Capturing Conservation Through the Lens of Shane Gross 

Can you take us back to the beginning — what first inspired you to pick up a camera and focus it on wildlife and the natural world and dedicate your career to conservation photography? 

I’ve had a love for ocean and freshwater animals since before I can remember. Thanks to my father, I started snorkeling at four years old in Saskatchewan lakes and got certified as a SCUBA diver when I was 15 on a family vacation to the Bahamas.  

I was inspired to pick up a camera from seeing Doug Perrine’s 2004 Wildlife Photographer of the Year winning image of sharks feeding on sardines in South Africa. I wanted to make an image that good someday. The conservation seed was planted when I saw Sharkwater, a film by fellow Canadian Rob Stewart, highlighting the shark fin trade that was leading to the demise of my favorite animals – sharks. My passion has only expanded as I’ve been lucky enough to explore more of the ocean, be in the presence of more amazing wildlife, and see more of humanities impacts. 

Many Canadians feel a strong connection to nature but may not know how to directly help. What advice would you offer individuals who want to make a difference for wildlife and biodiversity preservation?

Get out in nature as much as possible because that is what will inspire you and keep you positive. When you spend time in nature, your love for it grows and when something you love is threatened, you will find a way to help. My skills happen to be in photography, but whatever someone’s skills are, they can be applied to a cause they are passionate about.  
 

For example, I photographed a Greenpeace campaign aboard one of their large ships. I saw the commitment it took to run the ship and campaign from the ship’s captain to the communications team, engineers, mechanics, cooks, accountants, and so many more. Some people have the ability to lead, and that is what we need now more than ever, smart leaders with good hearts and the courage to lead us in the right direction (and us to vote or uplift them).  

Lastly, stay curious. We are learning more about the natural world and about ourselves every day and we need to be able to adapt and change to fight new battles as they come. 

As an advocate for conservation through your photography, what core message do you hope to convey about the urgent need to conserve wildlife and ecosystems? 

We depend on the natural world not only for our survival, but also for our quality of life. We are at a critical point where the faster we move to solve the problems we have created, the fewer people (and non-human animals) will suffer and the more of us can thrive. It’s really about humanity because the planet will be fine without us, but we will not be fine without a healthy planet. When we do something good for Earth, we are really investing in ourselves. 

What’s your favorite animal to photograph — and why? 

Sharks are my first love. I’ve been lucky to photograph 36 species of sharks, but that means there are still around 500 more species to go. Each one of them has their unique charm and each individual within the species has their own personality. I don’t think I will ever tire of seeing sharks in their natural habitat. They are so beautiful, mysterious, and move with the grace I wish I had. Of course, I could say the same thing about many aquatic species! 

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve ever witnessed while photographing wildlife? 

I once had a humpback whale mother push her young calf with her nose towards me and a small group of snorkelers. It was clear she trusted us and while I’ll never know the reason why she did it, I like to think it was because she was proud of her son and wanted us to see him and for him to learn we aren’t a threat. After almost hunting them to extinction, the trust she showed leaves me in awe.