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Blue Sharks

Writer's picture: Chiara SalomoniChiara Salomoni

Updated: Jan 13

In my underwater photography journey I made wildlife a good portion of my life, and this lifestyle has taken me to some incredible places where I worked with some of the wildest animals. But there are some species and a places I carry in my heart more than others. There are few places in the world I dreamed of reaching for a long time, and after getting there those same places that were just a box on a bucket list then became an obsession. The Amazon was my first love. Hawaii was on that list. And then there was the Azores.



It all began with a video. I didn’t know there were places in Europe where you could dive with sharks consistently, and most certainly not freedive or snorkel with them. And then one day I saw a video of a scuba diver mask to nose with a blue shark. It was tagged in a remote archipelago off the coast of Portugal that I can only describe as the Atlantic twin sister of Hawaii.


These islands are of volcanic origins and the surrounding waters are an opportunity for a number of ocean encounters, and costal exploration. The reason why I made it all the way to the Azores is the sharks and rays that call this place home, and this story is about the sharks. A species of shark that will steal your heart with big curious eyes and a one of a kind personality.


Blue shark close up underwater photography

Blue sharks are one of the most common sharks in the pelagic zone. They swim in deep water and can be seen miles off the coast of different continents. In terms of elegance they are the second most classy shark in the ocean, after the thresher shark. They have a slender blue body, with a pointy nose and long fins tinted with a gold coat that almost looks spray painted, a detail you will only notice once you see them underwater. I didn’t realize this until I saw it in person as there are no photos online that show the gold detals.


Diving with these sharks is an experience unlike many, if you’ve been diving with other species of sharks. Blue sharks have a curious and nosey personality making underwater photography rewarding even with little to no underwater photography experience. As a species they are not shy and they don’t take much to warm up to people in the water and if left unchecked they will definitely bump into you. This demeanor makes it more important than ever to always be aware of your surroundings but it also gives an infinity of photo hops that will help you create some of your best photos.



I’m now leaving the Azores and, as the season is mostly over, the winds have picked up making diving offshore impossible  to travel far on the ocean but I already can’t wait to come back next year.

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