Description
LOCATION: The Bahamas
STORY BEHIND THE SHOT: It’s the happiest island on Earth! What could possibly be more fun?!? Yes, if you’re not already familiar, there’s a small island in the Exuma chain of the Bahamas where pigs roam free and swim in the ocean! Now, of course, pigs aren’t native to the Bahamian islands; they were introduced a few decades ago (yes, be very skeptical of the tall tales you hear about them coming from pirate ships of Columbus’s ship hundreds of years ago – those stories are hogwash. Get it…? hogwash…?). Anyway, they’re living the beach life now, many generations after the originals, and the Bahamas government, tour operators, veterinarians, and other locals have all teamed together to make sure they have a good life, and a fun experience for you to come visit. But don’t let your fun be ruined by complacency – they may be domestic pigs, but they are feral, and yes, they do occasionally bit people – usually when some Instagram model stupidly grabs a piglet away from a mother (duh!), or you try to hand feed them without paying full attention and the pig unintentionally bites your hand (also duh!). So, just don’t be duh, and you’ll be fine.
Pig Island in the Bahamas has become insanely famous in the Instagram era, so I’m glad I was able to create my swimming pig portraits before the chaos began. While I still encourage you to go to Pig Beach and swim with them for yourself, because it is absolutely awesome and sooooo much fun, I’ve gotten reports that’s it’s become a bit over-touristy in recent years. The government has put tags in their ears, locals have built structures, and there’s a few more rules now. But that shouldn’t stop you from experiencing the swimming pigs. Do it! You won’t regret it!
And pig-lovers should also check out Brine Swine and Pearl, both of which are also fun shots from Pig Beach in the Bahamas.
FOR PURCHASING A PRINT: Hog Heaven is presented as a 3:2 ratio vertical print, but it’s actually quite flexible for printing in other shapes, including a square or even a horizontal. Standard sizes from 16×24″ up to 72×48″ are available here online, but inquire with our design team for custom sizing in other shapes up to 250″ wide, printed on luxurious aluminum for maximum pop and vibrancy.