One more mouthful !!
A humpback whale comes to the surface as it "bubble feeds" in S.E. Alaska. This is a event seen only here in Alaska . Look close, see the herring that...
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A humpback whale comes to the surface as it "bubble feeds" in S.E. Alaska. This is a event seen only here in Alaska . Look close, see the herring that he didn't get??
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Aug, 2011Views
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Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 22
Contest Finalist in Endangered Species Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in The Marine Wildlife Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Spontaneous Photo Contest
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Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
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Magnificent Capture
Superb Composition
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Outstanding Creativity
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Ali_Rockwell
August 09, 2011
Wow, lucky you to be able to witness this AND capture it! Congrats and nicely done!!
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Gilbert
September 09, 2011
A stunning image and what a privilige to see this! Fantastic.... :~)Steve
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shema
January 13, 2012
superb! wonderful close up detail, never have seen inside the mouth like that!
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michaeldobson
January 15, 2012
Thanks Everybody !! I really appreciate all the comments. It is truly my pleasure to be able to share my experiences. You are a great group !
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KellyGregory
February 25, 2012
This is breathtaking. Awesome job. I can only dream of being able to see a whale like this. Congrats.
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johnpa53
June 03, 2012
wow awesome. it is a great experience to see these giant creatures in the wild. Good work:)
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Picture-It-All
June 03, 2012
WOW, WHAT AN INCREDIBLY AWESOME CAPTURE!!!!! A VERY VERY WELL DESERVED CONGRATS...
bijmin
June 03, 2012
Incredible! Must have been a truly memorable experience that we can now all share through this amazing capture!
Thank you, and congrats on a well deserved feature!
Thank you, and congrats on a well deserved feature!
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SubruralGirl
June 03, 2012
Wow! Absolutely amazing shot! Congratulations on your well deserved feature! Made this a fave!
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moonlitartist
June 03, 2012
this is one of those shots where you are going back through your photos as the end of the day, and you see it and your stomach tightens, and you get all excited and think "yes! I did that"... great shot
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dunniteowl
June 03, 2012
This is simply amazing. Not just that it's one of the world's most awesome creatures, but the clarity and crispness, the timing and composition all scream -- WOW!
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Danny_martin_10
June 05, 2012
Such an incredible shot, Congratulations on the feature.....its well deserved :D
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jimmoon_8772
August 22, 2012
Dream Shot, I am still kicking myself for not taking the boat out this spring while we where in Victoria BC.
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michaeldobson
August 15, 2013
This is still one of my personal favorites also ---- I didn't realize it had been featured till just now ---- thank you !!
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo of Humpback whales bubble feeding was taken near Juneau Alaska in the lower Lynn Canal areaTime
Mid day is the time setting of this shotLighting
This part is a little tricky as the action is fast, and the distance is hard to predict. Since I was using a 100/400 mm lens, I always try for at least 500th of a second shutter speed minimum. There is no opportunity to use a tripod, or even a bipod. This is a freehand shot only because it it on a boat, and the action is fast. I use the AV function so I can preset the depth of field F Stop . I always start at 100 mm so I can zoom in as soon as I pick up the action. If you start at the 400 mm setting it is harder to get on the action and real hard to get the full scene in the shot. I normally will jack the ISO so that I get into the f-10 or higher range. My last tip is be sure to have the camera on continuous fire as long as you hold the release down. You are trying for the perfect shot on an animal that is big and moving fast so fire away, ---- you can throw away the bad shots & hopefully you get the good oneEquipment
If I remember correctly, I was using a Canon 50 D with a 100/400 lens .............. no flash, tripod or bipodInspiration
This is the only area where the Humpback bubble feeding takes place. and it only happens when herring are schooled up in the summer, and the whales are on location to coordinate the feeding so many elements have to come together to make it happenEditing
I do some post -processing. Normally, cropping, levels , curves, contrast, and sharpening are used.In my camera bag
I normally have two cameras, one with the 100-400 lens, and another with a 70/200 lens. I do not like to open the shutter area during a shoot as I'm often in field settings that will easily get dust into the camera if it is openedFeedback
Start on a lower mm setting and be prepared to zoom quickly to get the right shot. again, this is fast action with no warning, normally, as to where exactly the whales will surface. You will have about 2 seconds to have taken the shot, and hopefully you will get what you are after. When the bubble feeding is happening, there will be several feeding surfaces so you will have multiple opportunities to get it right
