A self-taught underwater photographer who wants to share the wonder of whales with the world has taken it upon himself to be the first to
capture the expressions of the great animals up close, while they are relaxing, and in full dimension.
"I wouldn't say I'm obsessed by whales, but if I am, it's an obsession of sharing with others," said Bryant Austin.
Austin, 40, is inventing new techniques, photographing the great whales of the world in life size by waiting for their approach. This is unique.
"Photographing whales has remained basically unchanged for 40 years," Austin explained. "I'm the only person in the world producing life-size high-resolution composite photos of whales."
The founder of a nonprofit in 2005 called Marine Mammal Conservation Through the Arts; Austin taught himself how to photograph marine animals in the wild, including otters. He worked as a volunteer in a number of jobs including the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., and eventually the California Department of Fish & Game Sea Otter Research Lab. It was there he conceived a unique mission, to photograph and produce photos of whales in the ocean, life size, in full detail, just as they would be seen in the water.
"This kind of photography allows large-size photos," Austin said. "I'm floating in the water less than 6 feet from a whale. I turn the camera on its side. I remain motionless. The pictures I take result in a high-resolution-scan series of composite photos, of the whole whale."
Austin's unique approach is to put the whale completely at ease. He doesn't use an oxygen tank and dive gear, but simple snorkel equipment. He only photographs whales that are resting or socializing, never those who are migrating or calving or engaged in courtship. He consistently wears the same wetsuit to gain their trust.
"I remain stationary," he said. "About 50 feet away, the whales are curious. They'll eventually approach, come up to within 5 feet of me. One time a whale reached over with a 10-foot pectoral fin and placed it under my body. They're very gentle animals."
Other photographers sometimes chase or harass whales because of their limited budgets and time schedules (they have to come up with a picture quick), resulting in an agitated-looking response from the whale.
Austin's patience has produced remarkable moments captured on film.
Sperm whales up to 35 feet long weighing 25 tons displaying, if not affection toward him, then something akin to relaxed tolerance.
"I get right up next to the eye," Austin said. "If the whale is harassed, you get a wide eye, the white of the eye. But if it's relaxed, the eye is heavy-lidded, calm and mindful."
Austin added that whales, highly intelligent animals, sometimes use their built-in eco-location ability to do a scan of his body, to check out what kind of being he is.
"Whales can inflict serious injury on you with these powerful sounds if they wanted to," he said. "They can use them to see inside you, like in three dimensions. You can feel your entire body vibrating."
One time Austin said he was lining up a shot of a whale and felt a tap on his shoulder. It was another whale, gently prodding him with a 15-foot pectoral fin.
"Our eyes locked," he recalled.
Another time, off the Island of Tonga, a smaller calf came up behind Austin and rested its jaw on his back.
Source: By JOHN SAMMON, Santa Cruz (Calif.) Sentinel, SCOTTS VALLEY, CA
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