Photographing the Defining Moment

Many attributes make a good photograph - technically prowess, composition, background and even to a certain extent the subject itself.  Whilst these factors are very important, what makes an image move up a level of excellence is when the photographer captures a defining moment. 

For instance, when I photographed this sea otter in California, I shot several images of the otter doing its thing, however, only one photograph captured the defining moment -  which was the act of the otter with mouth open about to bite into the clam. 

ABOVE:  California Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) feeding on clam shell.

On this day, I lay on the front of a small landing craft-type platform, almost at sea level and waited.  The otter dived and came to the surface several times with clams.  Observing the otter's diving patterns enabled me to roughly know where the animal would surface.  It's all about patience and playing the waiting game .  I was rewarded for my patience with this photograph when the otter surfaced.

Next time your out and about shooting wildlife, instead of merrily clicking away taking several dozen images of more or less the same image - wait and search for that particular moment that makes your subject unique - then depress the shutter!  The time and effort in waiting will be more than compensated for when you obtain a better than average photograph.

Sea Otters, Moss Landing, California

Two days have been spent at Moss Landing 2 hours drive south of San Francisco. Moss Landing is an estuarine habitat for California Sea Otters, Harbor Seals, California Sea Lions and several species of shorebird. The harsh sunlight conditions on day one caused many images too be just too contrasty while the second day provided overcast conditions resulting in slower shutter speeds and small f stops! Ideal lighting was only available for a short period of time and I was lucky that at that particular time a few otters were out and about.
Sea Otters have variances in the colour of their fur and colour can range from jet black through to rustic browns to blonde. The otter population at Moss Landing is stable with three dozen or so individuals.

We observed several behavioural aspects; mating, feeding, sucking young, hunting and sleeping. Otters raft up together for protection and mothers carry their young on their stomachs. A variety of food is consumed with bi valves being the favoured prey, which they capture from the sea floor and devour on their stomach whilst swimming on their back.