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Photographing Elephant Seals With Jason Bradley
By Matt J. Weiss, January 23, 2010 @ 03:00 AM (EST)
Today kicked off the start of the weekend long elephant seal workshop led by Jason Bradley. I decided to take the trip out West to join Jason on his workshop and photograph the massive pinnipeds myself.
I hooked up with Jason yesterday in Monterey, and after packing his minivan full of photo equipment we headed off to San Simeon, the base for the trip. This is strictly a topside trip, but involves the shooting of marine animals, and really amazing ones at that, so I thought DPG readers might enjoy it. I have seen videos of elephant seals but it's always been a goal to see the massive creatures in person.
I hooked up with Jason yesterday in Monterey, and after packing his minivan full of photo equipment we headed off to San Simeon, the base for the trip. This is strictly a topside trip, but involves the shooting of marine animals, and really amazing ones at that, so I thought DPG readers might enjoy it. I have seen videos of elephant seals but it's always been a goal to see the massive creatures in person.
Two bulls fighting, photographed by Jason Bradley
Jason has studied marine science and is now a full time professional photographer, which makes him the ideal person to lead such a trip. Today he started off the workshop with a lecture on the seals basic biology and also tips for photographing them.
Enjoying some wine and snacks with the workshoppers
Elephant seals get their name for their elephant like proboscis and are the largest member of the order Carnivora, placental mammal carnivores. The southern species can get up to 11,000 pounds and reach 23 feet. We are photographing the slightly smaller Northern elephant seal, which still are huge beasts. Bulls can weigh up to 2.5 tons and can be 16 feet long.
The seals spend 80 percent of the lives in water, but they spend a few months on land to breed and molt. We took a quick drive by the rookery today and there were hundreds of the giant elephant seals, including huge bulls and newborn pups. The photographing begins tomorrow, when we hit the beach at dawn.
The seals spend 80 percent of the lives in water, but they spend a few months on land to breed and molt. We took a quick drive by the rookery today and there were hundreds of the giant elephant seals, including huge bulls and newborn pups. The photographing begins tomorrow, when we hit the beach at dawn.
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