Von Wong took the photos because he wanted to raise awareness about shark sanctuaries and the beauty of these misunderstood creatures. Von Wong realized he wanted to work on a shark conservation project when he was in Fiji for a photography workshop. “Once I got thinking about a strong message I wanted to convey, a ‘shark shepherd’ was something that really resonated to me.” he said. He said it was the first project he has done advocating for protections for sharks. “To be honest, it’s not something you hear about very much in Canada…This project was a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn more about them,” he said. “Similar to squirrels at a park, the white-tipped reef sharks would hover around us curiously only to scamper off if anyone got too close,” he wrote. “Hoping to get the sharks in perfect position, our entire team tried their best to hug the walls and not make any sudden movements to not startle the timid creatures.” To create the shoot, Von Wong partnered with Tourism Fiji and Barefoot Collection. The organizations were able to help Von Wong with his vision by supplying him with a full team of divers, as well as a marine biologist and shark expert named Thomas Vignaud. Von Wong decided to go with Amber Bourke, a champion freediver who can hold her breath for over five minutes. Bourke had never worked with sharks before, but she wasn’t scared of them. Her dress was custom designed for the photoshoot by Ali Charisma.
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