"Being seasick, sunburnt, dusty, flooded and sometimes scared are all part of it, but getting the shot means any hardship is quickly forgotten" – wildlife photographer Chris Fallows on his spectacular shots of whales

South African wildlife photographer Chris Fallows has a passion for capturing stunning images of marine life, particularly great white sharks and humpback whales. Having been drawn to the subject from a young age, he turned his interest into a career after an early breakthrough photograph of a great white shark breaching waves at South Africa's Seal Island in 1996.

His artistic approach to photography, which emphasizes mood and storytelling through low-angle shots and black-and-white imagery, has earned him recognition, including a runner-up spot in the General – Black & White category of the 2025 Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) competition.

Fallows spends extended periods at sea, where he has made history with a world record 304 humpback whale photographs in a single day off the South African coast. Despite the challenging conditions, he enjoys the adrenaline rush and the unmatched beauty of the experience, even though it can come with discomforts like seasickness, sunburn, and fear.

His approach to photography involves meticulous planning, choosing locations that offer a desired aesthetic and allowing ample time for his subjects to perform in the frame. He prefers using shorter, wide-angle lenses to capture the vast oceanic canvas and has honed his skills over decades, earning the trust of marine life.

Beyond his artistic pursuits, Fallows is also a dedicated conservationist. The revenue from his fine-art photography sales is invested in wildlife conservation projects, with recent contributions aimed at purchasing land to establish and protect natural habitats. Through his work, he aims to inspire others to appreciate and protect these magnificent creatures and their environment.