Whale Watching Photography: Sharp Shots, Rough Seas, and Why I Stay on Land

Use code AZ10 at booking for 10% off your whale watching tour.

Book at futurismo.pt

Let me start with a confession: I am a landscape photographer for a reason.

I grew up surfing in the Azores, spent years in the water as a teenager, and even then I would sometimes vomit on my own surfboard when the swell got a little too much. Put me on a boat that's rocking steadily for two hours, and I am completely useless. This is a deeply embarrassing thing to admit when you're a professional photographer based on a group of Atlantic islands surrounded by some of the best whale watching in the world.

So when my clients want to do whale watching — and they should, it's extraordinary — I put them in the best hands I know and wait on the pier with my land camera. From there, I've watched dozens of people come back with their eyes wide open, completely transformed by what they saw out there.

Here is everything I've learned about doing it right — from the gear, to the boat, to the photography settings — and a very honest note about the Atlantic Ocean.

1. The Azores Are Exceptional — But the Sea Is Real

Let's be honest about something most whale watching guides don't say: the Atlantic here is not the Mediterranean. It can be rough, unpredictable, and humbling — even on days that look calm from shore. Wind can pick up quickly, swells can build between islands, and if you're not used to open ocean, it can catch you off guard.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't go. It means you should be prepared. Many people who've never had motion sickness in their lives find themselves struggling on a Zodiac in a 2-metre swell. Take medication before you get on the boat, not after you start feeling it. Bring layers. And manage your expectations — sometimes the sea wins, and the tour gets cancelled or cut short. That's part of it.

The upside? The Azores are home to more than a third of the world's whale and dolphin species, with sperm whales resident year-round and blue whales, fin whales, and sei whales passing through on migration in spring. The chances of seeing something extraordinary here are genuinely high.

2. Choosing Your Boat: Zodiac vs. Catamaran

This is the most important decision you'll make, and it affects both your comfort and your photos.

The Zodiac (RIB)

Pros: You're at water level. The photos are dramatic and intimate — you're shooting eye-to-eye with the animal, not looking down at it.

Cons: It's physically demanding, bumpy, and wet. If the sea is anything above flat, it's an intense ride.

The Catamaran

Pros: Stable, spacious, has bathrooms. You can move around and change position easily.

Cons: You shoot from a higher vantage point, which means the background is often open water rather than horizon and sky.

My honest advice: if you have any doubt about your sea legs, take the Catamaran. No photograph is worth being miserable for three hours. You can always go back on a calmer day and try the Zodiac.

One important note: drones are not permitted on whale watching tours. Leave yours at the hotel.

3. Gear: Stability and Speed Above Everything

A tripod on a boat is useless — it transmits engine vibration directly to the camera. Handholding is the only way.

Lens: A zoom is mandatory. Whales can surface 500 metres away or right beside the boat, and you won't have time to switch.

Ideal: 100–400mm

Minimum: 70–200mm (you'll crop in post)

Image Stabilization: Turn it on. If your lens has shooting modes, use Mode 2 (Panning) or Active/Sport mode — standard stabilization can fight against you on a moving boat.

4. Camera Settings: React Fast, Don't Think

Forget full Manual mode on a boat. The light changes constantly and the action happens without warning.

Shutter Speed — your absolute priority:

Minimum: 1/1000s

Ideal: 1/1600s or faster — you want to freeze the water droplets flying off a fluke, not blur them

Aperture: f/5.6 to f/8. Wide open gives you too shallow a depth of field on a moving subject.

Auto ISO — the secret weapon: Set your shutter and aperture manually, then set ISO to Auto. The camera handles the exposure while you focus on the animal. This is the single biggest improvement most people can make.

Focus area: Don't use a single point — keeping it on a whale while the boat moves is nearly impossible. Use Zone AF or Dynamic Area (a cluster of points). On newer mirrorless cameras, use Subject Tracking and let the AI follow the fin or tail as you recompose.

5. The Seasick Photographer's Survival Guide

If you're prone to motion sickness but still want the shot:

Don't glue yourself to the viewfinder. Looking through a telephoto lens while the horizon pitches is the fastest way to feel ill. Keep both eyes open, watch the real horizon, and only raise the camera when the action happens.

Stay outside. Fresh air and a view of the horizon are your best friends. Never go inside the cabin.

Position yourself in the centre or back of the boat — that's where the motion is felt least.

Take medication before you board. I cannot stress this enough. By the time you start feeling it, it's too late.

6. Protecting Your Gear from Salt

Saltwater is the enemy of electronics.

Bring a microfiber cloth — you will get spray on your front element.

The towel trick: Keep a small towel over your camera when you're not shooting to protect against unexpected splashes.

After the trip: Wipe your camera body and lens barrel with a slightly damp cloth (fresh water) to remove invisible salt residue before it corrodes the seals.

7. Who I Recommend: Futurismo

Since I'm not exactly the ideal companion on a boat, the people I trust to take my clients out are the team at Futurismo.

They weren't just the first whale watching company to reach out to me because they valued my photography — they're also genuinely the best at what they do. Over 30 years ago, Futurismo played a key role in transitioning the Azores from whale hunting to whale watching, and that history shows in how they operate. They have marine biologists on every tour who help you understand — and anticipate — what you're seeing. Knowing when a Sperm Whale is about to dive for its fluke shot is the difference between getting the photo and missing it.

They operate both Catamarans and Zodiacs, so you can choose based on your comfort level and the conditions. And their sighting rate is exceptional.

This article was written with the help of Claude AI, shaped entirely by real field experience — and one very honest confession about boats. The sea is real. The seasickness is real. The whales are absolutely real.