Originally posted by ktbartosik "Lovely" shots. Good to have perspective on its size using people and tractors and even then hard to imagine. While not happy about it's death, must be very interesting to witness. Looking forward to the next in the series!
Thanks! The whale on its own in such a big landscape doesn't relate the size of it that well. And as a reporter the interaction between the people and the whale was where the news was. The new photo's will be rather bloody.
Originally posted by SimonC The photos tell a sad story. Thanks for sharing.
Simon, thanks for commenting!
Originally posted by ffking such magnificent animals - such a shame to see one end this way - but very nice documentation - that last (for now) pic is a story all in itself, and a fine image
Thanks Graham! Everything has a beginning and a end... Even for these magnificent animals. I have gotten lots of nice feedback about the last photo from my colleagues. I have reprocessed the photo's before showing them here. On the job I used one of my iPhones for that job.
Originally posted by 35mmfilmfan One was recently beached on the North Norfolk coast (no pictures - lockdown). However, it appears that many of these beachings occur close to offshore wind farms, and there is an hypothesis that low-level vibrations under water, caused by the turbines, are disorienting the animals.
Thanks Tony! I believe more whales than one have been beached on the English coast. Because of that experts warned that there was a possibility that more sperm whales could end up on the Dutch coast too. I was send to this beaching with that in mind. We do have a lock down too but there is no formal limit on travel inside the Netherlands but it is frowned upon when you travel for leisure for long distances. Journalists have some privileges as our work has been deemed essential. The situation the UK is in right now, is really though and serves as a warning for our country. I wish you and you're loved ones get trough this save and sound! I have not looked into wind turbines having an influence on the beaching of whales. But I know of broader concerns over the impact of them on sea life. Science will have to provide an answer as in the debate about the need for renewable energy sources misleading information is shared from time to time...
Originally posted by ToddK Excellent series of photos. Sad to see such a magnificent creature come to its end like this.
Thanks Todd! After I took that last photo and stood alongside this once magnificent sea mammal I felt a bid sad too.
Originally posted by Sailor Fascinating series, Remco - but as others have said: a sad story.
Jer
Jer, thanks! It is the second time I have been to a stranded sperm whale. The first one died within minutes after I arrived. It was the first and only time I've worked 27 hours in one go without sleep...
Originally posted by Apet-Sure That last shot is a good example of the saying 'One picture is worth a thousand words'. Excellent photo journalism.
Thanks Kevin! Most colleagues use their iPhones for photo's. I can't imagine going to something like this without something better with me. Most of the time I work without a camera man and have to bring a video camera with tripod which severely limits the amount of other gear I can take with me. When I took that last picture the last light of the day was excellent and in next to me locals were crouching down to take one last picture of the whale. I opted for a higher viewpoint to get the machinery into the frame together with the drag marks in the sand to complete the story. I cropped a little bit because on person was half in the frame of the picture.
Originally posted by RoxnDox Sad, but intersting at the same time. Thankfully no dynamite was involved (yes, yes, I know I have a somewhat twisted sense of humour)
Ha!
One colleague found a famous video of the one time this was tried with disgusting but also comic consequences and was kind enough to send it to me. I think I already saw it somewhere in the 'infamous' satire thread about not buying a K-3...