He may have lost a leg to a shark but Mike Coots dives fearlessly into the depths to take breathtaking snaps of the predators.
The 43-year-old photographer campaigns for the conservation of the terrifying creatures – despite his brush with death while surfing aged 18.
His latest images, seen here, were snapped on a Canon R5 camera off Guadalupe Island, Mexico.
Mike said: “I was photographing great whites in a shark cage and this shark had just missed taking a bite of a chunk of tuna. This photo shows both the beauty and brawn of such a powerful creature.
It’s like you are looking at a living dinosaur.
“You can feel its energy, and their eyes have the most incredible depth and shade of blue in them.
You can sense their brain is processing who you are, and can feel that energy. Its awe-inspiring.”
Great whites can top 20ft in length and weigh 5,000lb. Mike lost his leg to a tiger shark, which can top 16ft, near his home in Kauai, Hawaii, in 1997.
But he said: “I have since become a staunch advocate for their protection and use my imagery and social media to share why they are important in the ocean and how beautiful they are.
We need sharks for a healthy planet, as they play a indispensable role in the marine ecosystem.”
