Approaching Paradise

Gallery: WildlifePosted September 18, 2014334 views10 comments

Approaching Paradise

While the timber industry may not be fond of forest fires, ecologists and photographers don't seem to mind them! Ecologists see forest fires as necessary parts of natural cycles and as regenerative. Photographers like 'em because the warming affect they can have on haze (and sunrises and sunsets!). Even without the warm tones added to the background by distant forest fires this was a "delicious" scene to observe - as I saw the bull killer whale and his companion (which is likely a female) swimming in front of this backdrop it was real hard not to smile! In a perfect world I would have preferred if the two orcas surfaced and blew a few metros further over on the right (so they didn't overlap the darkest and closest of the islets) but hey - whoever said we have a perfect world?

Subject: Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) swimming into paradise!
Location: Northern Vancouver Island Region. BC, Canada
Camera: Nikon D800e
Lens: Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR lens - handheld from sailboat. VR on and in "Normal" mode.
Exposure: 1/800s at f11. ISO 160. -0.33 stop compensation from matrix metered exposure.
Crop: Almost none - just a few pixels from top and bottom for slight "pano-ization"

As almost always, more info about this shot on my website...

http://www.naturalart.ca/galleries/latest/.

Comments and feedback greatly appreciated...probably better to view larger version prior to doing so...

Cheers...

Brad

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Richard Sandor on September 18, 2014 at 8:29 PM

This is a beautifully layered photograph. You go from the distinct shapes of the orcas in a clear foreground to the slightly muted islet in the mid ground to the muted and layered mountains in the background. Smoke from fires definitely adds to the ambience of the scene. It's very serene and much reminds me of a Japanese Print. Great capture

Richard

Registered on January 12, 2014, 453 Posts, 1625 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on September 18, 2014 at 9:10 PM

I agree with Richard: exceptionally nice layers leading the eye back through the photo. Great thens as well. Although you made good use of the tede, and it wasn't so thick as to yellow the light, I'm not so fond of wildfire smoke. Not because it is is unnatural, but because it's a constant reminder that we've bogeyed the ecosystems.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Ashleigh Scully on September 18, 2014 at 10:33 PM

HI Brad, this is beautiful. I like the layering of the hills in the background and the fact that it a pair of killer whales, and maybe even a mom and a calf really makes this awesome.

Registered on November 4, 2013, 36 Posts, 210 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on September 19, 2014 at 8:34 AM

It appears as if the scene was set first and then Whales appeared in.
Has lot of mood and yes, it resembles a Japanese painting!
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on September 19, 2014 at 9:52 AM

I am going to second all of the other comments. There is just a very nice feeling that tends to want to hold the eye in the image.

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

Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on September 19, 2014 at 11:45 AM

Wonderful depth to this photo. The smoke allowed to to get in so many layers

Although the smoke set the scene....you were there and composted & clicked this PERFECT photo...Bravo

Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments

Comment posted by David Bogener on September 19, 2014 at 3:33 PM

Impressive landscape captured even without the whales. I like the composition and your timing. A wall hanger for sure.

Registered on October 30, 2013, 417 Posts, 1255 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on September 20, 2014 at 1:31 AM

Beautiful all the way, from top to bottom, and from left to right!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Mario Moreno on September 20, 2014 at 12:21 PM

I really like this Brad ! The fact that you went wide makes it for me as we get to see the stunning setting this image was captured in

Registered on January 24, 2012, 163 Posts, 369 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on September 21, 2014 at 8:11 AM

Pure wilderness for sure, an intriguing piece of art work Brad

Well seen and expertly captured.

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