Otter Smile
A river otter takes a break from eating a sculpin to check its surroundings.
A river otter takes a break from eating a sculpin to check its surroundings.
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Sep, 2015Views
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Awards
People's Choice in Unique Smiles Photo Challenge
Superb Composition
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Peer Award
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken near the mouth of Butcher's Slough at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. The fresh water from Jolly Giant Creek blending with the water from Humboldt Bay there creates a rich estuarine environment that attracts several kinds of fish and the animals that eat them.Time
This shot was taken in the late afternoon. I timed my visit there to coincide with the receding tide because the outflow from a nearby tidal gate tends to attract large number of fish to the mouth of the slough. In this case, large Pacific staghorn sculpins were feeding in the deep water, which is what attracted a pair of river otters.Lighting
The light, or lack thereof, was difficult to deal with in this shot. The otter dragged its catch onto the embankment directly in front of me, which was in the shadow of the willow trees along the slough's western shore. I had to open the aperture nearly all the way to get decent exposure, which made for a ridiculously small depth of field at 800mm.Equipment
This was shot with a Nikon D800 and Sigma 300-800mm zoom lens, handheld.Inspiration
I absolutely love otters, and having a river otter eat its dinner right in front of me was motivation enough to keep shooting as fast as my camera would allow until my memory card was full. This was one of the closest encounters I've had with a wild river otter (I actually had to scoot back slightly to get it in focus), and it didn't seem to mind having me nearby taking photos.Editing
Since the otter was deep in the shadows for this shot, I had to adjust the curves to bring out the contrast in its face and boost the color temperature significantly. Other than that, no major alterations were made.In my camera bag
While exploring the wetlands, I normally carry around a Nikon D800 and Sigma 300-800mm zoom on a Joby sling strap. If I'm going to be staking out a single spot for extended periods, I'll bring a monopod as well.Feedback
It's very difficult to anticipate where river otters will turn up when you're in a massive system of wetlands, since they hunt and forage over a very large range. They tend to get spooked if you're standing, walking or making noise nearby, so I strongly recommend finding a good spot to sit quietly if you're lucky enough to spot one nearby. If you need to get closer to the water's edge, wait until the otter dives before making your move, and try to get into a comfortable position as soon as possible so you don't scare it off when it surfaces.
