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Photographer Spends 25 Years Trying To Document The Majestic Beauty Of Whales And Dolphins
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Photographer Spends 25 Years Trying To Document The Majestic Beauty Of Whales And Dolphins

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Christopher Swann has spent over 25 years taking majestic photographs of whales and dolphins, and as you can see from these beautiful pictures, the British photographer and cetacean enthusiast clearly has an intimate bond with these awe-inspiring marine mammals.

“I love the beauty and perfection of the sea,” Swann told mymodernmet. “Cetaceans epitomise that, and nothing is more perfect than any cetacean underwater, but whales are really special. To see animals so huge yet so graceful, so at ease and at one with their surroundings, is exquisite.” The photographer has spent years running whale and dolphin-watching holidays around the globe, but he’s decided to bid farewell to this career in order to focus exclusively on his amazing photography. Take a look at some of his stunning photography below. His pictures serve to remind us that despite their size, these tranquil creatures have the power to instill in us a remarkable sense of peace.

More info: Christopher Swann (h/t: mymodernmet)

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    Christopher Swann is a British photographer who takes majestic pictures of whales and dolphins

    “I have been looking at whales for the last 25 years,” he says. “It is what I do almost every day”

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    “I love the beauty and perfection of the sea. Cetaceans epitomise that”

    “Nothing is more perfect than any cetacean underwater, but whales are really special”

    “To see animals so huge yet so graceful, so at ease and at one with their surroundings, is exquisite”

    “I have been at sea sailing since I was 17 (40 years ago)”

    “I ran whale-watching holidays, first in the Hebrides, and then in the Canary Islands”

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    “I have spent all that time getting to know many species and how they react, how to get yourself in the right place, etc”

    “I would love to be able to devote my time to whale photography”

    “Running [whale-watching] trips means…endlessly putting other people in the perfect position for a photo while I can only watch”

    “For a few years, I would like to try and take better photos, and that means I must concentrate on that”

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    Gaby Eirew
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Swanny, you should get to photograph as you wish - you are the most knowledgeable intuitive person I know when it comes to cetaceans. Your love, grace and wisdom out there on the ocean is breathtaking

    Nikolay Ignatov
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder how the first human to witness a whale in his natural surroundings must have felt?

    Pamela Miller
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    “For a few years, I would like to try and take better photos, and that means I must concentrate on that” WHAT? Your photos are phenomenal and astounding already!

    Crystal Rose
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Your pictures are amazing. You definitely captured their beauty. You have a very keen eye.

    Kim Ashley
    Community Member
    7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Simply amazing!!! Beautiful...stunning!! I am in awe of Mr. Swann's talent!

    Matthew Nutss
    Community Member
    7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It´s really wonderful this article! I got a goosebumps thinking about the sound of these pictures when they were taken live. Thank you for this article!

    Sonya Carrel
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The photos above are spectacular! I envy your ability and sincerely hope you will publish them in a photo journal for all the world to see. Thank you Christopher Swann!

    Sonya Carrel
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mr Swann, I would ask you to publish a photographic journey book for the world to share. The photos in this article alone are beyond spectacular. Thank you!

    Sunbonoo Mallorca
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Whale watching and dolphin watching are really popular in the Canary islands, especially in Tenerife. Make sure you book a watching boat with the blue flag, it officially proves that the boats don't disturb or interfere with the animals and watch them carefully. Katamarana...05b6e5.jpg Katamaranausflug-Teneriffa-Delfine-57a1d7605b6e5.jpg

    Mariyam Rifa
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing! I'd like to know his insta id to follow! The only whales I've seen are pilot whales ????????

    Ronald Polin
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was visiting my daughter & her army col. Husband in Hawaii staying on their sailboat at the WAIKIKI YACHT CLUB, there was a buried at sea for a great guy. A big circle was formed, the lead boat headed into the center of the circle on Comander his ashes & flowers were put to the sea, the circle broke up & headed back to the club. Then the most beautiful thing happened, a whale breached the surface, flipped over on his back, raised his right flipper & gave a beautiful wave, it brought tears to every ones eyes

    dougdoug
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    that first pic. the whale is sucking all that water into the 4th dimension.

    jevais
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Japan and Finland must stop killing whales and dolphins. We should all write to these two governments and make the realize how dramatic the situation really is. These animals will disappear by the end of this century if nothing is done.

    Paulette Traverso
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you for sharing these stunning images. What a wonderful way to be engaged in life...

    Wayne Beesley
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing work how can country's like Japan kill these beautiful god like creatures

    Anna Salerno
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Incredibly beautiful photos of these whale especially the up close and under the surface ones.

    Dorothy Miller-Robertson
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely beautiful. The first time I saw a whale was at the end of a pier on Arran many years ago. Boy did I get a fright. Then recently went on a whale watching trip in Tenerife, not one of the big ships but a paragliding boat, which meant that we could get really close to the whales as they were so inquisitive. One of the pilot whales even had a baby swimming under her, the tears of joy were literally running down my face. Thankfully I had sunglasses on but I was truly mesmerised. I didn't take any photos as I didn't want to miss a moment watching these incredible creatures. We were just bobbing about in the water, engine off, with all these whales round us, rolling over on their sides as if to get a better look at us.

    Audrey
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Magnifique ! Continuez c'est magnifique ! C'est un rêve de pouvoir en approcher de si près sans les perturber

    Tracy McMillian
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Your posting reminds me that I have a few otherworldly experiences throughout my life, one of which is to see whales in the Alaskan ocean 25 years ago. I totally understand why you are in love with whales - so graceful, so at ease and at one with the surroundings. Yes, watching them from a boat was truly an "exquisite" experience.

    Gaby Eirew
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Swanny, you should get to photograph as you wish - you are the most knowledgeable intuitive person I know when it comes to cetaceans. Your love, grace and wisdom out there on the ocean is breathtaking

    Nikolay Ignatov
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder how the first human to witness a whale in his natural surroundings must have felt?

    Pamela Miller
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    “For a few years, I would like to try and take better photos, and that means I must concentrate on that” WHAT? Your photos are phenomenal and astounding already!

    Crystal Rose
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Your pictures are amazing. You definitely captured their beauty. You have a very keen eye.

    Kim Ashley
    Community Member
    7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Simply amazing!!! Beautiful...stunning!! I am in awe of Mr. Swann's talent!

    Matthew Nutss
    Community Member
    7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It´s really wonderful this article! I got a goosebumps thinking about the sound of these pictures when they were taken live. Thank you for this article!

    Sonya Carrel
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The photos above are spectacular! I envy your ability and sincerely hope you will publish them in a photo journal for all the world to see. Thank you Christopher Swann!

    Sonya Carrel
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mr Swann, I would ask you to publish a photographic journey book for the world to share. The photos in this article alone are beyond spectacular. Thank you!

    Sunbonoo Mallorca
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Whale watching and dolphin watching are really popular in the Canary islands, especially in Tenerife. Make sure you book a watching boat with the blue flag, it officially proves that the boats don't disturb or interfere with the animals and watch them carefully. Katamarana...05b6e5.jpg Katamaranausflug-Teneriffa-Delfine-57a1d7605b6e5.jpg

    Mariyam Rifa
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing! I'd like to know his insta id to follow! The only whales I've seen are pilot whales ????????

    Ronald Polin
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was visiting my daughter & her army col. Husband in Hawaii staying on their sailboat at the WAIKIKI YACHT CLUB, there was a buried at sea for a great guy. A big circle was formed, the lead boat headed into the center of the circle on Comander his ashes & flowers were put to the sea, the circle broke up & headed back to the club. Then the most beautiful thing happened, a whale breached the surface, flipped over on his back, raised his right flipper & gave a beautiful wave, it brought tears to every ones eyes

    dougdoug
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    that first pic. the whale is sucking all that water into the 4th dimension.

    jevais
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Japan and Finland must stop killing whales and dolphins. We should all write to these two governments and make the realize how dramatic the situation really is. These animals will disappear by the end of this century if nothing is done.

    Paulette Traverso
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you for sharing these stunning images. What a wonderful way to be engaged in life...

    Wayne Beesley
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing work how can country's like Japan kill these beautiful god like creatures

    Anna Salerno
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Incredibly beautiful photos of these whale especially the up close and under the surface ones.

    Dorothy Miller-Robertson
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely beautiful. The first time I saw a whale was at the end of a pier on Arran many years ago. Boy did I get a fright. Then recently went on a whale watching trip in Tenerife, not one of the big ships but a paragliding boat, which meant that we could get really close to the whales as they were so inquisitive. One of the pilot whales even had a baby swimming under her, the tears of joy were literally running down my face. Thankfully I had sunglasses on but I was truly mesmerised. I didn't take any photos as I didn't want to miss a moment watching these incredible creatures. We were just bobbing about in the water, engine off, with all these whales round us, rolling over on their sides as if to get a better look at us.

    Audrey
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Magnifique ! Continuez c'est magnifique ! C'est un rêve de pouvoir en approcher de si près sans les perturber

    Tracy McMillian
    Community Member
    8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Your posting reminds me that I have a few otherworldly experiences throughout my life, one of which is to see whales in the Alaskan ocean 25 years ago. I totally understand why you are in love with whales - so graceful, so at ease and at one with the surroundings. Yes, watching them from a boat was truly an "exquisite" experience.

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