37 replies to this topic

[Elsa Hoffmann]

A couple from yesterday

1. Sunrise & Breach
2. Great White Shark
3. Great White Shark
4. Seals - part of a 60 000 colony
5. Whales - there was a mom pop and bebe.
6. Arctic skewer - these fly with the boat out at sea.

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[Colin-M]

I really like #5. It's almost abstract (with all the barnacles, this could almost be a rock sticking up out of the sea)

2 & 3 are quite impressive. Can you tell us what you were using to capture these?
Did you manage to get your toes back in over the side before he got close

Edited by Colin-M, 05 August 2012 - 14:08 .

[Ron Scubadiver]

#2 & #3 are downright scary.

[Ann]

Elsa:

Amazing!

Were you dropping chum or was this just a fantastic bit of luck?

Edited by Ann, 05 August 2012 - 16:27 .

[Tom Hook]

Nice series of shots. My favorite is the beach-load of lounging seals. Are they waiting for the shark to leave the area before they get back in the water?

Also, where's the diving tank in the mouth of the Great White in picture three? It somehow seems incomplete without one. (this cinematic image from the summer of 1975 may not resonate with this photographic audience - sorry)

Edited by Tom Hook, 06 August 2012 - 05:51 .

[Luc de Schepper]

What a great series!

One question about the post processing; was the low contrast a deliberate choice? Personally I prefer a bit more pop, to each his own of course.

[Chris Fabbri]

Super 1-2-3

[wildoat]

Totally love No1 also very much like 3+5.
The first image would make a stunning large print I reckon.
Think it should be Skua and not Skewer by the way, perhaps it's a play on words!

cheers
Tony

[Smera]

One of my dreams is to photograph these beasts in SA.
Very well done, Elsa.

[Longhiker]

Great series of sea life images.

[pluton]

Our local Great White. He's very tired now. Retired, actually.

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Edited by pluton, 06 August 2012 - 05:47 .

[Elsa Hoffmann]

Thank you for all the comments
@Colin - D3X with 70-200 VRII - I was about to hang my legs over the side of the boat - and then reconsidered
@Ann - chum is used - you cant see the sharks coming otherwise - you would never get shots like this
@Tom - yep the seal colony feeds the GReys. re scuba tank - I cloned that out
@Luc - grab a shot above and show me what you would have done - would like to see how I can improve my PP if you dont mind
(mmm sitting in another room of my house now and agree the pics are flat... have a go anyway if you like please)
@Oatsie - I am sure you are right (what do I know......)
@pluton - I think you shark is past it's expiry date.......

[Mike Smuts]

Geez E, great shots! Glad the weather finally gave you a break.

[FullShilling]

love 3 and 5

Feeling a little jealous, would love to get close to these, oh damn would I...

Alan.

[Larry]

Elsa, great shots of the White. The scars are quite telling of why they launch from below and sometimes breach the water when going after the seals.

Did you see some Zambezi on this trip? How well do these respond to chumming? As scary as the White is, I would be more afraid of the Zambezi specially in inland canals and rivers.

[Eb Mueller]

Great close-up of the shark, Elsa. The explanation helps since I couldn't figure out how you managed such dynamic and close-up images! BTW, the pp / contrast looks just fine on my monitor! Reminds me of baiting koi and then cloning out the pellets - but that's a lesser story!

[Elsa Hoffmann]

@ Fullshilling - they are biiiig - one was 4m+
@Larry - no Zambesi in this part of the world - and ye - THEY are scary
@Eb & Mike - thanks.

[ebswift]

Really nice shots and scary for sure! I'm an ocean dweller, and monsters of the deep are always on the back of my mind when swimming around. My father is a speary and has a very healthy fear of what lives beneath. While great whites exist here, they don't really make it known - they generally don't want to be seen unless they're up chasing food or drawn by some chum. They have been letting themselves known in all the wrong ways in Western Australia in recent years - I wouldn't swim there for quids.

#1 and #3 are my favourites - Mr. toothy in #3 doesn't leave much to the imagination for what they might be capable of...

[Elsa Hoffmann]

Thank you ebswift. I am a scuba diver and I have yet to see a great white while diving. I know they are there - and I am sure they know I am there........
as you say - handle with care.

[bobfriedman]

nice stuff elsa!... i would love to come along some time!

Edited by bobfriedman, 07 August 2012 - 08:41 .