Many people are afraid of sharks, coming across one while they are swimming in the ocean. But for photographer Michael Muller, sharks are very fascinating, and make for awesome subjects in his photography series and book, SHARKS, published by Taschen.

Muller was not always a nature photographer. He is well-known for his celebrity work. He photographed the cover of Rihanna's Unapologetic album, the movie poster for 'Deadpool' and has also photographed Michael Phelps during the Olympics.

Over the last 10 years, he has developed a fascination with sharks after his wife booked him a cage-diving trip for his birthday. Of course, Muller told Business Insider, before he went, he was a little apprehensive — especially after seeing the movie "Jaws." But despite that fear, he felt compelled to go.

"I went out to Guadalupe Island, about 200 nautical miles off Mexico's Baja Peninsula; it’s a volcanic island," he said. "I was the first one in the water at six in the morning ... I was down there for about five minutes, and out of the darkness comes this first great white. It just swims right by me and we lock eyes, and I was like 'I see you and I know you see me'. There was a connection."

From that point on, he said, he knew that he had to continue to dive and photograph these majestic creatures. Here are some of his breathtaking shots that he has taken over the past few years.

Check out more of the original article on Business Insider where you can read more about

Michael Muller's book SHARKS is currently available for purchase online and a Collector’s Edition version, that comes in its own shark cage, will also be in stores in October. If you are interested in getting your own copy, check it out here.

Have You Signed Up For Our Newsletter?

If not, be sure to enter your info below to to stay up to date on our other giveaways and industry deals and news!