Name: Jodi Frediani
Picture title: Dolphin design
Category: Nature art
Nationality: USA
Occupation: Life after retirement – I’m a part-time photographer and part-time whale researcher.
Technical information
Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Lens: EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM
EXIF: 1/1600 sec at f/6.3, ISO4000, 76mm
Accessories: None
HIGHLY COMMENDED CATEGORY NATURAL ART
Jodi Frediani| Dolphin design
Name: Jod Frediani
Picture title: Dolphin Design
Category: Natural art
Nationality: USA
Occupation: Life after retirement – I’m a part-time photographer and part-time whale researcher.
Technical information
Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Lens: EF24-105mm f/4L IS II USM
EXIF: 1/1600 sec at f/6.3, ISO4000, 76mm
Accessories: None
Jodi Frediani says:
That morning the water was calm and glassy, a rarity beyond the mouth of Monterey Bay. As we traveled south past Carmel Bay, 3000 northern right whale dolphins (Lissodelphis borealis) mixed with Pacific white-sided dolphins and humpback whales and spread out before us. The “Lissos” are sleek, black, streamlined dolphins, atypical in appearance with short, pointy beaks, sloping foreheads and no dorsal fins. They are extremely athletic, often flying high out of the water in graceful leaps. They are lightning quick, able to swim at an average speed of 16 mph. And best of all (for us!), they love to ride the bows of ships.
Soon a group of them zipped along just beneath the bow of our whale watch vessel. Passengers were mesmerized. But they weren’t the only ones watching. Dolphins turned on their sides while ‘surfing’ our boat’s pressure wave, checking out the faces peering down from above. Nothing is more exciting than being watched by wildlife while you watch them! “Mittens”, a northern right whale dolphin of the ‘swirl’ color morph, was one of those who people-watched. Reflections on the smooth, glassy waters created a stunning liquid palette of color.
When a passenger graciously volunteered to move aside so I could peer over the rail, I found myself completely captivated and wildly joyful. The dolphins’ excitement was contagious! And the photographic opportunity was stunning beyond belief. I will be forever grateful to the dolphins who chose to join us that morning, and the sweet and thoughtful young woman who made my day. Dolphins have been riding the pressure waves of whales as long as whales have been making them. Somewhere along the way, dolphins figured out they could also ride the bow waves of boats. People have speculated that dolphins do this to escort ships, or perhaps to make their own travel easier. Most likely they are simply having fun and engaging in a wild test of skill.
Jodi Frediani
USA
I am a Santa Cruz, California based marine photographer and whale researcher and have been swimming with and photographing humpback whales on the Silver Bank (Dominican Republic) for the past 20 years. In addition, I have been photographing the marine life of Monterey Bay for over eleven years, while taking time off for photographic adventures to such far flung places as Africa, Alaska, Antarctica, the Arctic, Tonga, Franz Josef Land and Siberia. I have always loved animals and am happiest when on the water. Travel which includes whales, water and out-of-the-way places feeds my soul.
My work has appeared in national and international publications, including the BBC’s “Nature’s Weirdest Events”, and Carl Safina’s National Geographic blog, “Ocean Views”. My images have won accolades and awards in multiple international competitions, including the California Academy of Science, Maria Luisa Memorial, Share the View, and Wild Lens. My wish is that my images encourage people to fall in love with the oceans and wildlife and help to further conservation.
In addition to photographing wildlife in its many forms and habitats, I am engaged in whale research via several fluke ID projects both at home and abroad. With my co-authors, I published my first scientific paper in 2020, entitled Postmortem Attractions: Humpback Whales Investigate the Carcass of a Killer Whale-Depredated Gray Whale Calf. I am currently working on two additional papers about humpback whale bubble use and recently returned from a 3-week boat-based humpback whale field research expedition in southeast Alaska.