We had two thoughts when SJ photographer David Michael Howarth showed us his winter vacation photos: Wow, these are really good shots, and is he out of his mind? David has been taking awesome photos for SJ Magazine since its first issue, so we always knew he was talented, but the photos he took while swimming with the sharks in the Bahamas – with no cage – are exceptional.

We wanted to share them with you, ’cause we’re betting the photos you have in your vacation photo albums don’t look anything like these. (And if you’re like us, you may think that’s a good thing.)