One thing I have learned from photographing wildlife is that discomfort is relative. It is funny how easily I forget how cold I am or how much I need the toilet when my lens is pointed at a subject.
These images were captured just before and after one of the heaviest downpours. We spotted this harbour (common) seal from the path we were walking on and decided to stroll along the shore for a better view. I will stress at this point that I was monitoring the behaviour of the seal the whole time and checking for any signs of distress to ensure we were not disturbing it. As it turned out, quite the opposite seemed to be the case. As we watched, it repeatedly closed its eyes and appeared to nod off a few times – even during the torrential rain.
So, we took up a position on the shore and took in the scene. And that is when the rain began. It got heavier and heavier until we were pretty soaked, but I barely felt anything. I couldn’t take my eyes away from the seal and became oblivious to everything else apart from my partner’s excited running commentary. It appeared to be stretched out on top of the water, as the rock it was hauled out on was just under the surface. I knew it would be better to get down low, so ended up further soaking one knee in the sodden sand as I knelt to capture more images. By the time we left, I was covered in sand and drenched but also happy and relaxed.
Unfortunately, the light was not great, as you can see, but I pushed up my ISO to get some usable images. I hope you’ll agree that, although these are not perfect pictures, this experience was well worth getting soaked for.
It does not take much to disturb seals, particularly when they are on land, but it is also easy to spot when you are worrying them. As a rule, keeping your distance is the best way to ensure they remain relaxed. Also, look for signs of stress such as seals raising their heads and looking at you, bulging eyes (revealing the white parts around the iris) and any movement away from you.