Award-winning photographer and director Tyler Stableford ’96 recently embarked on a passion project that became his most challenging photo expedition: capturing a human swimming alongside whale sharks off the coast of Mexico.

Stableford traveled with former competitive swimmer Ashley Mosher and a small crew to the Yucatan Peninsula, where whale sharks converge every August. Though docile, the sharks’ immense size and erratic movements made swimming, posing, and shooting difficult. Adding to the challenge, local regulations prohibited the use of SCUBA gear.

After five hours—and dozens of failed attempts—Stableford came away with eight images that capture Mosher artfully intertwined with the sharks. Unlike much of his commercial work, the photos were shot using only natural lighting, with no compositing or manipulation in Photoshop.

Read more about Stableford in our Jul/Aug 2018 profile.

All photos courtesy Tyler Stableford except final photo by Kate Rolston