Killer Whale or Orca (Orcinus orca)

Orca Art
Photo Title: Orca Art
Author: Brad Hill

This photo has been elected "Photograph of the Week" on September 2007 (week 39).

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Photograph Information

Photographer Brad Hill
Date posted September, 19th 2007
Camera NIKON D2X
Lense Nikon 300 mm f/2.8G AF-S VR
Country Canada
Place Great Bear Rainforest
Order Cetacea
Family Delphinidae
Binomial Name Orcinus orca
Vernacular Name Killer Whale or Orca
Exposure f/2.8, 1/1250 sec.
Focal Length 300mm
ISO 100
Categories America (North), Mammals
Views 2086
Rating 3.83 (12 votes)

Story or comment

In this image I caught a female Killer Whale (or Orca) and its calf just after they had surfaced and "blown" (the calf is in the near background). The scene was strongly backlit and the shoreline in the background was in extremely dark shade. It was an extremely challenging photographic situation, but I was lucky enough to capture this image.

Translation from Babelfish (please don't hesitate to edit!):

Dans cette photo j'ai saisi une femelle épaulard (ou Orque) et son petit juste aprés qu'ils ont fait surface et "soufflé" (le petit est juste derrière).
La scène était en fort contre-jour et le rivage dans le fond était extrêmement sombre. C'était une situation photographique extrême, mais j'ai été assez chanceux pour capturer cette image.

Lots more detail about this specific image (field notes, camera and shooting details, processing details, species status and conservation) can be found at the following page on my website:

http://www.naturalart.ca/galleries/mammals/other/

I look forward to your comments...

Brad

Critiques

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There are currently 8 critiques for this photo.


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Rating: 4 - From Serge Tollari, on March, 06th 2008 at 11:23 AM
Splendid !
Magnifique !
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Rating: 4 - From , on November, 15th 2007 at 09:48 AM
Simply beautiful.
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Rating: 4 - From Roger Mathis, on September, 28th 2007 at 02:06 PM
Bonjour Brad
Si je me laisse aller a mes pensée ,il me semble voir deux vaisseaux spaciaux sur le bord de la voie lactée.
c'est bon je descend, car ta photo est bien réelle et c'est du grand art. Wondherfull
cordialement Roger
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Rating: 4 - From Pierre Lobel, on September, 20th 2007 at 06:28 AM
Hello Brad !

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH

You want me to have a heart attack that's the only explanation ;) !

As a scuba diver, my top-dream is to meet this beautiful mammals underwater... and to feel their dark body sliding next to me... Perhaps one day :mrgreen:

Here it is a "surface picture"... The small water drops exploding all around their dark body add the "Brad's touch" to this picture. They make it different from the other Orcas'pictures showing always and only the black fin in the sunset... The only small criticism I will dare to say is that the white part of the skin right underneath the fin is a bit too dark to my mind ;)

Thanks Brad to make me dream with your picts ;)
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From Brad Hill, on September, 24th 2007 at 02:20 PM
Hi Pierre,

Sorry about causing your heart troubles! It's really not my intention!

Regarding the skin under the fin: Yes, this whale's markings are darker than most. Part of the explanation is simply because it was in the shadows (the whale was strongly backlit). Plus, the mark itself was far darker on this individual than on its pod-mates. To the best of my memory, the image renders the mark quite accurately (but I can't say this with 100% confidence).

Thanks for the feedback - and look after that heart! ;)

Cheers...

Brad
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Rating: 4 - From Cécile BH, on September, 19th 2007 at 06:01 PM
Good evening Brad,

When I saw this photograph, immediately in my spirit I re-examined this film worship “orca”. Certainly because this photograph is filled with very strong emotions.

Cheer for this meeting and its result in photograph!

The small blue circle in left bottom of the image, disturbs it a little. It is what?

Cecile
Reply
From Brad Hill, on September, 19th 2007 at 10:55 PM
Hello Cecile,

The blue circle is simply a ripple where a water droplet just splashed down. You are the first person to comment on it. Personally I like it - to me it is just another small detail that contributes to my memory of the event. But each to their own!

Cheers...

Brad
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Rating: 4 - From Jean-Christophe Delattre, on September, 19th 2007 at 05:54 PM
Hello Brad,

The atmosphere of this image is very strange. It's very interesting, so i choose 4 elephants. I like the particles of water which are fixed thanks to the 1/1250sec. I think this was the good choice.
Your website is excellent!

J.C.
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Rating: 4 - From Franck Losay, on September, 19th 2007 at 05:42 PM
Hello Brad
What a shoot you've done man !
There are two kinds of photographs, professionnals and the "others"...like me !
Thank you for your contribution.
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Rating: 4 - From Christophe CAGNARD, on September, 19th 2007 at 04:42 PM
Bonsoir auteur,

Alors la !!!!! Du grand grand art. Une pure merveille cette image. Rendu exceptionnel, cadrage magique, belles lumières.

Ton site est également un régal pour les yeux. Perso j'ai encore du chemin à faire.....

Cordialement
Christophe
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Quick Ratings


Rating: 4 - From Yvon Delbecque, on August, 20th 2008 at 06:18 AM

Rating: 3 - From Freefox Laxenaire thierry, on September, 25th 2007 at 07:14 AM

Rating: 4 - From Vincent Richard, on September, 19th 2007 at 05:44 PM

Rating: 3 - From Bernard BLESL, on September, 19th 2007 at 04:15 PM

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