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How to Take Amazing Pictures While Whale Watching in Sydney

a large body of water

You really can’t have enough of watching whales in the wild, playing, doing tricks and having the time of their lives. It’s really a sight for sore eyes to see these gigantic creatures as they emerge out of the sea, take a spin and then fall back into the sea freely. If you have a passion for photography, then there isn’t anything better to capture than migrating whales in Sydney.

The photographers go crazy when they see whales in the wild. It’s rare that they get a chance to get so close to a natural giant. Many photographers and tourists try to get a perfect picture while watching whales in Sydney. But for most of them, it’s really hard to capture a memorable shot of beautiful humpback whales during their migration. This article shares five tips that can come in handy when you’re trying to capture a perfect picture of whales on your cruise trip. These tips are recommended by professional photographers who go whale watching every year in Sydney and capture amazing photos.

1- Be Prepared… Always

Make sure your camera is pointed in the right direction at all times. The right direction is where you think the whales are. Your finger should always be placed on the shutter button of your camera in case anything happens. The thing is that you’re so wowed by the magnificence of the moment that you don’t have enough time to get the right angle when the whale is in front of you. Keep yourself ready so that all you have to do is just click.

2- Double Check Everything

There are quite a few things that you can do to make sure you don’t have any problems while you’re on a whale watching trip. Charge the batteries, make space on your memory card and check you have all the right lenses you will need. Recommended lenses for whale watching range between 100-400mm.

3- Face the Facts

The thing with whales is that they can jump out in the open sea for two hours non-stop and they can also do it just once or maybe not at all. There is a 50 to 60 percent chance that a humpback whale might breach near your cruise. So the tip here is to prepare yourself according to what you’re expected to see and how much of it you’re expected to see.

4- Try Getting Low

Get low in order to get as close to the sea as you can. This gives you the perfect angle to capture a jumping whale and potentially capture the Sydney skyline or beautiful coastline. This makes the photo even more spectacular and provides scale for these massive and magnificent creatures.

5- Suggested Settings

A fast shutter speed setting is advised for your camera in order to capture even the briefest action. Most photographer set their shutter speed to F8 in aperture mode. If it’s raining or getting dark then increase your film speed or change F-stop settings so that you can capture the right shot at the right time.

These are some of the best tips that can get you the picture you want while watching whales in Sydney. Try these tips and see how your experience turns out.

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