Photo Identification at Sea: A Step-by-Step Guide

1) First: Spotting whales safely

• Scan for blows: Tall, bushy blows for humpbacks/right whales; low, angled blow for sperm whales; very tall blow for blue whales; diffuse blow for fin/Bryde’s/minke.

• Look for cues: Back breaking the surface, tail-stock arch before a dive, birds circling/feeding, slick patches, or the “footprint” left on calm water.

• Sea state: If you can choose, aim for Beaufort ≤ 3; calmer seas make ID photos far easier.

  
  

2) The correct approach (ethics + safety)

• Keep your distance. Local rules vary—never closer than 100 m (often 200–300 m for large whales; more for mothers with calves).

• Match direction, not angle. Travel parallel at slow speed; never cut across their path or approach from the front/behind.

• Slow, steady, silent. Reduce speed well in advance; avoid sudden gear shifts. If the whale surfaces nearby, go to neutral and let it pass.

• Limit time. ~30 minutes per group; one vessel at a time near the animals.

• Never get in the water with whales; never use drones without permits.

• Obey local laws (Pelagos Sanctuary/ACCOBAMS guidelines, national regulations).

  
  

3) What to photograph (by species)

General rule: take a series of sharp images from both sides when possible (left & right), plus the tail fluke if shown. Include a few context shots (boat/waves/landmarks) to help confirm location and group size.

Focus on the fluke (tail)

• Humpback: Underside of the tail fluke (pigmentation pattern, scars, trailing-edge notches), plus left/right dorsal fin.

• Sperm whale: Tail fluke underside (nicks/notches), plus head profile and any body scars.

• Blue whale: They sometimes fluke; if they do, capture the fluke. Also collect high-quality shots of mottled back, tiny dorsal fin shape and position, and blowhole area for pigmentation.

  

  
  

Focus on the back/head callosities

• Right whales (North Atlantic/North Pacific): Callosity patterns on the head (rostrum, bonnet, lip corners), both sides; also V-shaped blow and broad back without a dorsal fin.

  
  

Focus on the dorsal fin

• Fin whale, Bryde’s whale, minke whale: Left and right dorsal fin (shape, nicks), chevron/pigmentation (fin whale), and any unique scars or rake marks.

• Killer whale (orca): Dorsal fin (height, shape, nicks) and saddle patch (gray patch behind the fin), both sides; also eye patch shape/size. (Flukes are seldom useful for ID in orcas.)

• Dolphins (Beaked whales, pilot whales, Risso's, harbour purpoises and so).

  

  Pilot whales during the Atlantic crossing of the Glacialis Expedition

  
  

If the whale doesn’t show a fluke

• Prioritize dorsal fin left/right, back/mottling, unique scars, and head features; shoot in bursts as animals surface.

  
  

4) Camera setup (phone & camera)

For cameras (DSLR/mirrorless):

• Mode: Shutter priority (S/Tv) or Manual.

• Shutter: 1/1000–1/2000 s (faster for breaches).

• Aperture: f/5.6–f/8.

• ISO: Auto with max ~3200 (adjust to conditions).

• Focus: Continuous AF (AI-Servo/AF-C); zone or single point on dorsal/fluke edge.

• Drive: High-speed burst.

• Lens: 70–200 mm or 100–400 mm; image stabilization ON.

• File: RAW+JPEG if possible.

For smartphones:

• Hold landscape, brace elbows, use burst mode.

• Avoid excessive digital zoom; 2× can help if quality stays sharp.

• Tap to focus on fin/fluke edge; raise exposure slightly if backlit.

  
  

5) The “ID essentials” to capture

• Left & right sides (dorsal fin/saddle)

• Tail fluke underside (if shown)

• Head/callosities (right whales), head profile (sperm whales)

• Back/mottling (blue, gray)

• Any scars/unique marks (propeller scars, rake marks)

  
  

6) Notes to record right away (write or dictate)

• Date & exact time (UTC)

• GPS coordinates (boat device/phone)

• Number of individuals, age classes (adult/juvenile/calf)

• Behavior (traveling, feeding, logging, breaching)

• Direction of travel and sea state

• Your platform (zodiac/sailboat/shore), distance estimate

• Photos/videos taken (which device/zoom)

Tip: don’t crop before submitting—full-frame images preserve scale and metadata.

7) Where to submit your photos (programs)

• Happywhale — global platform for many species (flukes and dorsals). Accepts GPS/date and returns matches when possible.

• Flukebook — research-oriented photo-ID database (supports multiple species/marks; used by scientists and NGOs).

• Regional catalogues — e.g., GREC (French Mediterranean) and Tethys/CSR (Pelagos Sanctuary) for Mediterranean whales. If you photographed whales in the Med, consider submitting to both a global platform and the relevant regional catalogue.

  
  

8) File prep & metadata

• Keep originals (retain EXIF: date/time, GPS if embedded).

• Name files meaningfully (e.g., 2025-07-18_Italy-Pelagos_SpermWhale_Grp3_IMG1234.jpg).

• Provide a sighting form: date/time UTC, GPS, species (if known), # individuals, calves? behavior, platform, your contact details.

  
  

9) Quality checklist (what makes a great ID photo)

• Sharp (focus on trailing edge of fluke or fin).

• Well-lit (avoid heavy shadow/glare; adjust exposure).

• Orthogonal (fluke/fin as straight-on as possible).

• Multiple frames across the surfacing sequence.

• Context shots for verification.

  
  

10) Golden ethics (for whales first)

• If animals change course, speed up, or dive early, you’re too close—back off.

• Mothers & calves: double the distance; minimize time.

• One group = one vessel nearby whenever possible.

• No feeding, no touching, no swimming, no drones without permits.

• Follow local laws—they may set stricter distances or speed limits.

To Resume:

Quick Species Cheat-Sheet

• Humpback: Fluke underside (primary), dorsal fin; also lateral body scars.

• Sperm whale: Fluke underside (primary), head profile; body scars.

• Blue: Back mottling + tiny dorsal fin (primary); fluke if shown.

• Right whales: Head callosities (primary), both sides; no dorsal fin; V-shaped blow.

• Fin/Bryde’s/Minke: Dorsal fin left/right (primary), chevrons/pigmentation (fin), any scars.

• Killer whale (orca): Dorsal fin + saddle patch (primary), eye patch; both sides.

• Dolphins : Dorsal fin

• Belugas : Back both side

  
  

One-Page Field Card (print or save)

1. Spot: Blow → back → fin/fluke.

2. Approach: Parallel, slow, ≥100–300 m, neutral if close, limit time.

3. Shoot: Burst mode, 1/1000–1/2000 s, AF-C, fluke/dorsal/head per species.

4. Record: Date/time (UTC), GPS, # individuals (calves?), behavior, direction, sea state.

5. Submit: Happywhale, Flukebook + regional catalogue (e.g., GREC/Tethys for Med).

6. Respect: If the whale reacts, back off.

Conclusion

Every photo taken at sea is more than just a memory: it is a piece of a vast scientific puzzle. Thanks to your images and platforms like Happywhale or Flukebook, researchers can track populations, identify threats, and better protect the giants of the oceans. Observe, photograph, share: three simple actions to become a guardian of whales yourself.

Hope this article was helpful! don't hesitate to share your insight about Photo ID.