Nature's Excalibur

[Jamie Douglas]

The large bull Orca of pod B1 is known as B10 Slingsby and he has a particularity large gnarly looking dorsal fin. On this particular breach the pod was in the ideal location to the boat and breached in front us with the coastal mtns looming in the BG. We were 13 miles from the coast so it was futile getting strong definition in the BG. You can also get a sense of the swells form this image. In this case they worked because they brought the fin up a few feet.

Techs | Canon 1D Mark IV | 500mm F4 II | F6.3 | 1/1600 | ISO400 | AE | Handheld

I have just started using Google chrome and it is interesting to see the color variation between chrome and IE.

Cheers

Jamie

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Jamie, impressive fin, however even with this you can't imagine just how long/big these creatures are.

Getting the low POV as I keep saying is key and this in particular is paramount for me. I keep wanting more to the right and less behind, it's just too central for my liking. Having the surf is nice, as it illustrates how they cut through the water, although was the water that blue? Interesting and it also appeared on the last one, the small patch/area of light hitting the water creating that 'sea green' patch, is that from another Orca close by, or just the light? Techs look fine and the BKG is good, nothing you can do, so why worry? Watch the halo around the fin.

TFS
Steve

[Rachel Hollander]

Hi Jamie - that does look like a large fin with a nasty scar. Nice low pov and there's a sense of movement to the image. Central placement doesn't bother me but it might be better to have it a bit off-center. Halo noted. Did you get any shots of the actual breach?

TFS,
Rachel

[Jamie Douglas]

Hi Steve and Rachel and thanks for the comments. Finally it's Saturday. Weather changed here so it's been one of those looooooong weeks.

The water tone does look a little OTT I'll so I think another visit to the PSD file is in order to correct the blue balance and your noted points, incl halo. I was trying to squeeze down the BG tones to emphasize the mtns to give the image a little more depth.

Steve, the small green patch is the head and I left this trip thinking that a full frame would have been handy but it's luck of the draw with the Orca and where they choose to surface. This is full frame so nothing else to add either side unfortunately.

Rachel, I'll correct myself, I meant surfaced and not breached. This pod was on the move and not in a playful mood.

[Steve Kaluski]

Luck of the draw indeed, you have me thinking, I must take a look back at some early stuff taken on the North part of the island, probably **** but it was the best day for Dolphins, 200 plus...

[Jamie Douglas]

Luck of the draw indeed, you have me thinking, I must take a look back at some early stuff taken on the North part of the island, probably **** but it was the best day for Dolphins, 200 plus...

I am yet to see that spectacle and I'll likely pay a visit to Port McNeil next year to photograph Orca's breaching and possibly the Pacific White Sided Dolphins. If you don't find anything of the 200 plus experience worth posting on BPN at least give me a sneaky peak via email. The grizzles in Bute Inlet are calling me at the moment so I might make a stop over to Campbell river within the next three weeks. First things first are a sensor clean and calibration check by Canon. Canon Canada seems helpful in that department so I'll keep you posted.

[Steve Kaluski]

OK, but so long as it's not Knight inlet.

Canon CPS did a big ERROR to it's UK members, has cost them dearly, so my kit will be going in FOC.

Going 'Off topic' now, but Qually is on...

[dankearl]

Powerful image.
I too would like it moved to the left, but since you can't, I would take this anyday.