Zina Mirsky  


Whale from Kayak by Zina Mirsky

December 2020 - Whale from Kayak

About the Image(s)

This shot, "Whale from kayak", was taken with my friend's Nikon 1 AW1, from my kayak that was right behind this one. It was shot at f/5, 1/1600, with 11mm lens zoom.

I edited it slightly in Lightroom to add a bit of clarity to the distant background. But the capture settings were a guess for me, as I was not familiar with her camera or the waterproof housing it was in, and I was rushed because we knew the whale would surface soon. I think on the whole the picture was a success.


This round’s discussion is now closed!
13 comments posted




Stephen Levitas   Stephen Levitas
(Group 32)
Do please tell us the story of this exciting expedition. It must have been quite an adventure. What kind of clothing were you wearing to protect against the danger of falling into such cold water?   Posted: 12/02/2020 18:00:55



Zina Mirsky   Zina Mirsky
(Group 55)
This is something that probably is best for the 'side conversation' that Robert talked about - I will go to the Bulletin Board to see if I can figure it out. The outfit does have a lot to do with photography, even if not exactly for this photo! But Stephen, I note that you are in Group 32 - will you have access to our Bulletin Board?   Posted: 12/02/2020 19:41:07



 
Zina, this must have been a truly exciting moment. I went whale watching in New Brunswick a few years ago for the first time ever and saw tons of whales, some of whom came super close to the boat. But we had a very large and sturdy boat, so it was obviously nothing like you must have felt.

I think this image is lovely and well composed. I like the colours and the tones and I can definitely feel the cold. My one critique is that it's actually hard to tell at first that there is a whale there because of where he/she is positioned in the frame, so close to the kayak and with the paddlers' bodies and the right paddle in the way. I know these things happen really fast and it's really hard to think straight when a huge wild animal is right there, but I wonder if you might have been able to stop or slow your kayak and wait to see if you could get a shot with the whale's head in it? Also, since it's an environmental shot and not a portrait of the animal with a shallow depth of field, I might have used a higher aperture to get more sharpness in the entire shot. But perhaps the light was too low to get a high enough shutter speed for a photo that's sharp all the way through.   Posted: 12/07/2020 18:39:44
 
Ah, I should have paid closer attention to your comment about how you weren't familiar with the camera to change the settings on time.   Posted: 12/07/2020 18:41:03



Zina Mirsky   Zina Mirsky
(Group 55)
Yes, thank you - I was hoping to get a greater sharpness but not quick enough to manage a change in aperture. The deep whiteness of the background also made avoiding overexposure a real challenge. This whale never did lift the head from the water within our range! Most of the whales feeding at that location just showed us the hump of the humpback!   Posted: 12/07/2020 23:22:59



Robert Knight   Robert Knight
(Group 45)
I think you have done very well to get a picture that tells a story and it is what we call a "grab shot" so I imagine you had little time to compose the shot. (I note that you were using an unfamiliar camera). The colour of the outfits of the kayakers stands out well against the background and the reflections in the water add to the scene. On my monitor it looks as if the image has been slightly over-sharpened. I would love to have been there.   Posted: 12/08/2020 11:58:11



Bob Wills   Bob Wills
I think your subject is well defined. The whale is not recognizable, so I might try to remove it. The colors are vivid and pleasing. I can feel the cold. There are a few places in LR where I saw a few highlights blown out, which can be easily fixed, if you wish. I suggest a crop from the left that would make the kayak a leading line into the mountains, and takes the one kayaker out of the center.   Posted: 12/08/2020 13:22:49
Comment Image
Zina Mirsky   Zina Mirsky
(Group 55)
Thank you for your perspective; I can revisit the original in LR to attend to the blown-out areas needing editing. I do not have the editing skills to remove the whale but I appreciate your point about taking the leading kayaker out of the dead center, and I can use that critique for other pictures that I took at that general time, where there was no whale in sight.   Posted: 12/09/2020 09:35:40



 
I love the excitement of this moment and realize how difficult it is to get an image like this! (I had a similar experience in Antartica). I consider it a once in a lifetime shot and the fact that you got this with an unfamiliar camera is even more amazing!

The colors and reflection are great. My only suggestion would be to see if you might add some contrast or reduce in highlights in the clouds in the background.   Posted: 12/08/2020 13:40:52
Zina Mirsky   Zina Mirsky
(Group 55)
I can certainly try that -- thank you for calling out the need. Split filter exposure and/or detail enhancement will be what I'll try first - do you have other suggestions?   Posted: 12/08/2020 13:46:19
 
Zina, you might try the graduated filter for the sky and take the highlights down...
Kathy   Posted: 12/08/2020 16:40:07



 
Hi Zina, the fact you got this shot is amazing. Looking at the two people in front of you (with the better view), it appears they didn't even have the camera ready, I can't see that for certain. I'm not fussed by the crop you have presented, in fact, I think it adds to the image providing more of the environment. I don't think the image is going to win a competition, but it's a winner nonetheless for the moments it provides is precious.   Posted: 12/11/2020 06:51:32
Zina Mirsky   Zina Mirsky
(Group 55)
Thank you - for over 50 years that I've owned a camera, I've tried to 'capture the moment'. For the last two years, I've learned more about what makes a competitive picture. I agree that this is not a winner in the sense of competition but it was a winner in my moment. And now I can also make it a better photo thanks to all comments.   Posted: 12/11/2020 08:43:12