Seeing a whale breaching and frolicking in its natural habitat is an exciting and magnificent moment. As such, it’s natural to want to photograph the event. Doing so, however, poses a few unique challenges to prepare for. To get the best shots possible, consider following these essential whale-watching photography tips.
Keep your camera inside the boat
When you get caught up in an incredible whale-watching experience, it can be easy to get distracted and accidentally hold your camera over the side of the boat to get a great picture. However, doing so is risky, as you could drop your camera in the water and lose your incredible pictures forever. As such, it’s best to always keep your camera inside the boat.
Bring a camera strap
Another way to prevent your camera from accidentally going overboard is to bring a camera strap. In addition to protecting your equipment, bringing a camera strap will also help you get steadier shots. You’ll be able to use the tense strap to help you hold the camera more firmly.
Stay vigilant
When it comes to photographing nature, you never know when an opportunity for a great shot will arise. Due to whale watching’s unpredictability, it’s important to be ready at all times. You should keep your camera close to your eye and ready to snap a shot at a moment’s notice.
Water-proof your camera
When taking a fragile electronic device out into open water, it’s important to make sure that it’s effectively water-proofed, just in case any splashing occurs. An easy way to protect your device from water damage is to simply place a plastic bag over your camera and poke a hole for the lens to peek through. There are also several camera cases that you can purchase for increased protection.
Increase your shutter speed
Because you’ll be photographing a moving object while standing on a moving boat, it’s important to increase your shutter speed. Doing so will help prevent you from capturing a bunch of blurry photos. As a general rule, you should adjust your shutter speed to around 1/1000 in order to take sharp, crisp photos.
For incredible whale watching photography opportunities, consider booking a tour with Cala Mia Island Resort in Panama. Between July 15 and October 1, our whale watching Panama tours have a 95 percent success rate, due to the incredible amount of humpback whales that migrate to Panama’s warm waters during that time. For more information regarding tours and services at our Panama island resort, contact us today.
