Photographing Humpback Whales in French Polynesia and the Dominican Republic

Swimming with humpback whales is a life-changing expertise that may be loved in particular areas comparable to Moorea in French Polynesia or the Silver Financial institution within the Dominican Republic

By way of the Chinese language zodiac, 2022 was the 12 months of the Tiger and 2023 is the 12 months of Rabbit, however for my private astrological leaning, these have been each the Years of the Whale. In October 2022, I went to French Polynesia to work on a narrative for Alert Diver about freediving with massive animals, selecting October to be there throughout whales’ season in Moorea. Then, in March 2023, I led a photograph tour to the Silver Financial institution of the Dominican Republic, additionally for humpback whales. Each locations are iconic in that they’re recognized whale sanctuaries, the place the humpbacks congregate yearly to mate and beginning and put together their infants for the lengthy trek to their winter feeding grounds. Photographically, they’re considerably completely different although.

A curious calf checks the writer out in Moorea, French Polynesia

Table of Contents

French Polynesia

The water is usually clearer in Moorea and the underwater encounters are sometimes spectacular. This previous season had just a few actually gregarious calves that set the tempo of the encounters by actively swimming in direction of snorkelers on the floor. I used to be actually shocked on my first drop close to a mother and calf—“close to” being a relative time period, as a result of you aren’t allowed to get within the water nearer than 100 meters (~330 toes) for an grownup whale and 150 meters (~500 toes) for a mother and calf. The infant—that too being a relative time period for an animal 15 toes lengthy and weighing 1.5 tons—beelined instantly in direction of me!

I used to be used to ready round on the floor to “perhaps” get shut sufficient to get a shot, however I needed to clear my thoughts of that notion and react to this lucky happenstance. Underwater photographer Rachel Moore occurred to be on the opposite facet of the encounter and received a very nice shot of me within the candy spot. (Thanks Rachel!) I additionally had a stunning encounter with a mother and calf the subsequent day. There was a freediver within the water that served as a compositional aspect, and that shot ended up on the duvet of the primary quarter 2023 subject of Alert Diver.

A freediver has an unforgettable encounter with a big humpback whale and her calf, offering the right cowl shot for a latest version of Alert Diver

Dominican Republic

Whereas the whales in Moorea are close to the island and accessible through day boats, the Silver Financial institution, 72 nautical miles off Puerta Plata within the Dominican Republic, is just accessible through liveaboard dive boats. One actually important distinction between Moorea and the Silver Financial institution has to do with topside picture alternatives. In Moorea, you’ll be able to’t strategy the whales contained in the lagoon, and the boat can’t get nearer than 100 meters (~330 toes). So it’s tough to seek out alternative and proximity to shoot the topside breaches, spyhops, and tail slaps that so outline humpback behaviors.

Within the Silver Financial institution, you have a tendency to spend so much of time within the boat gauging the whales’ conduct to find out if they may tolerate an in-water encounter, and very often whereas that’s taking place they’re lively on the floor—a lot so that you’ll want a dry bag to guard your digicam! We had one shooter on this final journey who had his topside digicam and lengthy lens completely inundated by a playful calf who got here proper subsequent to the boat and threw up an enormous wake. That may by no means occur in Moorea below their statement protocols, for good or dangerous.

Regardless of their immense dimension and weight, humpback whales usually breach utterly from the water offering wonderful alternatives for topside pictures

A tail shot of a giant whale because it dives to the depths under

This isn’t to say you received’t have underwater encounters on the Silver Financial institution, particularly with Mother and calf. The calf will breathe at shorter intervals than the mother, so a talented boat driver and information can put you within the water the place the calf would possibly presumably come to the floor, and wherever the calf is, the mother received’t be far under. Nonetheless, the water is just not typically as clear on the Silver Financial institution as it’s in Moorea, so it is very important get as near the whale as doable.

Each time a humpback whale calf heads to the floor to breathe, mother is at all times shut by!

Suggestions for Photographing Humpbacks

Whale images underwater is extensive angle, after all. However the determination is whether or not to go together with a rectilinear wide-angle zoom just like the 16–35mm or a fisheye zoom just like the 8–15mm. In the event you might predict you’d have a playful calf eager to get shut, the fisheye would possibly work. It is perhaps your greatest shot ever, as a result of it could be the appropriate device for that exact second. However I by no means felt like I had so many pictures within the financial institution that I may very well be that discretionary. In most encounters, the narrower angle of view of the rectilinear is extra prone to ship the perfect end result.

In all probability the perfect answer is to hold two housings, one with 16–35mm and one with 8–15mm. Then, when you have a very mellow whale that permits a prolonged encounter, you’ll be able to go to super-wide extra shortly than swapping lenses and port extensions on the boat.

A trio of whales heads for the floor in unison

Technically, photographing humpbacks is sort of easy. For these photos, I used to be taking pictures a Canon EOS R5 in Seacam housing. I like to make use of obtainable gentle, taking pictures shutter precedence at 1/500s, with a –2/3-stop publicity compensation. Normally, I bump the ISO to 640—sort of an f/8 and be there situation. Your proximity to the whale is extra important than any publicity wizardry. Proximity and composition will outline the perfect pictures.

Topside images would require a protracted zoom. The new lens on our boat was the brand new Canon EOS RF 100–500mm f/4.5–7.1. I discovered that coupled with the R5 was hitting autofocus shortly and precisely. The whales-to-boat distance is so variable, a major telephoto will likely be restrictive, so a protracted zoom is a very essential device on the Silver Financial institution. Nonetheless, in Moorea I by no means took it out of the drybag even as soon as.