A photographer had a powerful experience with a whale, getting close to the whale, allowing him to capture a close-up photo of the humpback’s eye.
Rachel Moore explains petapixel She named the whale “Sweet Girl” after meeting the curious and friendly humpback. However, just days after Moore took the photos, Sweet Girl tragically died when the teen was hit by a boat.
“I was completely heartbroken,” says Moore. “It was hard to comprehend the fact that this incredibly gentle, curious whale had met such a tragic end. Even now, the photographs I took of her evoke a deep mix of emotions: the joy of our unique meeting, and the sadness of her tragic death and the suffering she endured.”
Moore specializes in underwater photography and spends his time capturing marine life around the world Agape Trips,
Moore says she was on a day trip in French Polynesia this October and had been swimming all day when she encountered Sweet Girl.
“As soon as we got in (the water), she came very close to us,” says the photographer. “Unlike another whale we had swam with before, her movements were slow and controlled. Despite her calm nature, whenever she came near, we would move away from her and maintain a respectful distance for about an hour.’
But after taking a closer look at the young humpback, Moore decided it would be safe to stop and let Sweet Girl get as close as she wanted.
“When I stopped, she stopped. It seemed that she wanted to make eye contact. We remained together on the surface for 10 minutes. “Sometimes she would walk a little ahead of me, but then immediately turn around and come back towards me,” Moore says of her experience.
“I had seen others try to touch her, but she would always move away just before contact. I quietly told her that I was there just to be with her, I would respect her space and there were no expectations.
“I don’t think she understood my words, but I believe she understood my body language. Those 10 minutes were the most beautiful and profound of my life. I never took my eyes off her. I completely failed to capture that moment, but luckily, my GoPro was on the whole time,” she adds.
Moore says she regretted not doing a better job of capturing the moment later that night. But the very next day, in a twist of fate, he encountered Sweet Girl once again and knew she wanted to get Humpback’s attention.
“As soon as I got in the water, Sweet Girl came over to me and stood up in the water, rolled over and started giving me each eye look,” Moore explains.
“This time, I didn’t swim. I knew I could trust her and she could trust me. For the next five minutes we stood on the surface looking into each other’s eyes, she came even closer – just a few inches away.’
“I caught his gaze and zoomed in with my 16-35mm lens, trusting that the animal-eye tracking would work. I pointed my camera at her eye, and as she turned over, I pressed the shutter, capturing the last ray of sunlight illuminating her eye.”
‘direct connection’
The story of the sweet girl and Moore’s incredible photographs have inspired people around the world. she tells petapixel His decision to catch Sweet Girl’s attention was “spontaneous”.
“The way he looked at me left an indelible mark on my memory – it was one of the most powerful and profound moments of my life. I wanted to capture that direct eye contact so that I could always feel the power of that encounter,” she explains.
“When I was in the water with Sweet Girl, my focus was on the moment, not on getting the perfect shot. But when she rolled up and gave me that perfect opportunity, I knew I had to catch that eye.
“It felt like a direct connection, and in that moment, the rest of the world faded away. The eyes were everything. This was her – curious, gentle, intelligent,” Moore adds.
“I wanted this to be reflected in the photo, to highlight the emotions present in her gaze. Sometimes, the power of a photograph comes from the simplicity of the moment, and in this case, I felt that a close-up photograph really allowed the viewer to feel what I felt when we were face to face.
Many viewers who saw the intimate photos say they can relate to the sweet girl. For her part, Moore says she’s been “overwhelmed” by the reaction to the photo.
a beautiful moment that turned sad
Just four days after Moore’s last meeting with Sweet Girl, Humpback was killed by a “fast-moving” ship near Tahiti.
“At first I didn’t want to believe it was him. Statistically, given the number of whales in the area during that time of year, the chances of it being Sweet Girl seemed pretty low,” says Moore.
“I wasn’t sure until I saw the distinctive marks on his body. When I realized it was her, my heart broke. It was hard to comprehend the fact that this incredibly gentle, curious whale had met such a tragic end. Even now, the photographs I took of her evoke a deep mix of emotions: the joy of our unique meeting, and the sadness of her tragic death and the suffering she endured.”
Although the story of Sweet Girl ultimately ends in tragedy, Moore also sees it as an opportunity to spread awareness about ship attacks.
“I hope people will have a deeper respect for whales and the entire ocean,” Moore says of her photographs.
“These creatures are magnificent, but they are also incredibly vulnerable. Sweet Girl’s tragic end is a reminder of the dangers they face – such as ship strikes – and the urgent need for better protection and conservation efforts.
Moore launched a petition Urged the Government of French Polynesia to adopt and enforce a speed limit of 12 knots or less for all large vessels within two kilometers (1.2 mi) of Tahiti and Mo’orea during whale season.
you can sign peyton HereMore of Moore’s work can be found at Instagram And website,
Image Credit: Photos courtesy of Rachel Moore.
