Cetacean Photo Contest

We’d like to announce the winners of our 2023 photo contest!

Curious gray whale is our winner!!!

Our winning photo was taken by James Dorsey in San Ignacio Lagoon in February of 2018. For those of us who have been to the lagoons, we know what a special moment this was! The gray whale approaches the panga, curious to see what’s going on, and is greeted by a small boat of excited whale watchers who want nothing more than to experience that special moment of being right next to one of the world’s largest animals! It is an incredible moment indeed! The clarity and perspective of this photo lend a special sentiment to a wonderful experience and a very special photo. Incredible photo James! Congratulations on winning the 2023 ACS-LA photo contest!

Gray whale with panga is our runner up!

Our runner up photo was taken by Nancy Rhodes from the Oregon Chapter of ACS. This photo was also taken in the San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja on a trip she took with the Marine Mammal Institute. Symbolic of how far we have come since the whaling era, this picture represents the peace between man and marine mammal that we strive for in our efforts to conserve our cetaceans and their habitats. Great photo Nancy!

Honorable Mentions

This photo was taken by Joseph Emerling on 04/30/2022 off the coast of Big Sur, California aboard Sea Wolf II out of Monterey Bay. Here you see a transient orca porpoising in stormy California waters. They are only occasional visitors which makes this capture even more special. Great photo Joseph, thank you for the submission!

This photo was taken by Polina Pivovarova on 12/18/2022 in the Catalina channel region. The boat left Newport marina to Catalina Island. This common dolphin is porpoising which is the popular name for the high-speed surface piercing motion of dolphins and other species, in which long, ballistic jumps are alternated with sections of swimming close to the surface. It is always a treat to catch a photo of a dolphin in the air like this! Great job Polina!

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This photo was taken by Era Horton off Ma’alaea, Maui, Hawaii on Feb. 2, 2023. Era was on the PacWhale Foundation Ocean Explorer when this photo of a humpback whale teaching its calf how to breach was taken. It is a special photo when you can catch the tender interaction of a mother and baby. Thank you Era for this special photo!

This photo was taken by Audrey Nilsen when she went on the Dana Point Whale Watching Cruise on January 18 of 2022. The Captain told her to go to the back of the boat as a humpback whale was coming towards the boat, and that is when she caught this incredible photo of this humpback whale’s flukes! Amazing catch Audrey!

We want to thank everyone for their wonderful submissions! Your passion for cetaceans is an integral part of our mission to protect and conserve cetaceans and their habitats. With this contest, we honor you. – ACS-LA