Dominica’s Iconic Sperm Whale earns James Ferrara win at Nature Photo Contest

The gigantic and famous sperm whale of Dominica has made it to the nature photo contest with South Florida based famous underwater photographer, James Ferrara. The photographer received the award for photography of the year in the Underwater category.  

He titled his winning photo as “Moby Dick” which showcases a heartfelt moment of a sperm whale swimming through the abundant golden coloured sargassum weeds found often on Dominican coasts. James Ferrara while shedding light on the photo he clicked stated that he was fortunate to dive with a pod of sperm whale and capture the beautiful shots.  

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He mentioned that as he dived in the water, he saw tons of sargassum weed in the water, perfectly complementing the blue waters and the marine life. He then shed light on how he clicked the perfect photo for the contest, highlighting that as the whale passed by him, it felt like a train going by him.  

“A large sperm whale moved towards me. I held my ground, and when it passed by me, it felt like a train going. I was lucky to snap some photos and the sargassum weed further added to the composition of the shot,” he said.  

The dramatic photo captured in the underwaters of the nature isle of Caribbean further highlights the natural beauty of the island and the efforts by the authorities to preserve this native species in their natural habitat. Notably, the authorities have also planned to create a sperm whale bioreserve, to provide these rare species a secure and protected habitat, while also providing tourists a intriguing view of this whale. 

The nature photo contest is an annual photography competition held in order to laud the efforts of photographers worldwide. The winning photo of the year was shot by Christopher Paetkau, which features a polar bear amid fireweed blooms.  

On the other hand, the photographer of the year award was given to Thomas Vijayan for his incredible shots of nature. The authorities of the nature photo contest highlighted that Vijayan's photos have perfectly captured the essence of nature and showcases his technical mastery and deep appreciation for the wild.