All this week on my blog: Canon 5D Mark III photographs from my Light workshop in Alaska with Hal "Bull" Schmitt aboard the Northern Song. Scroll down for previous posts about our workshop.

All the shots in this series of post were hand-held. All the shots were cropped . . . and still look great, even when enlarged, thanks to the image quality of the camera's sensor. (Those who know me know that I am a nut about cropping.)

Today's post is not so much about gear, but more about understanding your subject. No matter what the subject, the more you know about it, the better chance you have of getting good shots.

These pictures were taken during a three-hour killer whale tracking session. The whales were training their young the techniques of hunting.

The process was explained to us by Dennis Rogers, the captain of the Norther Song, our vessel for the week-long photography workshop. Dennis, who was worked in Alaska for many years, expertly tracked the whales, no easy task in open water. So, half the credit for this photographs goes to Capt. Dennis.

As I told the students, when I photograph animals, as well as people, I try to shoot eye-to-eye. In doing so, the view of photograph release and identify more with the subject. Of course, this is not always possible, as when I photograph one of the sea lions ducked under our boat for safety. Still, I was a low as possible to the water.

For all the other pictures in this post, I stood on the lower deck for almost eye-to-eye shooting.

Because the whales were moving, I set my 5D Mark III on AF servo focus. I shot on the Av mode with my thumb on the exposure compensation wheel on the back of the camera, checking the camera's highlight alert, and fine-tuning my exposure so as not to blow out the highlights.

I can't say that it was fun watching the hunt, as the killer whales eventually got the two sea lions. It was, however, a thrilling and educational experience watching the circle of life.

When I shoot, I shoot to "tell the whole story." I also shoot for slide shows, always looking for an ending shot, as illustrated above.

And, I shoot with creative composition in mind. Click here to learn about Composition - the strongest was of seeing.

Gear:

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 24-105mm IS lens

Canon 100-400mm IS lens

Click here for Light's Alaska workshops. I don't know which one I'll be on in 2013, but I will know soon! Join us and we'll show you how to get shots like these.

Click here to get on the list for my 2013 Light Alaska workshop with Bull - and for all my workshops.

Click here to see my gear recos for our Alaska trips.

Hal and I hope to see you in Alaska aboard the Norther Song.

Explore the light,

Rick