Life's a BLAST!

Gallery: WildlifePosted February 21, 2013348 views9 comments

Life's a BLAST!

This one shot under pretty horrific conditions and poor light (rain, super heavy overcast) so it isn't as clean as my previous dolphin "breach", but arguably still a keeper nonetheless.

Some may find the dolphins in the background distracting, while some will likely feel they add to the "feeling of the image" - each to your own!

I don't know for sure why dolphins jump out of the water so much - but with how this one is giving me "the eye" so strongly, I wouldn't be surprised if at least ONE of the reasons is simply to get a better vantage point and see what's happening around them. I know I would be getting onto even thinner ice if I suggested that this dolphin might also be doing this just 'cuz it's a blast...so I won't do that!

I have said many times - and on occasion drawn criticism for it - that one incredibly important characteristic of a top-notch wildlife camera is having a high frame rate. By this I mean it must be capable of shooting at least at 8 frames per second. Whether you're shooting birds in flight, whales breaching, or dolphins just "having a blast", your chances of catching the image at just the right time go way up (in direct proportion to the frame rate increase) with a camera with a high frame rate. And, if you shoot professionally (or aspire to), you can end up with a significantly higher number of salable images with a camera capable of a high frame rate (and if I just gave many of you an argument to take to your accounting department - at home or in the office - about why that D4 or 1D-X is a good investment...well...you're welcome!).

Subject: Pacific White-sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) jumping for...some reason!
Location: Northern Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Camera: Nikon D4
Lens: Nikkor 400mm f2.8 VRII lens - hand-held from sailboat. VR on and in "Normal" mode.
Exposure: 1/2000s @ f8; ISO 1400. +1.0 stop compensation from matrix-metered exposure setting.
Crop: Moderate crop - this is about 80% of full-frame

Additional details (including processing details) about the image available here:

http://www.naturalart.ca/galleries/latest/.

Comments and critiques welcomed - and this is one where I think it's worth it to view the larger version prior to doing so!

Cheers...

Brad

AN IMPORTANT PS: My apologies for my relative inactivity in this gallery over the past 10 days. As some of you already know, I am embroiled in a very hot controversy regarding a wolf management issue right now and it is taking up MORE than all my time. It's NOT appropriate to bring the issue into NPN, but I would encourage anyone who is curious to consult my blog (icon-link below) - entries on this issue are easily identifiable and began on February 11. By tomorrow there will be something there that we want to go viral...so if you share the views expressed on my blog...your help in pushing this would be greatly appreciated! We are GOING FOR IT on this one! I thank you in advance.

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by William Bickle on February 21, 2013 at 1:58 PM

hello Brad

Another Tail Standing Photo............. SWEET.....Love the Water Trail.... the Catch Light Completes the Image Capture!!:)

Bill

Registered on June 13, 2011, 183 Posts, 1702 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 21, 2013 at 3:14 PM

Brad,

Excellent image - I think the dolphins in BG add to it. I like the composition and agree about high frame rate... too bad the "lower end" nikons don't have 10 or more FPS... that would be great. One of the really nice parts of this image is the water streaking off the back of the dolphin... a lower SS would have created some blur that I think woud be undesirable

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Verdon on February 21, 2013 at 5:46 PM

wow, another nailer!!!!

Registered on June 10, 2011, 147 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on February 21, 2013 at 11:46 PM

Awesome

Dreadful conditions maybe, but it did result in great light on the subject! Good luck with your wolf issue.

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

Comment posted by Don Westbrook on February 22, 2013 at 6:10 AM

Well captured and presented. Nice lighting especially in such conditions.

Registered on January 4, 2013, 11 Posts, 332 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on February 22, 2013 at 8:35 AM

Lovely, as usual, image, Brad. However, to me the dolphins in the bg distract a bit. And, all the very best in your wolf endeavours!

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

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on February 22, 2013 at 8:23 PM

Works for me Brad. I like the addition of other dolphins in the background, they are small, unobtrusive and help to paint the larger scene as you experienced it in the wild. Love the swoosh of water as the dolphin rises up. It's hard to imagine how much force must be generated to thrust this creature out of the water in this manner.

Purists will sometimes imply that high frame rate is for dummies; that pointless machine gun, spray and pray shooting style. Sure, timing is important, and understanding of behavior and anticipation, yadayadayada. Ultimately though, the high frame rate really helps with rapidly changing unpredictable scenes, imho.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on February 23, 2013 at 11:06 AM

Beautiful frame with a crystal clear eye!
Jagdeep Rajput :

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Morkel Erasmus on February 24, 2013 at 3:02 PM

This is a great frame, Brad, a keeper for sure! Love the upright pose and for me the dolphins in the BG add a lot...

Off to the blog now to read up on the wolf issue...

Registered on March 22, 2011, 385 Posts, 2068 Comments