#underwater performance

@juliegautier.nery @guillaumenery

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'WORLD FIRST, WOMAN DANCES WITH TIGER SHARKS' In a performance protest against the Australian shark cull and the global slaughter of sharks, a woman risks it all to dance on the sea floor with swarms of tiger sharks up to 17 feet long without any dive or protective gear. And the message, "End the War on Sharks" resonates throughout this piece.... Australian Hannah Fraser, the world's most celebrated mermaid/underwater model and a dedicated conservationist, decided to dive head-first into the battle and make a profound statement in opposition to her government' shark cull philosophy. Teaming up with Emmy Award winning cinematographer and photographer Shawn Heinrichs, and the world's leading authority on interactions with large "predatory" sharks, Jim Abernethy, the trio embarked on a dangerous mission, the likes of which has never before been attempted. Their objective - to present these magnificent creatures in a true and positive light by capturing iconic imagery of Hannah face-to-face with a massive 15 foot tiger shark, her hand resting gently on it's massive head. What made this shoot entirely unique was that Hannah was devoid of any scuba or free-dive gear, dressed only in a tiny costume and airbrush body paint to create the perfect artistic vision. Without mask, fins or any sort of protective gear, she had to rely solely on her skills, training and experience, along with the diligent support of her expert team, to ensure the shoot went off without a hitch. There was no room for error, as one mistake could have resulted in severe injury or worse. Despite the risks, the team was resolute in their mission to create the most groundbreaking imagery to oppose not only the Australia shark cull, but also the global slaughter of sharks In a knee-jerk response to several shark attacks off the west coast of Australia, the West Australian (WA) government implemented a shark cull to make beaches "safe" again for bathers. Despite intense domestic and international opposition, and overwhelming scientific evidence disproving the effectiveness and justification for the cull, the WA government remained resolute in carrying out the cull. Among the species most effected are Tiger Sharks, and despite the critical ecological role this species plays, and the fact that their numbers have already been severely depleted throughout their range, and having just concluded the initial cull period, the government appears committed to reinstating the cull when they deem "appropriate. Premier Colin Barnett claimed the policy has been a success, stating 'They were tiger sharks. They are proven around the world to be a dangerous shark.' Imagery of this nature has never been seen before, and the team believes it will surely bring significant international attention to the global plight of sharks. This is just one exciting chapter in Hannah and Shawn's journey to bring these stories of inspiration to the planet, with the goal of putting a stop to destruction of our oceans. Their journey together will be told in a new feature film "Tears of a Mermaid" to be released next year. 

Filmed and edited by Tyler Sutter