Whale Watching Photography Guide: Camera Settings & Best Photo Tips

Getting great whale photos on a tour is harder than most first-timers expect. The animals are moving, the boat is moving, and light and weather can change quickly. With the right settings, equipment, and technique, however, you can come home with photographs that capture the experience rather than simply documenting that you were there.

If your goal is to photograph orcas, particularly Bigg's killer whales, preparation matters even more. You may only have a few seconds to capture a dorsal fin, a surfacing whale, or a dramatic change in behaviour.

Gear Basics

For serious whale photography, a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a telephoto zoom is the most useful setup. A 70-200mm or 100-400mm lens gives you flexibility as the distance between your boat and the wildlife changes.

A phone can be excellent for scenery and wider shots, but dedicated cameras generally give you more control and better results when photographing fast-moving wildlife at a distance.

You don't necessarily need the most expensive camera. Fast autofocus, a useful zoom range, and good performance at higher ISO settings matter more than having the newest body.

Camera Settings for Whale Photography

Shutter Speed

Start around 1/1000 second or faster.

Whales move quickly, and you are also photographing from a moving boat. A fast shutter speed helps freeze both the animal and the movement of the boat.

For particularly active behaviour, such as breaching or rapid surfacing, 1/2000 second or faster can be useful when lighting allows.

If you remember only one photography setting, prioritize shutter speed.

Aperture

An aperture around f/5.6 to f/8 is a useful starting range.

However, don't sacrifice shutter speed just to maintain a particular aperture. Wildlife encounters happen quickly, and a sharp image at a wider aperture is much more valuable than a blurry image taken at ideal settings.

ISO

Auto ISO can be extremely useful on a whale watching boat because lighting can change quickly.

Set a maximum ISO that your camera handles comfortably. Modern cameras can often produce very usable images at higher ISO settings, which gives you more flexibility to maintain a fast shutter speed.

Focus Mode

Use continuous autofocus tracking.

Different manufacturers use different names for this setting, such as AF-C or AI Servo, but the principle is the same: allow the camera to continue tracking a moving subject.

Drive Mode

Use continuous burst shooting when appropriate.

You don't need to hold the shutter down for every sighting. Instead, use short bursts when a whale surfaces or displays interesting behaviour. This increases your chances of capturing the best moment without filling your memory card unnecessarily.

Framing and Composition

Give the Whale Room

Leave space in front of the animal when possible.

If an orca is travelling toward the right side of your frame, leaving additional space in that direction generally creates a more natural composition.

Include the Environment

Don't make every photograph a tight crop of a dorsal fin.

Water, spray, surrounding landscape, other whales, and the horizon can provide context and tell a much better story about the encounter.

Some of your favourite images may ultimately be the wider photographs that show where the experience happened.

Don't Obsess Over Composition

The rule of thirds can be useful, but whale watching is not a controlled studio environment.

The animal may surface for only a few seconds. Getting the whale in focus and properly exposed matters more than achieving perfect composition every time.

Anticipating the Shot

The best whale photographers aren't simply reacting to what has already happened. They're watching for what might happen next.

Pay attention to changes in movement, repeated surfacing, diving behaviour, and other cues.

Your naturalist can also be extremely helpful. Listen to their commentary and watch where they are looking. They may give you valuable warning that an animal is about to surface.

Instead of constantly looking through the viewfinder, watch the water first and raise the camera when you have a good reason to expect a surfacing.

Photographing Bigg's Killer Whales

Bigg's killer whales are among the most exciting subjects in Washington whale photography.

Their tall dorsal fins, black-and-white markings, group behaviour, and occasional hunting activity can produce excellent photographs.

But don't spend the entire encounter waiting for a dramatic breach.

A clean dorsal-fin photograph, multiple whales surfacing together, a whale travelling through calm water, or an interaction between members of a group can all make compelling images.

Because wild orcas can change direction and surface unpredictably, keep your camera ready and use a sufficiently wide focal length when necessary.

Best Light Conditions

Overcast conditions can be excellent for whale photography.

Cloud cover reduces harsh highlights and glare from the water, producing more even exposure across the scene.

Sunny days can still produce spectacular photographs, particularly when the light catches spray or creates reflections. The challenge is controlling the bright water and strong contrast.

Rather than planning your photography around a specific time of day, pay attention to the actual weather and lighting conditions on your trip.

Morning vs. Afternoon Photography

You may have heard that morning is automatically better for wildlife photography. That's not a rule you should rely on for Washington whale watching.

If your priority is photographing orcas, the location of the whales matters far more than simply choosing the earliest departure.

Orcas can travel more than 100 miles in a day. That means an afternoon tour can have the advantage of additional information about where the whales have been moving that day.

Outer Island Excursions' guaranteed-orca tour operates in the afternoon for this reason. The goal is not to claim that orcas behave better in the afternoon. It's to give the crew more information before heading out to find them.

For photographers, that can be more valuable than simply chasing a particular lighting window.

Managing Motion on the Boat

The Boat Moves

Stand with your feet comfortably apart and keep your body relaxed.

Avoid locking your knees. Keep your elbows relatively close to your body and let your legs absorb some of the boat's movement.

Image stabilization can also help.

The Water Moves

A fast shutter speed is your best defence against movement.

If conditions become rough, don't be afraid to increase your shutter speed and ISO to keep images sharp.

The Whale Moves

Use continuous autofocus and keep the subject in the frame as smoothly as possible.

It can also help to zoom out slightly rather than trying to frame the animal perfectly tight. A little extra space gives you more room to react when the whale surfaces somewhere unexpected.

Photographing Humpbacks

Humpbacks offer different photographic opportunities from orcas.

Their larger size makes them easier to identify, while their flukes can create dramatic photographs when they begin a deep dive.

Watch for the sequence leading into a dive rather than waiting until the fluke is already disappearing.

Their blows can also make excellent photographs, particularly when backlighting or calm water creates a visible spray plume.

Photographing Minke Whales

Minke whales can be significantly more challenging to photograph.

They often surface quickly and travel with relatively low profiles.

If a minke is in the area, avoid immediately switching to a very tight composition. A slightly wider frame combined with continuous shooting gives you a better chance of capturing the brief surfacing sequence.

Choosing Your Position on the Boat

Your position can make a meaningful difference.

If photography is important to you, ask the crew about the best viewing areas rather than assuming one particular seat will always be ideal.

Keep in mind that wildlife can appear on either side of the vessel. A good photographer should be prepared to move when appropriate and allow other passengers opportunities to view the encounter.

Working With Other Guests

Everyone paid to see the wildlife.

Avoid occupying a prime viewing position for the entire trip or holding a large camera directly in front of another passenger.

Take your photographs, then lower the camera and allow others to enjoy the encounter.

You can also ask the naturalist where you should position yourself if you're hoping to photograph a particular type of behaviour.

Protecting Your Camera

Saltwater and electronics are not a great combination.

Keep a waterproof or water-resistant camera bag available for when you're not actively shooting.

A microfiber cloth is useful for wiping spray from the lens, and a rain cover can be worthwhile during wetter trips.

Don't wait until the camera is soaked before protecting it. Spray can arrive unexpectedly, particularly when the vessel is moving.

Post-Processing Basics

Marine wildlife photographs often benefit from relatively restrained editing.

You may want to:

• Recover highlights from bright water

• Lift shadows on darker parts of the animal

• Adjust exposure

• Crop to improve composition

• Correct the white balance

• Add moderate contrast

Be careful with aggressive editing. The black-and-white contrast of an orca can tempt photographers to push contrast too far.

The goal should be to make the photograph look like the encounter actually felt, not to turn it into something artificial.

Smartphone Photography

Phones are perfectly useful for capturing the overall experience.

Use them for:

• Landscape photographs

• Boat and harbour shots

• Group photographs

• Wide wildlife scenes

• Close subjects that naturally come near the boat

For distant, fast-moving orcas, however, a dedicated camera with an optical telephoto lens generally provides much more flexibility.

Put the Camera Down Sometimes

This might be the most important photography tip of all.

Don't spend every second of the encounter looking through a viewfinder.

Take some photographs, then lower the camera and actually watch the whales.

The best memory of an encounter isn't always the sharpest photograph on your memory card.

Private Charters for Serious Photographers

Photographers who want more control may want to consider a private charter.

A private experience can provide more flexibility in positioning and allow the crew to better understand your photography priorities.

Outer Island Excursions offers private whale watching and charter options for guests interested in a more customized experience.

Why the Right Orca Tour Matters

Photography starts before you take the camera out of the bag.

If your primary goal is photographing orcas, choosing a tour designed around finding orcas is worth considering.

Outer Island Excursions' guaranteed-orca tour is specifically built for guests who want an orca encounter. It is an orca-specific guarantee rather than a generic "whale seen" guarantee.

The afternoon departure is intentional. Because orcas can travel more than 100 miles in a day, the crew has more opportunity to gather information about where they have been moving before heading out.

For a photographer with limited time in Anacortes, that combination of timing, vessel capability, current sighting information, and an orca-specific guarantee can be much more useful than simply choosing a tour because it leaves earliest.

Ethical Wildlife Photography

A great photograph is never worth disturbing an animal.

Don't ask the captain to approach wildlife more closely for a photograph. Don't encourage the crew to change course simply to create a better camera angle.

Responsible operators follow wildlife-viewing regulations and prioritize the animals' welfare.

In fact, working within appropriate viewing distances often produces better photographs because you are capturing natural behaviour rather than an artificially forced encounter.

Booking a Photography-Focused Trip

If photography is a major reason for your trip, tell the operator when booking.

Ask about the vessel, viewing areas, tour format, and what type of wildlife photography the crew typically sees.

If your priority is specifically photographing orcas, consider the guaranteed-orca tour rather than treating an orca encounter as a secondary possibility on a general wildlife trip.

FAQs

What is the most important camera setting for whale photography?

Shutter speed. Start around 1/1000 second or faster and increase it for particularly active behaviour when lighting allows.

What lens should I use for whale watching photography?

A 70-200mm or 100-400mm zoom is a versatile choice. The ideal focal length depends on the vessel, distance to wildlife, and encounter.

Are phones good enough for whale photography?

Phones are excellent for scenery and wider shots but generally struggle more with distant, fast-moving whales. A dedicated camera with a telephoto lens provides greater flexibility.

Is morning or afternoon better for photographing orcas?

Don't assume morning is better. For an orca-focused trip, afternoon can be advantageous because the crew has more information about where the whales have been moving that day. Orcas can travel more than 100 miles in a day.

Should I use a tripod?

Generally no. A tripod is difficult to use effectively on a moving boat. Handheld shooting with image stabilization is usually more practical.

Is a private charter worth it for photography?

For serious photographers, it can be. A private charter provides greater flexibility and allows you to communicate your photography priorities directly with the crew.

What tour is best if photographing an orca is my main goal?

Consider an orca-specific tour rather than a general whale-watching trip. Outer Island Excursions' guaranteed-orca tour is specifically designed around the goal of seeing an orca and operates in the afternoon to take advantage of additional information about the day's whale movements.