Humpback Whales – 2023

From the shoreline, I tested my comfort limits of the DJI Mavic 2 Pro. I was unbelievably surprised that I could fly comfortably over 1 mile. Previously I was reluctant to fly too far from the shoreline for fear of losing the drone in the ocean; not only for the loss of an investment but also for directly littering the ocean.

With this newfound reach, I spent a lot of time capturing the beauty of a Humpback whale family resting and swimming in the calm blue waters surrounding the Big Island of Hawaii. It was exciting to watch them swim up to the surface to catch a breath. Swim and play for a bit and then dive back down to rest.

Now several flights after this first uncomfortable trial flight I have found myself continuing the adventure out into the ocean to photograph these amazing animals. I feel blessed that I am able to comfortably send my camera out to sea and capture unforgettable moments that normally I wouldn’t be able to without getting on a boat every day.

I hope you enjoy the images I was able to capture as much as I do.

© Christopher Johnson

Images for sale on Fine Art America

Looking for more images? Check out last year’s Humpback Whale images.