Is This Picture Too Good to be True?

Since he posted this image on his facebook profile, Shawn Heinrich’s image has drawn a lot of attention. Many have stated the the shot is just a little too perfect to have happened all at once. Upon first glance, what do you think?

According to Shawn, who was off the coast of Isla Mujeres when he took the the picture, this shot was the product of good timing, patience, and a lot of technical know-how. As a huge advocate against the killing of sharks for their fins, Shawn spends a lot of time shooting in the ocean and has gotten a fair amount of experience in situations like this.  This is how he described getting the shot.

“The water was calm that day and the whale shark encounters were off the charts. I saw the sharks passing close to our boat so I swam back and waited. To get a shot like this requires a lot of technical know-how and experience because focusing on an object above and below the water at the same time is challenging.”

“Also, getting the horizon line level and water off the lens is an exercise in patience and determination. Go for it and see what comes up.”

Well, Shawn, props for taking an awesome image!