15 Shark Photos That Will Terrify and Delight You This Summer
In a collection pulled from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest, catch a wave with these predators of the sea
Can a shark be aerodynamic? Like a rocket shooting up into the sky, aiming toward the sun, this blue shark near Pico Island in Portugal’s Azores archipelago rips through the water. Blue sharks’ average top speed is around 40 miles per hour.
Gilles Auroux, Portugal, 2020
Text by Tracy Scott Forson
Photographs selected by Donny Bajohr
Shark Week approaches. The Discovery Channel’s annual programming stunt begins July 23, and in anticipation, we’re celebrating a species that sparks both fantasy and fear for anyone who dares enter its habitat. From the Bahamas to Bora Bora, whether swimming alone or with an entourage, sleek and smooth or shaped like a hammer, sharks rarely disappoint when it comes to being camera-ready. Those toothy smiles don’t hurt.
Below, view a selection of the best images submitted by the Smithsonian magazine photography contest entrants over the years.