Loreto, my guide, whispers, “Belina azule”, My eyes search the
near and far distances in frantic but I saw nothing. Loreto start
rowing the Panaga, only than I realize that the Blue must be very
close…I scramble for my camera even before seeing the largest
wildlife…as I raised my head from the camera bag over the bow…
there it was: The giant tail of the Blue, just in front of the Panaga,
fanning for ten feet on each side of the bow. The rest of the
gargantuan body, some 80 feet long, disappears into the big blue
ocean in front of us.
My hands and knees tremble as I whisper urgently to Loreto, in
broken Spanish, “Mas cerca” get closer. I turn to my camera and I
realize I have my fish eye lens on and no time to change . It was
like a diving intervention…looking through the super wide angle
lens, I bring to focus the giant whale’s tail and the island in the
distance background. And I prayed I captured the image I saw in
my mind’s eyes, years ago, when I dreamed of becoming a wildlife
photographer.
Amos is a wildlife photographer, expedition leader and explorer. He is one of five photographer ever to dive and photograph polar bear underwater. He is also free diving with blue whales off the Eastern Pacific, diving in the Okavango delta with crocodiles or face to face with the great white shark, Amos Nachoum is a master of photographing big animals. Since 1980, he has explored every significant body of water from the North Pole to Antarctica. Amos’s photographic vision is to raise awareness of ocean giants in their habitats. His images reflect respect and compassion for animals and wilderness. His photographs strive to dispel the myth of “dangerous” wildlife and show harmonious interactions between man and animal. Amos is also an explorer and leads wildlife photography expeditions with his company BigAnimals.com.
Amos's photos and essays have appeared in publications including National Geographic, Time, Life, The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Le Figaro, Terra Sauvage, Airone, Der Spiegel, Unterwasser, Explorer Journal and Fifty Fathoms. Amos's photography won the Nikon contest. He is a 2-time winner in the animal behavioral category of the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year. In 2012 he placed first in the American Photography Artist competition.
Amos lives in Pacific Grove CA, USA. He photographs with Canon camera and Seacam gear.
