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17/08/2005: "SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE portion of a head shot."

The most difficult of all underwater subjects, a huge creature, dark water, slow-speed film and a medium format camera.

Shown today, published for the first time is this head shot of the mother Southern Right Whale in Sydney Harbour.

On the parent's back out of frame was her lighter-colored calf. See following pictures.

In 1967 whales were increbibly rare items. Journalist Mike Perry spotted this pair swimming off Balmoral Beach while he was having an early morning swim. It was the first day of spring.

Later that morning we collected Mike, found the whales and got these pictures for the newspaper where he worked, a tabloid called The Sun. The pictures appeared next day, and the day following when it was realised how rare this species was and still is.

In that era I thought all whales swallowed people whole! I know how incredibly brave I felt taking this picture - both hands had fingers crossed. "Please don't swallow me" was a thought.

I had to shoot 12 pictures (a full roll) to prove it was safe before anyone else would get in the water with me! Today we know this species to be docile, and of course we would not attempt to touch them.

It could be said we helped this pair by actually herding them out of the harbour and away from high speed hydrofoil ferries and other craft that may have collided with them.

The original negative shows signs of ageing and neglect. It is the only frame taken of the mother because of the technical difficulty and perceived (false) risk.