I took this captivating photo of a humpback whale in Juneau, United States, which I titled "Humpback Whale Says Hi". The technical specifications of the shot add to its allure. I used a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera paired with an EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM +1.4x III lens. To capture the swift movement and detail of the whale, I set the camera to Aperture Priority mode with a shutter speed of 1/6400, an aperture of f/6.3, and an ISO speed of 1250. The focal length was effectively 224 mm. This image was captured on 25 June 2022.
In this special moment, as I steadied my camera, the humpback whale's grand emergence felt like a dance of the sea. It was an early summer morning, the air crisp and the water calm, a perfect setting in the waters near Juneau. The sun, positioned just right, cast a soft golden hue over the scene, highlighting the whale's powerful frame and the gentle spray of water around it.
This humpback, a magnificent creature often symbolizing grace and power in the marine world, seemed to be playing with the surface, its massive body effortlessly breaking the water's tension. It's a rare sight, one that speaks volumes about the whale's intelligence and curiosity. As it rose, its colossal tail followed, leaving ripples in its wake, a testament to its strength and agility.
The surroundings of Juneau, with its rugged, forest-clad landscapes dropping steeply into the sea, provided a dramatic, almost painting-like backdrop. The wilderness of this region is palpable, and in that moment, it felt as if the whale and its environment were in perfect synchronization, a harmony between the wild and the untamed.
Capturing this interaction, where the majestic marine life momentarily bridged the world beneath the waves with ours, was surreal. It's a scene that encapsulates the wonder of the natural world, the unspoken bond we share with it, and the fleeting, precious moments when our paths intersect. This photograph, for me, is more than a visual record; it's a poignant reminder of the delicate, awe-inspiring balance of life on Earth.