Description
Humpback whale cooperative bubble net feeding in Alaskan waters requires the observation vessel to position at the feeding surface while the whales complete the underwater phase of the behaviour — creating the circular bubble curtain that contains the fish school before the simultaneous surface lunge. This image was made from a certified whale-watch vessel positioned at the net’s centre during a full cooperative feed involving seven whales — a large group whose coordinated surface emergence creates the most visually extraordinary whale photography available without underwater equipment. All seven whales are visible at the surface simultaneously, their open mouths at various angles around the circular bubble ring, the net’s white foam visible between them. Shot at 1/2000 second at f/5.6, the whales’ barnacle-encrusted snouts and the pink gape of their mouths are fully detailed.
