Capturing Alaska

With Wayde Carroll

Beluga Whales

(Delphinapterus leucas)

Last summer my family and I were lucky enough to spend some time in Georgia for a family reunion. During our visit we decided to spend a day at the Georgia Aquarium. Much to my surprise the aquarium was home to several Beluga whales.

   I was particularly thrilled to get a close up view of these whales because there is a small population in our own Cook Inlet. I have seen these beautiful mammals in the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet, just ten miles from my home, but because of the heavy sediment in the waters here I could only ever glimpse small portions of them breaking the oceans’ surface.

   All of us were transfixed with the glowing forms gracefully maneuvering around their realistic appearing habitat. We returned to their area several times throughout the day.

   Thankfully I had my Canon 5D and was able to capture many wonderful images. Because the camera’s noise is much improved in the higher ISO’s (film speeds), I was able to shoot at ISO 800, which allowed a fast enough shutter speed to (occasionally) freeze the action. I set the camera to its “tracking” focusing mode and my drive to “continuous” so I could shoot several frames in rapid succession.

   If I didn’t have a couple of beautiful kids tugging at me to get over to the hands on tide pool display I would have shot for hours- or at least until my storage ran out!

   What makes the photos particularly relevant right now is that the Cook Inlet Beluga Whales are under consideration to be added to the Endangered Species List. This group was numbered around 1300 in the early eighties but is now down to around 300. There are studies in process to decide their status.

   Once again it was proven to me that I should always have my camera because you just never know when a great photo opportunity will arise. I can tell you I never, ever, dreamed I’d be capturing great “Alaska” images in Atlanta, Georgia!