

When I met Fiona for the first time in South Africa some two years ago, I could not believe how much photographic stuff she brought along for just ONE day of diving with the tiger sharks of Aliwal Shoal, and told her so. She, in turn, looked at my "equipment", a good old Nikonos V, with what I first thought was disdain but then she explained to me that although she began her new career with a Nikonos V she had to go digital as a pro.

Both Fiona and Amanda are award-winning photographers. I expect them to become two of the world's ten best underwater photographers in the not too distant future.

What is truly amazing, yet not surprising to me, is that both ladies developed into ardent shark conservationists as they began "shooting" sharks.

Since we already have so many "Sharkmen", I would love to see more "Sharkladies" that are cut of the same cloth as Amanda and Fiona.

Tigers and Lions

Tiger Shark - Photo by Wolfgang Leander

Nov. 18, 2009:

Full day of diving with lemons, tigers, and lions – we went in early and came out late.  It was great to see the Wolf out there for nine hours straight - literally had lunch on the dive platform with mask on head.  The interaction with various lemons, two tigers, and one Caribbean reef shark coupled with amazing visibility was the perfect mix for a fabulous day.  Towards the end of the day I focused on Lions – lionfish.


In the Caribbean there is currently a huge problem with the introduction of lionfish to the area.  In this part of the world, the fish does not have any natural predators that would regulate the population.  In turn, the lionfish eats many fish off the reef, disturbing the ecology.  Check out: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/stories/lionfish/welcome.html and http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111695369.   In order to do my part, I spent the afternoon spearing 6-8 lionfish.  


During my occasional visits to a freediving / spear fishing club in Miami I was first made aware of the problem – they had a lion fish shootout in the Bahamas – apparently when prepared right, it is very tasty.


On a side note, I was flipping through ScubaDiver Magazine and came across an advertisement that is promoting a trip to the Bahamas with Michael AW (I do not know him) and Amanda Cotton (who we know very well).

  
As per the ad: “Dolphins, Sharks & Mermaid Expedition – This is the definite expedition with the most enchanting big animals of the ocean; Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier), Great Hammerheads (Sphyrna mokarran), dolphins, and a mermaid.  Yes a mermaid! Teaming up with the divine sharks diving veteran Amanda Cotton, Michael AW, a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, will present a stupendous 10 days photography extravaganza with the amazing dolphins and sharks of the Bahamas.  With award winning photography tips from Michael AW, expand your skills to capture electrifying scenes of Amanda’s enthralling interactions with her Tigers of the sea.  24 March to 2 April 2010. (Book early – only five spots remaining).  Expeditions led by professionals with proven track records.


Amanda is a great photographer and a lot of fun to be around - something not to miss - contact her through her website: www.acottonphoto.com!

Amanda Cotton's new website

Be sure you take a look at Amanda Cotton's new website - it is a very nice balance between her work, conservation, and livelihood.


We first wrote about Amanda a year ago - right around the same time we "physically" met her.  My father fell in love with her Frog photo.


What a wonderful person and photographer - her images really do speak 1,000 words.

Another Voice

Jeff Schreiber was with us last November on our trip to Tiger Beach...it was the first time he dove with tiger sharks.  I have seen him on a more regular basis and have only great things to say about Jeff - the only bad thing I can say about him - "you wear to much equipement underwater" - this is coming from a freediver talking about a cavediver :) )Below are his thoughts about what happened today in the media and in general.  I thought this would be a good voice to be heard while the old man is out...you can also go to Amanda's blog to read it (which I encourage):

"Media Myths and the Proliferation of Fear

It is unfortunate that in this day and age, the majority of the population gain their opinions from what is packaged up and presented to them with absolutely no objectivity. Opinions are formed from what is fed to them via major media outlets. Sadly these outlets are businesses; their motivation is sensationalism to raise ratings and earn more in advertising dollars. How many times have you seen, or read, a report on something that you are truly experienced in; something where you've seen first hand, or experienced, or are on the 'inside'? In those situations, how many times have you been left horrified by the mistakes, errors and downright misinformation that is presented to supplant an opinion on the subject in the audience?

Recently a national media outlet aired a segment on shark diving, featuring a charter boat that I had been on last November. From the very start of the segment I knew where it was going, and I had to fight my way through the whole thing; absolutely disgusted by the spin that they chose to try and portray. I have no desire to name the outlet, nor post a link to the story; as it, like so many other stories, only serves to vilify sharks; to cast them in a vicious light and to paint everyone that interacts with them to be thrill seeking adrenaline junkies.

Instead, let me express a little of my experience. Yes; I am doing just what these media outlets are doing... telling a story in a way that intends to cause the audience to form an opinion. However my motivations have nothing to do with money, or fame, or advertising. My motivations are only to provide a contrary opinion to the common misconceptions that are constantly being reinforced. A small scream of disgust likely to fall on deaf ears in a overwhelming ocean of misinformation.

The fact of the matter is, as I embarked on my trip a number of months ago, I too had preconceived notions about what I was going to experience. I was nervous about being in the water with sharks because I was brainwashed by the misinformation that prevails. Even with the experiences I've already had from diving the shipwrecks in the waters off North Carolina, wrecks that are frequently populated by dozens of Sand Tiger sharks, I had managed to compartmentalize those. I convinced myself that Sand Tigers were an exception, they are just lazy lumbering creatures of no danger or concern. Not like other types of sharks, oh no... they are different, they are animals that should be feared.

I couldn't have been more wrong. Sharks aren't to be feared; it's the fear that causes the hatred and vilification which grows to action in the way of downright genocide. They are truly magnificent creatures that deserve our respect, our care, and an understanding that they are a key element in a delicate ecosystem that is being systematically destroyed by the true apex predator on earth... US.

Over a period of 5 days, I spent more than 24 hours underwater with no less than a dozen sharks at any given moment, every single one of them significantly larger than I. It only took a few minutes before I was able to gaze at them with an open mind. To watch them move, feed, and interact with one another was eye opening. I watched remoras hanging on for a ride, only to break off long enough to grab their own scrap of food. I watched schools of fish use the sharks for shelter. These fish weren't frightened of the shark, they were frightened of me. They used the sharks for protection from the humans, in hopes that the intimidating size of their graceful friend would keep them safe.

My experiences opened my eyes and mind dramatically. I was blessed with the opportunity to form my own opinion, one based on experiences rather than force fed to me as I 'witness' the world from the confines of my couch. 

The fact of the matter is that survival instincts are common among animals. Without survival instincts, a species would long be extinct. You are much safer fearing the unknown and be incorrect, then feeling safe and being incorrect. Will sharks defend themselves when threatened? Sure. So will we. Will sharks systematically eradicate every human they see? Absolutely not, but look at a human's reaction to seeing a mosquito. Will sharks exit their natural environment in order to seek vengeance for the death of one of their own? Obviously not, but I'll give you one guess as to what species on this earth does this time and time and time again, regardless of what caused the initial event.

Painting sharks out to be man-eating, or those interacting with them to be thrill seeking; does absolutely nothing but perpetrate the fear that is already present.

Special thanks should go to David Ulloa, who filmed and edited the following video, and to Amanda Cotton for the images included at the end of the video, and their attempts to raise awareness through the experiences that we've had first hand. If you want to see sharks being sharks; as opposed to sharks being used as theatrical props, this video, and those like it, are what you should be keeping in mind when you form your opinions.

-Jeff"

In Shark Eden, you get to meet the same sharks year after year...

Photograph: Wolfgang Leander

Photograph: Brian Skerry

..... if they are not killed by some mindless "sport" anglers.

Brian Skerry must have photographed this tiger beauty in 2006; I took my black and white shot in November 2008, so did my dear friend and photographer extraordinaire Amanda Cotton.

How do I know it is the same shark? Well, look at the markings on the belly.

When I photographed the tiger girl, I realized that she had a hook in her mouth. I held on to her trying to take the rusty hook off, but she wouldn't let me.

Photograph: Amanda Cotton

That is what makes going back to Tiger Beach again and again so thoroughly gratifying: You establish such a deep bonding with the resident sharks that you feel like meeting friends when you are back.

I know one thing for sure: I will be diving at Tiger Beach at least once a year - until the end of my life or else when I am no longer able to hold my breath for more than 10 seconds...

Manatee Update

Manatee belly rub

Go to A Cotton Thought (Amanda's blog) and check out what Jeff wrote about the trip and see some of Amanda's photos...

Three times a charm...can you connect?

Photo by: Wolfgang Leander, Crystal River, FL (2007)

I finally got the full manatee experience in Crystal River, FL – I had been here two times before to have only seen a hand full of these friendly sea cows with limited interactions. But today was different – today was amazing.

This time I came to Crystal River with Carmen, Amanda, Jeff and Tibu as well as the cold temperatures. As I checked in last night, the hotel manager told me that there were a ton of manatees – I had my doubts and thought that she was just giving her regular speech.

Turns out there were manatees everywhere we looked and the interactions were fantastic – including belly rubs. The tactic was pretty simple, let them approach you, scratch their “flipper pit” area and they will turn over exposing their big bellies for a full body massage – a connection definitely develops.

I would say that the only negative part of the day was to see how tourists behave in the water (clumsy, noisy, clueless, and disrespectful to the environment and manatees) – no wonder they get bitten by sharks ;). It was awful to see how they approached the animals.

The scene for some reason made me think about people that claim to be experts about sharks and have an opinion about one thing or another – but actually do not ever observe or interact with them in their own element…and it made me think about people that can connect with sharks – they can usually also connect with other animals quite easily, and it shows.


On a final note – it was great to spend time with Amanda and Jeff and talk about sharks, photos, diving…they are definitely people that “connect”…looking forward to Amanda’s photos, the ones I saw on her display (small) – look excellent!

The Power of Shark Photography

Interacting with a Tiger Shark in Aliwal Shoal (South Africa)
Photograph: Felix A. Leander

I don't want to start, or continue, the seemingly never ending discussion of how humans should interact with animals in the wild all over again. As far as I am concerned, my limited knowledge is about sharks, and my respective opinions can only be personal, and as such highly subjective.

A few people in the "business" have been rather critical of my 'special relationship' with tiger sharks lately. Why? Well, I have an idea but I shouldn't speculate....

Instead of "defending" my way of interacting with large sharks, here is a link that I want to share with you.

What is telling about the photograph taken by Amanda Cotton are the comments.

The basic tenor of the comments is - surprise.

Surprise at the visual "proof" that one can be close to sharks, even touch them, without being eaten, at least not right away :-), which should make the viewers think that sharks can't be all that dangerous after all which, in turn, should make them more sensitive and sympathetic to the grave plight of the sharks.

Thus, shark photographs that carry a strong message can have a palpable educational impact - an essential element, actually the most basic element in shark conservation.

One last word to clarify my position: Hugging sharks is NOT for everyone; I DON'T encourage anyone to do it; quite the contrary: I'd say "Don't get too close to them; don't let them get too close to you."

The problem is NOT touching sharks per se; the problem is how to react to an unexpected move or, worst case, how to safely handle a burst of aggressiveness against the diver / snorkeller. If you have no or little experience with sharks, chances are that you won't do the right thing to fend-off an agitated shark.

Amanda Cotton - Welcome to the blogosphere

Yesterday Amanda Cotton launched her website and blog featuring her photography - but what really caught my eye - aside from her stunning images - was the EDUCATE section of her site.  I believe that Amanda, through her photos and actions, will make a difference.

Be sure to visit both - you will not be disappointed...

I am looking forward to the weekend as I am heading up to Crystal River to dive with the manatees and Amanda - should be great to catch up.

Amanda's Frog

My son already introduced Amanda Cotton to you. Actually, I wanted to do it but Felix was faster.

To show you the quality of Amanda's work, here is the portrait of a little frog she found one day entering her home.

Copyright: Amanda Cotton
Click on the image to enlarge

Amanda immediately recognized that this was not an ordinary frog but a frog with an 'attitude'. So, she quickly improvised an appropriate Frog Photo Studio with a white empty box, put Mr. Froggie gently in it - and produced this stunning masterpiece.

There are few photographers who combine talent with a very solid technical background - Amanda is one of them. She is most creative yet painstakingly meticulous at the same time.

Fiona would probably describe Amanda as the quintessential professional photographer.

On the human side, Amanda is profound and warm-hearted, refreshingly inquisitive, energetic, and full of genuine empathy for people and animals.

If I were to describe her succintly, I'd say: "Amanda, you absolutely rock!"

Freediving at night with Amanda Cotton

Felix Leander: "One of my best diving experiences ever"

So before I write about the night dive at Tiger Beach - I wanted to briefly introduce Amanda Cotton. She was one of the Ocean's 11 on our trip and we had become "friends" on Facebook before we met - I can now say she has become a real friend and one of the best photographers that I have met.

I have never seen anyone take more care of his/her camera than Amanda - we called it her baby... Even Wolf, widely known for being 'anal' with his stuff, was impressed... :-)

Amanda and one of her babies (Photo: One of the Leanders; neither remembers who took it...:-)

Says Amanda: "I love everything about being underwater including sharing my experiences through my photography. I shoot Nikon in Sea & Sea housing. I use a combination of several different strobes including YS110 and Inon Z-220s. I adore my wide angle Tokina 10-17mm. As a scuba instructing, cave diving, wreck loving, ocean and underwater obsessed "photog" I am simply trying to figure out how I can stay underwater 23 hours a day, everyday."

A little about Amanda: She is an advertising photographer specializing in underwater and travel stock photography.

Amanda is fueled by a passion to document the beauty surrounding us in our relationships and interactions with others, and in our physical existence within our environment. "Her innate talent and superb education at Brooks Institute of Photography, one of the world's leading Photography and Film schools, enables her to create photos that defy any ability to describe them." (Quote from Fuzionmedia).

Amanda has received many awards for her work including several from the International Photographers Association (Lucie Awards).

She currently resides in Florida,USA with her four year old daughter Kya.

Check out Amanda's work at: http://naluphoto.redbubble.com and www.amandacotton.com



And back to the Tiger Beach trip:

Nov. 12^th, 2008

“Night Dive”

While I have done a night dive in Bonaire, I have never been freediving in the dark, let alone with sharks. This probably has been one of my best dive experiences ever. While diving already is peaceful, night diving is even more tranquil. The lemons were resting on the bottom, being cleaned while the light of the moon and boat cast their shadows on the sand.

Interestingly the sharks were completely unphased by our presence and let us interact with them. So much for sharks being more aggressive or dangerous at night. I felt completely at ease with them and never at any point threatened.

Some of the divers had high density lights that allowed us to taking photos and video. During the dive we also found a strange looking crab that would dig itself into the sand.