Steller Sea Lion

Gallery: WildlifePosted August 6, 201114,528 views19 comments

I just got back from a very successful diving trip to Southeast Alaska on the Nautilus Swell. Some of the best diving (and also the best whale watching) was near Inian Island which is just outside Glaicer Bay. In addition to spectacular walls covered with dense invertebrate life there were large numbers of Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus). These are not always my favorite animals as they can be a bit aggressive and are large enough to be very intimidating in the water but on this trip they were well behaved and playful.

My full gallery can be seen here:
http://www.baue.org/images/galleries/v/travel/Alaska_2011/

Shooting these beasts is a bit of a point and pray affair. I pre-focused to about 12" from the dome port, set the camera to ISO 400, f/8 and 1/200th and when the Sea Lions were around I shot as fast as the strobes would recycle. Getting lots of shots is key as they move far too quickly to try and compose through the viewfinder. Being able to shoot with your arms extended and holding the camera in their face helps too.

Nikon D200, ISO 400, f/8 1/200th
Tokina 10-17 fisheye zoom at 17 mm, Dual Sea and Sea YS 350 strobes at 1/2 power.
Cropped to about 1/2 the original image.
Converted to B&W, some dodging and burning and a bit of backscatter removal.

Comments

19 comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on August 6, 2011 at 1:54 AM

Great use of a fish-eye lens, very unique perspective, thanks for sharing Clinton :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 6, 2011 at 2:42 AM

LOL! Very cool!
Great use of the FE - love those sharp eyes and whiskers, and the water bubbles.
Could use a lot more room on the right, even if cloned in - but works ok as is too.
Something different that I like a lot!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on August 6, 2011 at 11:16 AM

The experience you described reminds me of trying to shoot dolphins underwater. Point, shoot, pray.

The wide angle works really well with this composition. I love the eyes.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on August 6, 2011 at 12:10 PM

I love this

. Great WA perspective and of course the eye contact is what makes this so powerful. The bubbles are also a nice addition. The B&W works for me, although it leaves me being curious to see the color version, but my guess is that the colors were to dull(?). Two things I would do to further improve this. One: reduce the brightest spot on its forehead as it shouts "flash!". Two; reduce the brightness of the white eye rings just a little for the same reason.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on August 6, 2011 at 1:58 PM

Love the look you are getting and the bubbles are a huge bonus! I am not sold on this being a B&W though...I also find myself wishing to see the color.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on August 7, 2011 at 8:05 AM

Hey Clinton,

I think this is a great shot. So unique - love the form/shape you caught the body in, the eyes are compelling, and the detail in the head region (including those bubbles) is great. I'm not sure that being in B&W adds to this shot (in an absolute sense), but I'm guessing you made the conversion for good reason (i.e., you felt it worked better than the colour version). But regardless of that, the image is very compelling as posted.

Cheers...thanks for sharing this...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on August 7, 2011 at 8:48 AM

This is a WOW image, Clinton! A bit more space all around, and especially to the right where the bubbles are, and this would have been a winner in many a contest!

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

Comment posted by Mark Turner on August 7, 2011 at 9:30 AM

Great shot. Nice and sharp and I love the eyes!!! It must be challenging photographing and diving in such cold waters.I would be curious to see the image in color also. By chance were you in Baranof on or around July 19th? I thought I saw the Nautilus Swell there. We were on the Northern Song, anchored in the harbor.

Registered on December 3, 2005, 39 Posts, 109 Comments

Comment posted by Neal Cooper on August 7, 2011 at 2:57 PM

Well done on getting this short. Your thought, planning and execution was rewarded. I like the perspective created and the bubbles add to the shot. Nice!

Registered on June 3, 2009, 144 Posts, 306 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Walters on August 7, 2011 at 10:35 PM

Amazing image! Love the eyes in this one!

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by John Blumenkamp on August 8, 2011 at 12:06 AM

This is one sweet image!

Registered on February 26, 2011, 58 Posts, 313 Comments

Comment posted by Clinton Bauder on August 8, 2011 at 5:41 PM

Thanks all. Mark - yes, that was us at Baranof on July 19th. The diving is cold and can be challenging but we mostly had pretty easy diving conditions on this trip (one or two dives excepted where we got some good currents.)

Regarding the choice of black and white I found the color of the background water in particular to be rather dull and thought ithe seal popped more in black and white. I'm not an expert in post-processing by any means so I'll think about trying to reduce the brightness on the head, etc. to avoid the flash look. As far as cropping I do have plenty of room on the left and the right. Here is the original image. One additional detail - it was shot pointing nearly straight up. Pretty sure the bubbles are mine, probably venting from the drysuit.

Clinton

Registered on December 8, 2009, 31 Posts, 231 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on August 9, 2011 at 1:39 PM

I am so glad you posted the original color version Clinton. Now we know you were cheating with the bubbles!

Seeing this horizontal version I would suggest to make your vertical frame a bit wider on both sides and add some canvas top and bottom to get to your vertical ratio again. I like the color version too and see potential in that if well processed.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on August 9, 2011 at 8:21 PM

Terrific Perspective

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 9, 2011 at 10:09 PM

Congrats on the WP!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on August 10, 2011 at 12:02 AM

An image to remember for sure. Congratulations on the WP!

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on August 10, 2011 at 2:12 PM

In HIS element. Great shot! Love the rings of white around the eyes, which the conversion to B/W no doubt accentuated. Congrats on the EP.
Sounds like a great trip and a thrill to encounter the Sea Lions.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Esme' Fantozzi on August 14, 2011 at 6:48 AM

I love it as is - BW and tight - no need for extra space on the sides for me. Thank you for sharing such an original picture

Registered on July 27, 2006, 50 Posts, 300 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on September 28, 2011 at 12:30 AM

Congrats on the EP Clinton, great perspective!

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments