Specialized travel agency… diving?

I recently discovered an advertisement extolling the beauties of diving in Sudan made by a famous actor in the world of diving travel, a specialist. I must admit that this immediately appealed to me. Indeed, Sudan is famous for offering encounters with the hammerhead shark and much of this ad highlights this possibility.

This one appeals to me because the proportions of the solitary shark which is presented there is that of a great hammerhead shark - Sphyrna wet - with its characteristic dorsal fin, the flat head profile, open mouth swimming… Whereas in Sudan, the vast majority of encounters are with scalloped hammerhead sharks - Sphyrna lewini -…

In addition, the white sand bottom suggests that the shot could have been taken in Bahamian waters and certainly not in Sudanese waters which do not offer this type of bottom ...

Besides, on closer inspection, the copyright of the image in question indicates shutterstock. In less than 30 seconds, the snapshot appears on the website of this international image bank. The title of it is unequivocal: “great hammerhead“… Great hammerhead shark.

Until proven otherwise, shouldn't the advertising images illustrate the “product” that the professional is trying to sell you?

And I will refrain from launching the debate on the use of these image banks which certainly have the immediate advantage of offering a snapshot for less than 10 euros, but this explains, in part, that I can count on my fingers with one hand underwater photographers practicing professionally in France today ... who would have sold for 70 euros a photograph taken on THE destination ...

Surprising and strange from a diving travel specialist who, like all the others, puts forward his knowledge of the “product”, of the terrain and of his passion for the underwater world…

Manuel Lewin