Southern Sea Otters Playing in Monterey Bay
Sea otters at play in Monterey Bay, mostly pups, roughhousing in the mesh of their favorite kelp beds. Sea otters appear from the depths with a watery veneer. They pop up, draped in a reflective, liquid sheen — even more glossy in magic-hour light. The minute they shake off the water, the texture of their fur emerges.
There are ways to cut the glare a bit, including shooting under clouds with decent ambient light, with a CPL, or in post processing. In full sun, their fur glistens.
[Photographed from a pier and dock, at a distance, w/tele lens + teleconverter — no disturbance to the otters. Sea otters waste precious survival energy evading human intrusions. They are also a threatened species, so it’s critical to keep respectful distances and avoid disrupting their routines and their rest.]
These evening photos show an otter’s version of the teddy bear’s picnic where they played for almost an hour, then at 6 o’clock( or 7) slinked back to mom for some mussels and comfort (last photo).
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