01 · before
Presence
Before we leave the harbour
Your camera, your settings, and what we're likely to see.
How to steady yourself and your camera on a moving deck.
Workshop · Maui
On the Water — Vessel-Based Whale Photography
Learn to photograph humpbacks from the deck during Maui's whale season.
- 2–3 hrs
- Field Session
- From $125
- Field Session
- Dec–Apr
- Whale season
- All levels
- Experience
The idea
Every winter, humpbacks gather in the waters off West Maui to breed, give birth and raise their calves. This workshop puts you on the water with me to learn how to read them — and how to be ready when the moment comes. It's photography taught from the same deck where I've spent seasons documenting these whales.
Who it's for
- Beginners who want to understand their camera in a real field setting
- Photographers ready to move from snapshots to considered wildlife work
- Visitors who want the encounter and the images to bring home
- Families or small groups who want private time on the water
The arc
ELEM×HU
02 · in the field
Recalibration
On the water
Reading behaviour as it unfolds — blows, fluke-ups, tail slaps, breaches.
Coaching beside you as you shoot.
03 · after
Return
Back on land
A review of your frames and simple finishing steps.
So the photographs make it home.
What you'll learn
Your camera on a moving deck
Shutter speed, autofocus modes, burst, stabilisation
Reading the water
The cues whales give before they surface, dive or breach
Composition on the horizon
Level lines, scale, and leaving room for movement
Light on the ocean
Glare, exposure and working the time of day
Ethics and distance
How we watch and photograph without disturbing
The edit
Choosing and finishing your strongest frames
Formats
Field Session
2 or 3 hours
$125 · 2 hours$175 · 3 hours
Small-group time on the water with coaching throughout.
Private Charter
Shaped around your group
Quoted on request
The boat and the coaching for you and your people.
Season Intensive
Multiple days
Quoted on request
A deeper run across several days on the water, with an edit session each day.
Practicalities
- Season
- December–April (humpback season)
- Location
- West Maui, Hawaiʻi — departure details confirmed when you request
- Experience
- All levels welcome
- Gear
- Bring your own camera; I'll advise on lenses and settings beforehand
- Weather
- Ocean conditions decide; trips may move for safety
Respect for the animals and the ocean
Federal rules protect humpbacks in Hawaiʻi: vessels stay at least 100 yards away. We let the whales set the pace — no chasing, no crowding — and some of the best moments come when we simply wait.
On the Water — Vessel-Based Whale Photography
Learn to photograph humpbacks from the deck during Maui's whale season.
Workshops are a commercial operation under Emily McCulliss Photography, LLC.