2007: The Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Species - Highly Commended
Wade Hughes (Australia)
Passing fin
'I get close to these shy whales by swimming to a point in their path then waiting. Usually, the whale changes direction or dives, but this one, in the Azores, slowed down, perhaps to satisfy its own curiosity, before speeding off. I was left with three images in my camera and an unforgettable memory in my mind.' Fin whales are a type of baleen whale. Species in this group have bristly fringes instead of teeth, called baleen plates. They use them to filter food, small fish and crustaceans from the water. Fin whales are found in all the major oceans, but they are endangered. They migrate between polar feeding grounds in the summer and warmer breeding grounds in the winter.
Nikon D100 + Nikkor 12-24mm lens at 12mm; 1/200 sec at f4; ISO 320; Light and Motion Titan housing.
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