Christian Kemper: Daredevil diver reaches into jaw of monster 17ft great white shark to capture mindblowing pics
GUADALUPE ISLAND, MEXICO: A brave diver is on a mission to change people's perceptions of the ocean's most dangerous predators, the great white sharks. Mindblowing pictures of the sharks captured by Christian Kemper, 49, show him risking his life and reaching extremely close to the beast's jaw to take a perfect shot.
The jaw-dropping pictures of the shark were captured in both Guadalupe Island in Mexico and False Bay in South Africa, where great whites are in abundance. The photographer claims he wants to show people the "beauty and power" of the sharp-toothed fish, who he claims are "misunderstood" creatures. Impressive images captured by Christian Kepner show the beast lunging out of the deep blue water, as you can count all of its teeth.
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Who is Christian Kemper?
Christian Kemper is a German photographer, journalist, and diver-extraordinaire known for his fearless skill of photographing great white sharks. The daredevil photographer was working for the white shark research Institute in South Africa while he took a scuba diving trip to Guadalupe Island in Mexico. One such picture shows a close shot of the 17-foot-long great white shark diving out of the water. Another shows the photographer so close to the average 3,000lb shark beneath him that his palms were pressed up against the shark’s snout.
The 49-year-old claims he wants to learn about sharks' behavior and that's why he does not believe in snapping the beasts from the safety of a cage. Kemper said, “I didn't choose to dive without a cage because I'm looking for an adrenaline rush, but because I wish to understand sharks better." "People who want to study shark behavior must have the courage to get up close and personal with the predatory fish," he added, according to The Sun.
“As a result, many shark divers seek a more personal encounter with sharks than observing them through thick steel bars," Kemper said, adding, “They want to learn more about an animal that is so often misunderstood and that few of us really know anything about.”
'Beauty and power!'
The shark-loving photographer claims the man-killing beast is misunderstood and wants to change people's perception of the "beauty and power" of the beast. He also wants his works to "appeal to a different audience than most authors". “Sharks don't have a particularly good reputation. Their advocates are few and far between," he explained. “So I embarked on a mission with my camera and notebook to show that sharks are irreplaceable,” he added, as per the outlet.
Sometimes, to capture the perfect shot, Kemper travels thousands of feet away from the shore. The German photographer claimed that his experience of capturing the terrifying beast has only changed his fear of white sharks. “I got so close I was able to touch the Sharks, with them being around three to nearly six-meters long each,” he said.