Photographer Chris Fallows describes taking award-winning image of shark breach

Cape Town-based photographer Chris Fallows has won a highly-coveted international award for his breathtaking photo of a great white shark mid-air.

Fallows has scooped the Global Eye Award during this year’s STARTnet Fair at the Saatchi Gallery in London for his iconic photo of a breaching great white shark.

His winning picture, titled ‘Air Jaws’, was taken back in 2001 and has become one of the world's most famous fine art wildlife images.

The striking black and white image captures a great white shark breaching the surface of the ocean.

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A post shared by Chris Fallows (@chrisfallowsphotography) on Aug 13, 2020 at 7:22am PDT

Fallows says he took the photo using a film camera 19 years ago. At the time, he had to anxiously wait two days before his images were processed.

The photographer says he has not been able to capture anything like the incredibly striking ‘Air Jaws’ pose since.

I think the thing that struck me most was having to take that roll of film to the processing lab in Cape Town on a Friday knowing that I had seen something pretty incredible but having to wait until the Monday to get it back.

Chris Fallows, Wildlife Naturalist And Photographer

In those days, it wasn't just the case of looking at the back on the viewfinder and getting your results. It was a nervous two days and I walked into the lab in Cape Town and everyone was clapping. It was a huge relief.

Chris Fallows, Wildlife Naturalist And Photographer

For me, I guess that was the start of bigger things with my photography.

Chris Fallows, Wildlife Naturalist And Photographer

It's a great honour and I think, most importantly, it's a fantastic chance to showcase the magnificent wildlife of our continent.

Chris Fallows, Wildlife Naturalist And Photographer

That picture was the one that got the most recognition at the Art Fair... The general consensus was that was the most impactful image.

Chris Fallows, Wildlife Naturalist And Photographer

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and that one, for me, was probably worth a thousand breaches.

Chris Fallows, Wildlife Naturalist And Photographer

Listen to Chris Fallows in conversation with John Maytham:

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