Under an ancient law of the United Kingdom, whales like this
Sperm Whale are "Royal Fish" and when stranded on any public
beach become the personal property of the monarch as part of her
royal prerogative. One of Herman Melville's inspirations for his
"Moby Dick" was the skeleton exhibited at Burton Constable Hall in
East Yorkshire. That whale was washed ashore at Tunstall on the
28th April 1825 and like the one in this series became a tourist
attraction, with people travelling to see its body and, in some
cases, chopping bits off. While taking these pictures Her Royal
Highness The Queen Elizabeth the II was spending her Christmas
holidays at Sandringham, only a few miles away. As I stood on the
beach in typical English icy Winter temperatures, I could not help
but to make a metaphorical connection between "Royal Fish”,
Melville and the “otherness” of the whale.
Editorial, Fine Art, Scientific and Stock Cinematography & photography. Specialised in Aerial, Motion and Underwater.
Awards 2021
PX3, Prix de la Photographie Paris.
Silver Medal in the Nature/Underwater category for the series "Antipodean Fur Seals of Australia and New Zealand".
International Photography Awards.
Honourable Mention Nature/Underwater category for the series "Antipodean Fur Seals of Australia and New Zealand".
2016
PX3, Prix de la Photographie Paris.
First Prize Gold Medal in category: Press/Environmental for the series “Like Fish out of water”.
Third Prize Bronze Medal in category: Nature/Other for the series “Like Fish out of water”.
Black & White Spider Awards in 2016 in Beverly Hills, California, USA
“Hide and Seek” and “Eye to eye contact” received 2 Honourable mentions.
2015
Fine Art Photography Awards, London.
Winner First Prize Gold Medal in category: Wildlife / Animals for the series “Whale Nation: Humpback Whales of the South Pacific”.
Nominee in Nature category for “Strandings”.
PX3, Prix de la Photographie Paris.
Winner First Price Gold Medal in category: Nature/Underwater for Whale Nation: “Humpback Whales of the South Pacific”.
People’s Choice in category: Nature/Underwater for Whale Nation: “Humpback Whales of the South Pacific”.
Winner Third Prize Bronze Medal in category: Nature for Whale Nation: “Humpback Whales of the South Pacific”.
International Photographer of the Year Award.
Third Place Winner in category: Nature/Wildlife for Whale Nation: “Humpback Whales of the South Pacific”.
Honourable Mention in the category: Photojournalism/Story for “Like fish out of water”.
Monochrome Awards, USA.
5 Honourable Mentions in Wildlife, Fine Art, Nature and Portraits categories.
Outdoor Photographer of the Year.
Finalist ‘Outdoor Photographer of the Year” 2015.
2014
Fine Art Photography Awards
Photographer José Javier Delgado Esteban was awarded 1 prize in Wildlife / Animals for the entry entitled Whale Nation: Humpback Whales of the South Pacific at the 1st Fine Art Photography Awards competition.
