November 20, 2012 — An underwater fashion shoot involving the world's largest sharks? An intriguing concept, to be sure, and an assignment that might seem perilous for the models.
But given that the recent photo shoot in the Philippines involved docile whale sharks, the result was merely a series of stunning images designed to inspire awareness regarding the plight of these amazing plankton-eating creatures.
Shawn Heinrichs teamed with Kristian Schmidt for the unique project, believed to be the world's first whale shark fashion shoot.
Also involved were models Roberta Mancino (a renowned sky-diver and wingsuit flier), Hannah Fraser, Fazili Krasniqi, and Taro Smith, and an underwater lighting specialist.
(Heinrichs and Schmidt allowed the one-time use of these images for this post. They are protected by copyright laws.)
The goal of the project off the remote village of Oslob, Heinrichs said via email, is "to highlight the magnificence of these creatures and bring their beauty to a global audience."
The challenge, the photographer added, was "to turn models into mermaids and create mesmerizing imagery that captured the unique connection between humans and the largest fish in the ocean, the whale shark."
Read the full article and see the photos at Grindtv