Bull Orca at Sunset

Gallery: WildlifePosted October 22, 2011214 views10 comments

Hi everyone! This is a picture I took in August of a bull orca from a transient pod near Victoria, BC.

My sister and I won an invitation to a really cool art and nature camp in the Gulf Islands when we both won the photography division of the 2011 Robert Bateman "Get to Know" contest. We didn't get to see very many marine mammals during the camp, but my dad took us out on the last day to see some whales, sea lions and seals. We were headed for a huge resident "super-pod" of orcas when we came across a pod our guide said were transient hunters. We photographed them for a while then went for sea lions, then found another pod on the way back!

I really like the soft sunset light in the background, and how you can see the mountains a little. I also think his dorsal fin is really cool! Some of my pictures from earlier in the evening were a little sharper, but this is still my favourite. I know I missed the moment he breathed, but I whipped my camera over and found him in time to catch him before he went back under.

Nikon D7000
AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED
ISO 640
1/400sec @ f/4
handheld from boat
cropped to approximately 70% width

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on October 22, 2011 at 11:09 PM

Nice image to catch more then just the fin out of the water. I would really like the chance to take some images of an orca.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on October 22, 2011 at 11:29 PM

Gorgeous image

The hint of gold on the fin is fabulous.

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on October 23, 2011 at 1:15 PM

Thanks for including the larger version Marlise, this is a must see to truly appreciate this image. I love the detail and reflection on the fin as well as the hazy pinkish BG. A wall hanger!

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on October 23, 2011 at 2:32 PM

I think you have composed him exactly at the optimum place in the frame and your choice of water horizon 1/3 down is perfect. Excellent!

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on October 23, 2011 at 10:17 PM

Hey Marlise,

Orcas are always challenging to photograph, and transients - being silent, stealthy, and always on the move - are the toughest of the Orcas. I like the overall "scene" here, including the soft pink sunset, the faint mountains, the positioning of the orca, and how you've split the frame (i.e., the proportion of water to sky/background). Nicely done!

Cheers...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on October 23, 2011 at 10:56 PM

Marvelous capture Marlise, love the composition and the colour cast in the sky by way of the sun setting! Congratulations by the way to both you and Jenaya for your great success in competitions of late :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by David Hemmings on October 24, 2011 at 1:47 PM

This is really beautiful, well presented

Registered on May 26, 2006, 178 Posts, 1680 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on October 24, 2011 at 2:28 PM

What a great experience this must have been for you guys Marlise, and you have a beautiful and moody photgraph to enhance that day.

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Marlise Launstein on October 24, 2011 at 11:02 PM

Thank you for all your nice comments! I love whales and was SOOO excited we got to see some!

The gold colour on his fin is actually his markings! It was really cool! We have other pictures that make it show up even more...kind of green/gold splotches all over it. It's one of the ways we realized this was a different orca than the first bull we found that evening.

Thanks again!

Registered on August 31, 2011, 28 Posts, 175 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on October 25, 2011 at 12:04 PM

Excellent shot, I really like the overall composition with the placement of the orca in the frame. The mts and sky really add to complete the image, well done, nice job in getting this shot.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments