Tarifa, Spain (2019)

These pictures were taken in Tarifa and the Strait of Gibraltar during whale watching with the Swiss foundation FIRMM. Many thanks to Katharina Heyer and all the participants who made this possible. I can warmly recommend this unique experience! All pictures were taken with a Nikon D850 and a Nikon AF 80-400 f/4.5-5.6D ED VR telephoto lens. The focal length range is actually ideal. Unfortunately, I still have the old version of the telephoto lens without the built-in motor. The dolphins were usually faster than the autofocus.

Pilot whale mother with young — Fig. 1: Very young pilot whales take a clumsy breath and often jump out of the water. The chance to photograph something more than just the back and forehead. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=240 mm; f/5.3; ISO 250; 14 April 2019 14:19:23

Baby Pilot Whale — Fig. 2: The vertical stripes reveal that it must be a newborn a few days old. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=80 mm; f/4.5; ISO 220; 14 April 2019 14:20:53

Baby pilot whale — Fig. 3: Pilot whale babies who are just a few days old often jump out of the water when they take a breath. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/5.6; ISO 110; 14 April 2019 17:34:36

Sperm whale fluke — Fig. 4: Sperm whales make a hump just before diving. Then they fall straight down and stretch their fluke far out of the water. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/10.0; ISO 400; 15 April 2019 11:48:00

Bottlenose dolphin on bow wave Epic Barbados — Fig. 5: A bottlenose dolphin rides on the bow wave of the LPG tanker "Epic Barbados". For such shots, a focal length of more than 400 mm is an advantage, since the boat is not allowed to get so close to the cargo ships. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/10.0; ISO 400; 15 April 2019 12:04:18

Leaping Striped Dolphins — Fig. 6: A large group of striped dolphins swoops by so quickly it's hard to know where to point the lens. It's a lucky hit as the Nikon AF 80-400mm's autofocus isn't the fastest. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=175 mm; f/6.3; ISO 400; 15 April 2019 17:06:24

Leaping striped dolphins with fuel tanks — Fig. 7: A pod of striped dolphins pass by. In the background the Moroccan coast with fuel tanks. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=210 mm; f/8.0; ISO 400; 15 April 2019 17:06:45

Bottlenose dolphin on bow wave — Fig. 8: A bottlenose dolphin rides on the bow wave of a passing cargo ship. In the background the Moroccan coast. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/11.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 11:47:36

Spyhopping young pilot whale — Fig. 9: A curious young pilot whale looks far out of the water so that you can see the beautifully marked underside of its neck. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/10.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 11:58:03

Young Pilot Whale Spyhopping — Fig. 10: A curious young Pilot Whale sticks its head out of the water. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/10.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 11:58:04

Moroccan Fishing Boats and Cargo Ship — Fig. 11: Moroccan fishermen are hoping for some of the few tuna that have escaped the net maze of the Almadraba on the Spanish coast and are so confused and hungry that they are crossing the Strait of Gibraltar swim to the Mediterranean Sea to spawn. In the background a cargo ship that stayed there for a few days. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/11.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 12:11:04

Three Moroccan fishermen in boat — Fig. 12: Moroccan fishermen are hoping for some of the few tuna that escaped the net labyrinth of the Almadraba on the Spanish coast and are so confused and hungry that they are across the Strait from Swimming Gibraltar into the Mediterranean to spawn. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=185 mm; f/8.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 12:13:16

Jumping common dolphin — Fig. 13: Unfortunately not quite sharp because the autofocus of the Nikon AF 80-400mm is too slow. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/11.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 12:19:27

Common dolphin with air bubbles — Fig. 14: Dolphins exhale just below the water surface as they surface, creating these beautiful bubbles. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=85 mm; f/4.8; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 12:21:04

Sperm whale fluke — Fig. 15: Sperm whale fluke Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/11.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 13:45:21

Sperm whale — Fig. 16: Sperm whale Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/11.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 13:47:26

Sperm whale fluke — Fig. 17: Sperm whale fluke Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=210 mm; f/10.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 13:49:03

Two bottlenose dolphins on bow wave Halki — Fig. 18: Two bottlenose dolphins on bow wave Halki Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/10.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 14:03:08

Young pilot whale looks from below — Fig. 19: Young pilot whale looks from below Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=175 mm; f/5.0; ISO 640; 16 April 2019 14:15:39

Young pilot whale looks out of the water — Fig. 20: Young pilot whale looks out of the water Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=175 mm; f/5.0; ISO 500; 16 April 2019 14:15:40

Mola Mola — Fig. 21: Mola Mola Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=92 mm; f/4.8; ISO 560; 16 April 2019 14:26:20

Cargo ship with smoke — Fig. 22: When will there finally be an emissions standard for ocean-going ships? Cargo ships and cruise ships emit up to a million times more exhaust fumes than a car. A brownish haze hangs constantly over the Strait of Gibraltar with around 300 cargo ships per day passing through here. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=185 mm; f/13.0; ISO 400; 16 April 2019 17:46:22

Container ship with smoke — Fig. 23: Probably all empty containers in which all the useless plastic and electronic waste from China were transported earlier. And the ship blows tons of smelly exhaust gases and pollutes the atmosphere of our planet. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=300 mm; f/7.1; ISO 400; 18 April 2019 13:34:18

Sperm whale fluke — Fig. 24: The caudal fin (fluke) of a diving sperm whale. In the background the Spanish coast. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/7.1; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 11:02:40

Rust bucket with plume of smoke — Fig. 25: If this ship had wheels, it probably wouldn't get a license anymore, but everything is still allowed on the sea. Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=110 mm; f/11.0; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 11:32:00

Two pilot whales — Fig. 26: Two pilot whales Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=85 mm; f/4.5; ISO 500; 19 April 2019 13:38:59

Two pilot whales with rainbow — Fig. 27: Two pilot whales with rainbow Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=80 mm; f/5.6; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 13:40:58

Three pilot whales taking a breath — Fig. 28: Three pilot whales taking a breath Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=85 mm; f/6.3; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 13:41:24

Two pilot whales catching their breath — Fig. 29: Two pilot whales catching their breath Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=80 mm; f/5.6; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 13:42:02

Bottlenose dolphins taking a breath — Fig. 30: Bottlenose dolphins taking a breath Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=150 mm; f/6.3; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 13:57:58

Moroccan fishermen with pilot whale — Fig. 31: Moroccan fishermen with pilot whale Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=200 mm; f/11.0; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 14:17:27

Two pilot whales with water drops — Fig. 32: Two pilot whales with water drops Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=116 mm; f/5.6; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 18:04:57

Young pilot whale — Fig. 33: Young pilot whale Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=260 mm; f/5.3; ISO 500; 19 April 2019 18:05:02

Pilot whale belly — Fig. 34: Pilot whale belly Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=260 mm; f/8.0; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 18:05:16

Pilot whale rolling — Fig. 35: Pilot whale rolling Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/6.3; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 18:05:24

Jumping bottlenose dolphin — Fig. 36: Jumping bottlenose dolphin Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=80 mm; f/14.0; ISO 400; 19 April 2019 18:25:09

Motor ship with brake sail — Fig. 37: Motor ship with brake sail Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=220 mm; f/13.0; ISO 400; 20 April 2019 10:38:04

Diving sperm whale with gulls — Fig. 38: Diving sperm whale with gulls Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=400 mm; f/10.0; ISO 400; 20 April 2019 16:40:11

Group of pilot whales with young — Fig. 39: Group of pilot whales with young Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=145 mm; f/6.3; ISO 400; 22 April 2019 11:23:37

Pilot whale spy hopping — Fig. 40: Pilot whale spy hopping Nikon D850; Δt=1/1600 s; f=80 mm; f/4.5; ISO 900; 22 April 2019 14:41:34