Partial Breach 2-Chin Slap
Off Molokai, HI. It's hard to get these guys to breach when you're watching.
Off Molokai, HI. It's hard to get these guys to breach when you're watching.
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Feb, 2016Views
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Contest Finalist in Large Photo Contest
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JenelleM
March 24, 2016
love watching whales and dolphins you have some awesome shots this one is a ripper to be honest love any photo with these wonderful creatures in them
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Burnettj
March 27, 2016
Wow. that is one fantastic photo. I hope to go out whale watching later this year.
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mcampi
March 30, 2016
I have been there many time and never got a shot like this. You nailed it congrats...
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jeanlindfors
July 16, 2016
WOW - what wonderful photos u take- everything the world needs-music,animals, art & humor.Keep it up.
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ronalddailey
October 26, 2023
I was stationed in the Marines in Hawaii - when we trained up in the red clay on Oahu - up in the Kuhukus - we could actually see whales splashing in the oceans - awesome shot - another that would look great on a metal print
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in the Molokai Channel, HI.Time
Morning. The channel is pretty rough so you can usually only go out once a day in the early morning.Lighting
I use ambient light. Many days it is a combination of haze and clear skies which can make exposure a challenge.Equipment
I took this back in 2016 with a Nikon D600 and a Tamron 150-600 lens. Holding the camera steady on a boat is always a challenge. I have switched to Sony A7r4 bodies and all Sony lenses which I find faster and better quality.Inspiration
I love humpback whales and we go out nearly every morning in Molokai every day for 4-5 weeks each winter. It is hard to catch these guys doing anything but swimming so when you get an active one it is so exciting. This is actually called a chin slap but also a partial breach. The thing I find the most challenging is the fact that you look in one place and one will launch in a completely different area. If they only do it once, you can't catch it but when you get a serial breached or chin slap (more than once) it is a thrilling site to behold. Whales are so intelligent and when you make eye contact it is rather spiritual.Editing
I usually use only basic panels in Lightroom but have as of late been using a combination of Lightroom, photoshop and DXR. I am getting a tad more advanced with my post-processing but it is my least favorite thing to do because it can be time consuming.In my camera bag
That really depends on what I am trying to shoot. Since I enjoy wildlife photography the most, I usually use my Sony 200-600 lens but I am actually on my way to Ecuador and the Galapagos where I will be trying out some new underwater equipment. I am bringing three cameras with me because I hate changing lenses in the field. I wear a Cotton Camera vest so I can bring the long lens and a 35-110mm with me. It doesn't hurt my back doing it this way. If I can get away with not using a backpack I will but it is weather dependent. I also use knee pads. These knees are gettin' old!Feedback
Be patient. As I alluded to, I go out every day for 4-5 weeks to get action. Wild animals don't do what you want them to do when you want them to do it. Depending on lighting, these days I usually start with 1/1600 shutter on burst mode so I can get a series. I hate taking so many photos but I also cull my pix each evening so I get rid of the ones that are out of focus (on a boat, some will be out of focus!) or if I don't like the composition. I can't tell you how many times I get half a whale in the frame due to boat movement. It just takes practice!
