TRAVEL TIPS: How To Take Photos of DOLPHINS for Dummies

Bertemu lumba-lumba di perjalanan saat naik boat selalu merupakan "bonus" yang menyenangkan. Saya beberapa kali bertemu lumba-lumba yang ramah dan mendekati kapal di beberapa lokasi di Indonesia: Bunaken, Kiluan, Derawan, Banda Naira dan Togean.

Meeting dolphins in a boat ride is always a "bonus" fun. I met some friendly dolphins which approached the ship in a few locations in Indonesia: Bunaken, Kiluan, Derawan, Banda Naira and Togean.

Tentunya saat bertemu lumba-lumba kita ingin mengabadikan momen yang menyenangkan ini, namun mengambil foto lumba-lumba seringkali cukup sulit karena mereka bergerak dengan gesit.

Of course, when meeting the dolphins we want to capture the fun of this, but taking photos of dolphins is often quite difficult because they move nimbly.

HOW TO TAKE PHOTOS OF DOLPHINS IN THE WILD?

Here's some dummy tips

(Psst, I'm not a photographer, so don't worry, this applies to anyone!)

CALM DOWN

Yes, saat naik perahu dan lumba-lumba terlihat di kejauhan biasanya kita sudah heboh duluan, tenang saja, kalau lumba-lumba sudah terlihat di kejauhan, biasanya mereka akan mendekati kapal, saat ini kita bisa bersiap-siap mengambil dan mempersiapkan kamera, termasuk mengganti lensa yang tepat jika kita menggunakan DSLR atau Mirrorless. Kita dapat langsung mengambil foto saat lumba-lumba mendekat.

Yes, when in a boat ride and dolphins are seen in the distance we usually already get excited first, quiet, if the dolphins are already visible in the distance, they usually would approach the ship, so at the time we can get ready and prepare the camera, including replacing the proper lens if we use a DSLR or mirrorless. We can directly take photos while dolphins approach.

BURST AND KNOW THE TIME

Jika menggunakan mode burst (alias foto langsung diambil beberapa frame per detik), kita dapat expect salah satunya adalah foto saat lumba-lumba meloncat. Namun mode burst ini bisa membuat kamera dan memory card cukup lemot (jika memory card kapasitas dan speednya kurang, atau pada kamera mirrorless low & middle end).

When using burst mode (aka photos taken directly a few frames per second), we can expect one of which is a current photograph of dolphins jumping. But this burst mode can make the camera and the memory card become quite slow (if the memory card capacity and the speed is less, or on a mirrorless low camera and middle end).
 

Cara lain, yang biasanya saya lakukan adalah just click at the moment we think, is right. Jangan pencet tombol saat lumba-lumba sudah loncat, karena biasanya yang tertangkap adalah saat ia sudah nyebur di air (sisanya hanya buntut atau percikan air yang kita dapat), ikuti pergerakan lumba-lumba, mereka punya pattern berenang-meloncat, saat akan meloncat, itulah saat kita mengambil gambar. Jangan takut terus pencet tombol click (ingat untuk gunakan high shutter speed supaya tidak buram filenya), file-file gagal tinggal dihapus kok di jaman serba digital ini :)

Another way, which I usually do is just click at the moment that we think, is right. Do not push the button when the dolphins have been jumping, because the photos that usually caught are when they were already in the water (the rest photos that we would get are just the tail or splashing water), follow the movement of dolphins, they have a pattern of swim-jump, when they were about to jump, that's when we take a picture. Do not be afraid to continue to push the button click (remember to use high shutter speed in order not opaque file), the failed files could be deleted anyway in this digital age :)

 

GO TO THE FRONT

Kawanan lumba-lumba biasanya mendekati kapal dan mereka akan berkumpul berenang sejajar dan di depan ujung kapal, sambil bermanuver. Saat ini kita bisa mendapatkan detail lumba-lumba, dan juga bisa mendapat suasana lumba-lumba berkumpul dekat kapal dengan lensa wide. 

Herd of dolphins would approach the boat and they will gather to swim parallel to and at the front end of the ship, while maneuvering. Nowadays we can get dolphins' details, and we can also get the atmosphere of dolphins gathered near the boat with wide lens.
 

Kadangkala kita mesti memilih, mau foto close, atau wide. Mengganti lensa saat lumba-lumba berada di sekeliling kapal bisa membuang waktu, you know the priorities, kalau memang ingin ganti lensa, it's okay kok.

Sometimes we had to choose, would photograph close or wide. Changing the lens when the dolphins are around the ship could be a waste of time, you know the priorities, if you want to replace the lens, it's really okay.

BE CAREFUL

Saat lumba-lumba sudah di pinggir kapal dan berenang sambil terus bermanuver di sisi kapal, kita biasanya heboh kesenangan (saya juga kok, sampai sekarang hehe). Jangan lupa untuk terus pegang kamera di posisi aman, jaga juga tas kita jangan sampai jatuh. Jika kameranya dengan strap, lingkarkan di leher, voila! aman! Jika menggunakan smartphone, hati-hati pegang smartphonenya ya, saat kapal bergerak dan kita heboh bisa saja ada sudden movement yang membuat kamera/ smartphone terlepas.

When dolphins are already on the edge of the boat and swim while continuing to maneuver at the boat's side, we are usually over excited (I also am, up until now hehe). Do not forget to continue holding the camera in a safe position, keep the bag so it will not fall. If the camera has a strap, wrap it around the neck, voila! secure! If you are using a smartphone, carefully hold the smartphone, when the boat is moving and we are too excited there may be a sudden movement that makes the camera/ smartphone losses of grip.

 

ACTION CAM? DON'T GET TOO FAR

Ingatlah jika action cam itu selalu lensa wide/ fish eye, jika terlalu jauh maka lumba-lumba hanya akan terlihat sebagai garis-garis saja. Dekati ujung kapal dan sesekali arahkan action cam ke atas permukaan dimana lumba-lumba bermanuver, but DON'T PUT THE CAMERA INSIDE THE WATER saat kita berada di atas kapal, kapal yang berjalan mengikuti lumba-lumba, speednya cukup untuk membuat action cam yang di attach ke stick terpental, selain tidak akan dapat gambar yang bagus, risiko kehilangan kamera cukup besar (atau bahkan kita dapat ikut terjatuh).

Remember that an action cam always has wide lens / fish eye, if it is too far then dolphins will only be visible as lines only. Approach the end of the boat and put the action cam above the water where the dolphins maneuver, but DO NOT PUT THE CAMERA INSIDE THE WATER when we were on board, the boat runs following dolphins, the speed is enough to make the action cam attached to stick bouncing, since it will create good pictures, the risk of losing the camera is quite high (or we could even fall into the water 

LET YOUR EYES ENJOY

Meski mengambil gambar, sediakan waktu untuk menikmati momen ini dengan lensa terbaik: MATA KITA, yes , jangan selama momen ini kita terus menerus melihat layar kamera atau smartphone, viewfinder sampai akhirnya lumba-lumba pergi. It's always different feeling to see with your own eyes, jadi sediakan waktu untuk menikmati momen tanpa sibuk mengambil gambar, just a few minutes will make a difference.

Even though you're busy taking pictures, always provides time to enjoy the moment with the best lens: OUR EYES! Don't look at your camera or smartphone LCD all the time, thus you missed the best thing: feeling that came from seeing with your own eyes. So provides time for yourself to enjoy the moment without busy taking pictures, just a few minutes will make a difference.

Well, there are some tips to get memorable photos of dolphins, please do add more in the comment sections, I need more tips also :)

@marischkaprue - dolphins at heart