Approaching whales must be done in the purest form — free diving only, never with scuba tanks. Freediving requires relying solely on breath and composure, minimizing disturbance and blending naturally into the ocean. Years of training allowed me to remain calm and steady, gaining the trust of the whales.

During this encounter, a young whale emerged from his mother’s side and approached closely. He circled me with measured, controlled movements. Capturing this required not only patience but also professional technique — adjusting camera settings and framing within fractions of a second to match the whale’s sudden movements. This photograph records the exact moment when human and whale acknowledged each other without fear.