Whale Pod: I post this not because it's a great shot but because I was so amazed that I got anything at all. This pod was about 1,000 yards off Maui and I shot this with my Nikon D40x...

gymschwinn Loc: Greenwood Village, CO.

I post this not because it's a great shot but because I was so amazed that I got anything at all. This pod was about 1,000 yards off Maui and I shot this with my Nikon D40x with my 55-200mm lens zoomed all the way out...and hand held. When I looked at the shots, I said "WoW"! Couldn't believe I got a shot in which you could actually SEE the whales.

vinnya Loc: connecticut

I'll be in maui in july too bad the whales wont

MtnMan Loc: ID

Wonderful!

I'm off to Alaska in May and we have a whale watching trip scheduled. We did it a couple of years ago and while we saw plenty (humbacks and Orcas) we only got a few pics of Orca fins.

So for this time I have a Sigma 150-500 on its way. I plan to practice up with it before we go. Also this time we reserved with a guy that only takes six people instead of the thundering herd that was on the boat we went on last time.

gymschwinn wrote:

I post this not because it's a great shot but because I was so amazed that I got anything at all. This pod was about 1,000 yards off Maui and I shot this with my Nikon D40x with my 55-200mm lens zoomed all the way out...and hand held. When I looked at the shots, I said "WoW"! Couldn't believe I got a shot in which you could actually SEE the whales.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Wonderful!

I'm off to Alaska in May and we have a whale watching trip scheduled. We did it a couple of years ago and while we saw plenty (humbacks and Orcas) we only got a few pics of Orca fins.

So for this time I have a Sigma 150-500 on its way. I plan to practice up with it before we go. Also this time we reserved with a guy that only takes six people instead of the thundering herd that was on the boat we went on last time.

gymschwinn wrote:

I post this not because it's a great shot but because I was so amazed that I got anything at all. This pod was about 1,000 yards off Maui and I shot this with my Nikon D40x with my 55-200mm lens zoomed all the way out...and hand held. When I looked at the shots, I said "WoW"! Couldn't believe I got a shot in which you could actually SEE the whales.

gymschwinn Loc: Greenwood Village, CO.

You will generally get closer in a boat than I was. 1,000 yards is quite a distance, but being on shore, I couldn't close on them but a whale watching boat will. Good luck. Hope to see some fantastic shots posted here when you return.