Capturing the Moment

Breaching humpback whale, ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) in front of Ma'alaea Harbor, Maui, HI  Photography can be a job for some and a way to make memories for others. While it is partly both for me the true draw of it is the challenge. Getting the lighting, focus, and other settings right is a challenge that can always be bettered. Going underwater unleashes all new challenges for a photographer with less light and suspended particles to deal with. But a nature photographer takes all of this to the next level of difficulty. When your subject is a scared fish, or stalking lion, or a lightning fast humming bird all of the other challenges of photography have to be mastered before you can really come home with some good pictures. But even with a great mastery of the basics, getting to know the animal you are photographing is essential if you want to be ready to capture that apex moment.  Whales are one of my favorite animals to photograph. They are very difficult to capture si...

This is my first time seeing a sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus , in the wild. It is a type of requiem shark distinguished by its very tall dorsal fin. This morning there were two swimming by the fuel dock just inside Lahaina Harbor. I imagine it is fish parts tossed over by the fishing boats that must have brought them in. I have snorkeled all over this island and have never seen them. I have heard stories about people seeing sandbar shark during blue water swims while in hundreds of feet of water. As you can imagine I was very surprised but figured it was a good way to start the day!