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Nov, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was shot near Newport Beach, California on a “whale watching” trip. We didn’t see many, if any, whales that day but the dolphins were plentiful and active.Time
This was taken in the morning, sometime between 10 and 11 am.Lighting
I stood in the back of the whale watching boat as it sped through a large pod. I found a dolphin zooming nearby on the right side of the boat so that when it jumped, it was perfectly lit by the sun in a bright blue sky.Equipment
This was shot with a Canon 5d IV and Canon 100-400mm lens.Inspiration
This is one of my first times shooting dolphins and it was definitely a case of beginner’s luck. Shooting these wonderful creatures is extremely difficult because they move SO fast. If you try to shoot them when they’re already in the air, you’ve got virtually no chance of a shot like this. (I have a lot of photos of tails disappearing into the water to prove it.) What I discovered is that you have to find a dolphin swimming through water nearby and just stay on them, tracking them until they leap. One of the hardest things about that strategy is that they move in large pods and there are dolphins jumping all around; it’s very easy to get distracted by all the fun and energy around you.Editing
There is very little post processing on this shot besides cropping. Fortunately, the lighting was just right and there was no need to alter anything.In my camera bag
I always travel with my Canon 5D IV. My go-to lens is a Canon 24-105 f4 and, for sports and wildlife, a Canon 100-400 f5.6.Feedback
As I mentioned above, you really need to find a dolphin and track them With your finger on the shutter release ready for the jump. It’s best if you’re near the back of the boat so the dolphins is coming toward you and to the side.
