Truly breathtaking pictures! Photographer braves shark-infested ocean and razor-sharp reef to capture stunning underwater images of surfers serenely gliding beneath huge 30ft waves

Lucia Griggi, 30, took the incredible images off the coast of Fiji

By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 18:49 GMT, 15 April 2013 | UPDATED: 06:43 GMT, 16 April 2013

A photographer risked bone-crunching sea swell as well as man-eating sharks to capture these amazing underwater pictures of a surfer riding a massive 30 foot wave.
Brave Lucia Griggi, 30, took the incredible images off the coast of Fiji.
The British snapper went there to cover a surfing competition in June, last year.

Stunning: Photographer Lucia Griggi captures surfer Stu Johnson clings onto his board as he plunges under an enormous wave off the coast of Fiji

Breathtaking: A surfer dives under the crushing breaking waves during the the Volcom Pro competition in Fiji
Among the stunning collection of pictures was an image of the exact moment surfer Stu Johnson clings onto his board as he plunges underwater.
Lucia said: 'I went to Fiji to cover the Volcom Pro competition which attracts some of the world's best surfers.

'These particular shots are of Stu Johnson surfing a "cloud break" wave.
'We ended up getting a really big swell and the wave was 30 feet high.

Serenity: Lucia Griggi captures the serenity of a surfer diving deep underwater as a huge 30-foot wave crashes overhead

Surf's up: Lucia Griggi, 30, took this incredible image of a female surfer gliding under a massive wave while dodging sharks off the coast of Fiji

Clear blue sea: Two surfers glide effortlessly under the turbulent sea as they look for the perfect wave to ride in the Volcom Pro competition
'I jumped in the water before the waves got too big and churn up the water and create too much turbulence to take good images.
'The problem with shooting underwater is it can take a while to get the right shot.
'You have to line-up the surfer and follow them in the water. You wait for them to decide which way they're going to ride the wave.
'The wave breaks a certain way and they then ride the wall of the wave.

Above and beyond: Lucia Griggi put her endurance and bravery to the test as she contended with powerful waves and razor sharp reefs to capture these stunning pictures

Pushed to her limits: Lucia Griggi, pictured underwater, pushed herself to the limits of endurance as she dived deep underwater to capture the amazing views of competitors

World's best: The world's best surfers - as well as the sport's top photographers - came from all four corners of the globe for the competition off the coast of Fiji

Battle: One of the female competitors swims under the surface to avoid the huge waves crashing overhead as she paddles out to begin her round

'You're sitting in position to catch them go past - it's very technical shooting under water.
'You have to sit in the impact zone of the wave which is the most dangerous place to be.
'I was shooting near a reef and the wave could have pulled me over it - which is dangerous because the reef is quite sharp.
'There are also risks of getting pulled under water - not to mention the risk of sharks as well.

Silhouette: Surfers not only had to brave the shark-infested waters during the Volcom Pro competition but also watch out for the reef jutting up from the sea floor

'While I was taking the pictures I saw sharks feeding nearby.
'I was also taking the pictures in the middle of nowhere. It took 40 minutes by boat to get to the right spot - so it was quite intimidating.
'I was in the water for about three or four hours during an evening session - trying to get the right shot.
'I used a Canon 5D Mark II and Mark III.
'It's always a challenge and I did get scared during this shoot because of the size of the waves.'