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| Welcome to the most amazing
whale encounters you can imagine in the Northern Hemisphere! There are
many places along the West Coast of North America to film Gray Whales,
but without a doubt, the most magic place is in the breeding and calving
lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. There are three calving lagoons to
choose from; Bahia Magdalena, San Ignacio Lagoon, and Laguna Ojo de
Liebre (Scammon’s lagoon). Of these three lagoons San Ignacio Lagoon
(the hardest to get to) usually boasts the best whale watching and
photography opportunities. In these lagoons Gray Whales actually
approach the small Mexican boats (Pangas) used exclusively to see the
whales. During February, March and into April these lagoons are a “sure
thing” for Gray Whales. While in the lagoon you can photograph Gray
Whales breaching, spy hopping, interacting with other boats, fluke-up
diving, mothers and calves and even courtship behavior (although most
actual mating takes places on the migration south from Alaska). |
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| The special treat to these
waters is the opportunity to film mothers and calves. Mother Gray Whales
actually bring their curious calves right beside the boats (pretty
amazing to think these animals were almost wiped out twice by humans in
their recent history). The photo opportunities are amazing! This is one
of the few places to film whales that I can think of where I end up
using wide and ultra-wide angle lenses more often than my telephotos.
Bring a flash for fill light as well! The best times to film mothers and
calves is definitely in March, when mothers are more tolerant and the
calves are a little older and more curious. |
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| There is no diving or
snorkeling allowed by the Mexican Government inside the calving lagoons.
However, because the pangas used to take photographers to the see the
whales are rather low to the water, the opportunity to slip a waterproof
camera over the side for underwater images is great. Just remember to
adjust for refraction when guessing where to aim the lens (ultra-wide
lenses work best). Even better is the use of an underwater “pole cam”. |
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| Recently I have begun to see
more and more Gray Whales entering into the Gulf of California. Some
have even attempted to over-summer in Mexico rather than make the long
migration back to Alaska. It is doubtful that there are enough food
resources to sustain many of these animals throughout the summer.
Several dead adult and sub-adult Gray Whales are washing ashore along
both the Baja and Sonoran coastlines. In one case, a calf entangled in
net washed ashore on Isla Tiburon (the largest island in the Gulf of
California). This animal was picked clean of all meat and flesh in less
than 2 months by coyotes and ravens (as well as bacteria breaking down
the flesh). TIPS FOR GRAY WHALE PHOTOS IN THE LAGOONS: One of the few
places in the world to consistently photograph wild whales with
wide-angle lenses! I often use my 17mm-35mm zoom lens with a flash for
fill. I set up my second camera body with a medium range zoom; I prefer
my 70mm to 200mm. Be prepared to work in and out of your camera case, as
you will usually be sharing the panga with several other whale watchers.
For topside photography the bow is usually the best, as it offers the
widest uninterrupted view. For underwater photos the middle of the panga
will give better opportunities to put a camera over the side (attach a
lanyard)! As with most whale photography in boats, a watertight camera
case is very important to protect against spray, splash, and whale
spouts on your equipment. In the lagoons there is usually plenty of
light. I like to use both Fuji Velvia ISO 50 and Fuji Provia 100F ISO
100 in these situations. Kodachrome 64 is often a good choice for the
blacks and greens it renders topside. I seldom find that I need to push
film here. |
