Underwater Photo Gallery: Vanessa Mignon's Stunning Images

This week we talk to underwater photo pro Vanessa Mignon as she shares the experiences and memories of the photos in her amazing gallery. From getting attacked by a grouper to up-close moments with an injured tiger shark, Australian sea lions and humpback whales, her tales are ones for the books.

Where do you live?

Home is Sydney, Australia.

Do you have another job besides underwater photography?

I am actually a full-time business analyst. Underwater adventures and photography are my passion and I am very fortunate to have a job with a company that is flexible and understanding of my hobbies.

How long have you been diving?

I completed my open water accreditation in March 2010. But then I had lots of back problems and only got back in the water in September 2010.

I have wanted to dive for a very long time, but I had a little bit of asthma and also lots of recurring eardrum problems. One day I was mentioning this to a friend whose brother had exactly the same issues, but he could dive most times. That gave me hope, so I signed up for the course.

How/where did you start?

I did all my diving training at Frog Dive Scuba Centres in Sydney. I had heard they had a great reputation, but also when I called and explained my ear issue, etc., they were very helpful and gave me lots of tips.

When did you start shooting underwater? What was your first camera setup?

I got my first underwater camera setup in mid-2010. It was a Canon 500D with the Canon basic 18-55 mm lens in an Ikelite housing.

In September 2010 I went on a live-aboard trip with Michael Aw in the Maldives. There were lots of very talented photographers on board, with amazing setups and gear I didn’t even know existed! I learned a lot and then upgraded, bought strobes, etc.

What camera system do you use now?

I use a Canon 5D Mark III in a Nauticam housing and 2 Inon strobes Z240. For wide-angle subjects, I use the Canon 16-35 mm f/2.8 L lens and for macro subjects I use a Canon 50 mm compact macro lens f/2.5.

What type of photography do you prefer (wide-angle, macro, etc.)?

Well, if you had asked me that question 6 months ago, I would have said wide-angle without hesitation. But I took a 2-day macro course at the end of July and then spent 2 weeks in Tulamben (Bali) and Komodo National Park. Shooting macro is making me discover a different world, and see things I wasn’t seeing before. So I love both. I love wide-angle because often the subjects (whales, dolphins, seals. etc.) can be very interactive. And I love macro because of the colour, the variety and the patient search for subjects.

What is your most memorable moment underwater?

I have been very fortunate to have quite a few memorable moments underwater. That’s why I love the ocean, there is always so much to say!

Four special moments will probably stay with me for the rest of my life: Three of them were with humpback whales. In September 2011, I got to swim with two courting whales. It was an underwater ballet. It was so gentle and beautiful — truly one of the most beautiful and majestic thing I have ever seen.

Then in September 2012, we got in the water with a mother and calf. As soon as the calf saw us, it came straight at us and started chasing us around while its mother kept resting. As soon as it would get close to us, it would roll over, so we would swim away. It would then come after us, and roll again. That little calf chased us around for a while, and we eventually had to get out of the water because we could not keep up and were exhausted. I had never seen that behaviour. I mean, calves are often inquisitive, but they will usually stay quite close to mum, or mum will make sure her calf stays close.

And this year we had a mother and calf resting at the surface and slowly floating towards us. They were amazingly relaxed, probably the most relaxed pair I had ever seen, and we spent the full allowed hour and an half with them. It was such a privilege to see that those whales were so comfortable and trusting around us. Unfortunately that encounter happened in murky water so I could not capture fully the beauty of the moment.

The fourth moment was actually diving with sharks in the Bahamas in 2011 on board the Dolphin Dream boat. I was still a very new diver, and very ignorant. I didn’t know what to expect from the sharks and I was a bit scared. Within seconds in the water the fear was gone. It was actually one of the most peaceful experiences I ever had as I sat there on the sand, surrounded by gliding sharks. The highlight was to meet the tiger sharks, which are so beautiful and powerful. One of them, called Smiley, really got to me. It appeared that she had been hooked and as a result was missing part of her mouth. She was so badly disfigured and at that time was struggling to eat and was quite thin. The more I watched her, the more I felt pain and sadness, but also love and respect for those beautiful animals. It’s also at that time that I found out about the extent of shark finning and how unsustainable it is.

That trip was life-changing for me, and since then shark conservation has been very important to me.

Any scary or funny moments underwater?

During the Bahamas shark trip, we went diving at a dive site called Fish Tale. It’s relatively shallow, and the boat was right on top of us. Because we were all photographers, we all got busy doing our own thing. I was on my own on one side of the reef. I put my arm up to adjust my hood when suddenly something grabbed my hand from behind. I remember thinking “oh s- - -, I am being attacked by a shark”! I turned around quickly and came face to face to a big head with big lips. It was a grouper! I started laughing in relief but then it started attacking me and trying to bite me. So here I was, going around in circles, using my camera as a shield! I must have looked hilarious. Eventually it gave up after putting on quite a fight!

Are there any underwater photographers you admire and why?

There are lots of photographers I admire. It would be quite a long list and I would not want to forget some by accident.

I feel that there are lots of wonderful photographers out there, some well known and established, other rising. The various underwater photography groups on Facebook are great to showcase people’s work and talent and I spend quite some time looking at them as it’s an opportunity to learn (by looking at the settings, location, etc.) and also to be inspired.

I really admire photographers who use their pictures for conservation purposes, to raise awareness, and to share the beauty of the oceans and its creatures.

I also admire the photographers who are happy to share their knowledge and give tips — especially since underwater photography is such a competitive field.

Any awards or honors?

I started entering underwater competitions in 2011 and won a few awards and/or got shortlisted at the Underwater Festival, Celebrate the Sea, ANZANG, Beneath the Sea and Scuba Diver Through The Lens.

Where have you been published?

I have been published in the following magazines: Ocean Geographic, Cosmos, Nurkowanie, Scuba Diver Through The Lens, and AquaMonde. I have also been published in three Australian calendars.

What are you proudest of?

I was extremely happy and honoured when I received the Ocean Geographic Photo Journalism Award in 2011 for my story “The Tiger that Touched My Heart”.

First because this was the story of my encounter with Smiley and how it made me care deeply about shark conservation: it was amazing to be able to share all my emotions and thoughts on paper. Also, it was my first attempt at writing — English is not my first language, and at that time I had been diving/taking underwater pictures for less than one year.

Anything else you'd like us to know about you — other passions, hobbies, etc.?

I have so many passions and they have been evolving as I get older and as I keep discovering the world. Just a few years ago, I was only dreaming of diving. And in less than four years I have dived amazing places, met inspiring people, set up tours to swim with whales, been published! Even though that took a lot of work, it’s very motivating and makes me want to explore more options and do more. I actually feel that I am still a work in progress with a key foundation, which is my love for nature and the hope that I can play a part in protecting it. I am sure that new interests and passions will come from that and I am looking forward to them.

What advice do you have for beginning photographers?

I am not a technical photographer at all and that often lets me down because I wasn’t thinking fast enough about settings, etc. So I would really recommend to practise as much as you can and read all the great tutorials available online.

Also, I think it’s essential to do your research well. I usually focus on one subject at a time and make sure I go to the best place at the best time of the year for that subject (of course, there is no guarantee with wildlife). I also research pictures of that subject to find out what camera settings would work well, but also to get inspired and start visualising the types of shot I would like.

Joining photography trips can also be a fantastic opportunity to learn from more-experienced photographers (how do they look after their equipment on the boat, how do they position their strobes in the water, etc.).

Finally, be patient. Be patient with the subject and be patient with your skills. It will all happen in due time.

Where are you going next?

I am going to South Africa, to hopefully dive with blue sharks, makos, and sevengill sharks.

To see more stellar underwater photographs and get shooting tips, visit the Photography section of our website.