Iceland 2016 - whales and birds

KJRPhotos · 4 Oct 2016

Hello TalkPhotography =)

After a very long hiatus (to finish my post grad work) I am trying to claw my way back into the various hobbies I had to neglect over the last few years, and photography is high up on my list of things I'd love to get back into and try to improve on.

I've been on two wildlife shoots this year, and will be heading out for a 2 month research trip at the end of this month too so will hopefully get lots of time to play with my camera. In the mean time, any feedback on the shots below would be very welcome so I can try to get better at shooting wildlife. These are all from an incredible trip to Iceland back in March to catch the tail end of the winter, and of course the herring run in the western fjords to see some orca! All are shot from various boats we were on with my trusty, 9 year old nikon D200.

I usually focus on wildlife photography, or zoo photography as I find they are great places to practise. While in Iceland I did try my hand at landscapes but failed pretty miserably! If I can get over feeling too self conscious about them I will put some shots up in the landscape gallery so (you can all have a laugh and) I can hopefully get some pointers...

anyway on with the beasties, enjoy and thanks for looking

Birds (wasn't sure if these go here or in the 'birds' part of the forum?)

Fulmars (out of Reykjavik)

Whales

Orca (out of Grundarfjörður, near Kirkjufell and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula)

Other whales (minke and humpbacks out of Reykjavik, a small miracle we saw the minke given that they hunt them in that bay

)

dan_yell · 4 Oct 2016

orca and humpback are high on my photo bucket list/general whale obsession. Went on a whale watching trip on first visit in 2006 but not been since, saw minkes and dolphins. Saw sperm whales in NZ, but a breaching humpback is my ultimate dream!

wish i was doing something where i could have 2 months in iceland/anywhere - that would be so cool!!

3rd or 4th prob my favourite shots.

*edit - just checked out your site - very cool job. if i had a brain, thats what i'd hope to be doing! In another life i'd be dr ingrid visser! (love marine life but just dont have the brain to back it up) Have you been/heard of Whalefest in Brighton?

KJRPhotos · 5 Oct 2016

dan_yell said:
orca and humpback are high on my photo bucket list/general whale obsession. Went on a whale watching trip on first visit in 2006 but not been since, saw minkes and dolphins. Saw sperm whales in NZ, but a breaching humpback is my ultimate dream!

wish i was doing something where i could have 2 months in iceland/anywhere - that would be so cool!!

3rd or 4th prob my favourite shots.

*edit - just checked out your site - very cool job. if i had a brain, thats what i'd hope to be doing! In another life i'd be dr ingrid visser! (love marine life but just dont have the brain to back it up) Have you been/heard of Whalefest in Brighton?

Thanks very much Dan, did you see white beaked dolphins on your trip? I didn't spot any on my trip and they were high on my 'wish list' being an arctic circle specialist! The Sperm whales, were at Kaikora I'm guesing? I love it there, amazing wildlife all around that area, spent some happy hours with the sperms and duskies there! I'm hoping to get out to the azores next year, fingers crossed we can organise it around fieldwork/afford it.

Iceland is good for orca in certain seasons but even so they only see them on about 30% of trips, so we were lucky. If you want to see humpbacks then I can't recommend the stellwagen bank on the west coast of the USA enough, I spent 4 months there researching the humpbacks and in the summer you get hundreds feeding on the bank, its incredible! Lots of calves too. You can visit out of Boston but the best whale watch boats (IMO) go from a little place about 1 hour north of Boston called Gloucester. Humpbacks are very active at the surface for a large whale, they breach more than any other big species so hopefully if you go you will see one! They often do several in a row too, I think my record was over 20 in a row from one individual

Thanks about the job! I love it, never a dull moment although frequently a lot of stressful ones XD I've not heard of whalefest, is it something you go to?

p.s. your avatar is amazing. Xenomorphs ftw

dan_yell · 6 Oct 2016

@KJRPhotos i think at the time i thought they were called white sided dolphins, but they were probably what you say they were

it was a long time ago, ill have to check my photos out

Yeah it was sperm whales in Kaikora

I was actually in Boston a few years ago but it wasn't the best time of year so it wasn't on the list. I went there with an ex so i'm not keen to return, but maybe the humpbacks will take me back! I have friends who have moved to Seattle - are there humpbacks off the coast there?

I've wanted to go to Orcawatch in Scotland thats every year in May but managed it yet, logistically bit of a faff/pricey to get there but maybe one day.

Whalefest is a weekend marine conservation convention that's been held in Brighton for the past few years, no show this year as they were promoting at other shows but back next year, altho no date set. Lots of talks and presentations and special lists, Dr Ingrid Visser, Dr Naomi Rose, Doug Allen, Richard o barry- other iwldlife specialists, photographers have attended in the past - its a really fun event and a really great atmosphere http://www.whale-fest.com/ - with your experience and photos - you could well be suited to doing a little talk in the breakout areas. I've been to 3 so far, but i think there was a couple previous to that.

p.s ha that was at a sci fi show, it amused me to have little kid meeting huge alien!