Look Closer
Winter in Paradise 2
Posted by Viewfinder (Bradenton, FL, United States) on 6 February 2008 in Animal & Insect and Portfolio.
Izzat you, Flipper?
Taken from the Gulf beach on Anna Maria Island, 8 miles from my front door. This was one of a pod of dolphins swimming around and hunting fish in the shallows. A pelican watches and waits for the fish to stir up.
Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia
What a great nature shot. I've never seen anything like it. Excellent info as well.
6 Feb 2008 7:20am
e. from New York, NY, United States
Great capture! I'm so jealous you got to see dolphins.
6 Feb 2008 8:09am
@e.: They are all around. Manatees also.
Lucca from Cologne, Germany
Everybody wants to see dolphins. You did! As martie already said: you live in a paradise!
6 Feb 2008 9:27am
Jason Kravitz from Brussels, Belgium
one of the most profound experiences of my life was swimming in open water through a large pod of dolphins in Hawaii - nice to see them in the wild doing what dolphins do :)
6 Feb 2008 10:05am
@Jason Kravitz: Yes, that would be a great experience. We have kayaked near pods before and that's a rush as well.
Steven from Montreal, Canada
I find shots of two or more different species are cool, great capture!
6 Feb 2008 11:01am
MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom
What an amazing experience, to see these beautiful Dolphins in the wild, you certainly do live in a wonderful place VF.
6 Feb 2008 12:18pm
@MaryB: Thanks MB, You might enjoy tomorrow's image also.
Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada
I love that he doesn't look worried...awesome shot Vf :)
6 Feb 2008 12:55pm
Man With 101 Names from Hamburg, United States
glad it's FLIPPER and not JAWS .... I think the pellican sitting there waiting for the dolphin to do his work for him , well he must be employed by the goverment ! ;o)
6 Feb 2008 1:17pm
@Wolfgang Prigge: I was standing in the sand -- I used my 300mm lens; they weren't very far offshore, in the shallows -- maybe 50 yards out (just a rough guess). I was close.
Barbara from Florida, United States
Wonderful capture. It is a beautiful sight to see. Often it means there are no sharks around. Not long ago I had a few of them swim parallel and only a few feet from shore at the Clearwater inlet. It is breathtaking to see. Had it not been for my camera around my neck I would have jumped in.
I recall hanging over the bow of a friends boat with them just out of my reach as they swam with the pressure of the bow. I love dolphins and your photo has stirred my fondness of them. Thank you.
6 Feb 2008 2:36pm
Steven from Chicagoland, United States
The dolphins, pelicans and even hammerhead sharks were all familiar sightings off the Anna Maria Pier last Spring. Thanks for sharing!
6 Feb 2008 3:41pm
@Steven: Yes, they are all around. Thank you for remembering.
Michael Rawluk from Prince George, Canada
They all have to work together. That is a cool shot.
6 Feb 2008 5:14pm
amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada
They are magical creatures!! FAB capture, VF!! I've been fortunate to see these amazing critters in the wild myself (in NZ).
6 Feb 2008 5:58pm
Craiger from Vacaville, California, United States
Cool shot VF! With my luck I'd swim out to play with the dolphins only to discover they were really sharks! :0)
6 Feb 2008 6:14pm
@Craiger: Lol.
Mandy from South Africa
GORGEOUS VF!!! You are truly blessed with a wonderful life in Florida!! Awesome shot here - Dolphins are always so serene and beautiful - haven't been lucky enough to photograph one myself.
6 Feb 2008 7:29pm
@Mandy: I just stumbled onto these. Usually they are much further offshore. Right place, right time, camera in hand.
Chris from South Jersey, United States
great capture - I remember swimming with Dolphins when I lived down in the Virgin Islands and having them swim under our fishing boat when we were in Virginia. Wonderful playful creatures!!
6 Feb 2008 9:44pm
@Chris: Thanks Chris. And I appreciate your kind response to my suggestion for another translation at your place today. Duh, I didn't think about the "stand" as being the object; literal me, I was focused on the basket/bushel.
Ken McCoy from Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL, United States
Nice interspecies moment :) You guys have more dolphins on your side than we do :(
6 Feb 2008 9:45pm
@Ken McCoy: That's ok, you get some really nice sunrises over there. And your surf is mostly more dramatic than ours.
Jen from Alpharetta, United States
I have never been quick enough to get a shot of them!!! FABULOUS!
I love dolphins btw...so beautiful and smart
7 Feb 2008 1:52am
Nikon D80
1/500 second
F/5.6
ISO 250
450 mm (35mm equiv.)