This photo book represents the collaboration between The Dorsal Effect – a local project run by Kathy Xu to help provide fisherman with ecotourism as an alternative to shark finning and Singapore Management University. The Dorsal Effect organises marine conservation trips to Lombok, Indonesia to facilitate volunteering and a better understanding of the deep complexity of sustainability issues. A group of SMU LKC Scholars coming from various disciplinary backgrounds participated in one such experience. Through their trip, the students meticulously documented their trip with photographs and impassioned captions about their experiences and reflections. Shark Love was born out of a culmination of their experience – a photo book that served as a collective memory for the students and facilitators.

We personally love such community projects, because they showcase stories that don’t always get the attention they deserve. In this case, we’re also big supporters of the good work that The Dorsal Effect has been doing! We wanted the photo book to do justice to these compelling reflections and stories, while also showcasing the beautiful visuals. We started by choosing a colour scheme that was vibrant and in keeping with the themes of the narrative, and proceeded to choose the best layout to draw emphasis to key moments. We also were mindful that the underlying tone of this book should be reflective and optimistic, carefully curating photos that supported this (not too many photos of dead sharks). In addition, we provided editorial services that allowed the book to read seamlessly. From segmenting the content to help the narrative flow, to diligently editing for consistency, we did the needful to make the captions sparkle.

The Tusitala team hopes to be able to tell more such meaningful community stories. We are inspired by stories with soul, especially those that allow for various viewpoints and ideas to be represented. Contact us if you have an idea you’d like to talk about.