Black and White Belly

“The world underwater is so magical. So much of it is unknown, but the mystery draws me to it,” photographer Kelsey Williamson says. Kelsey captures whales in states of rest and play, and occasionally will get the perfect shot of a whale “showing off for the camera.” This calf off the shore of French Polynesia shows off its most private place to Kelsey—its belly. It was “so playful,” Kelsey says, and even can be seen looking at the camera if you look closely. His eye is right above his fin. Kelsey chose to edit this in black and white to show the contrast of the whale’s white belly and black body—a feature common among the southern humpback whales native to French Polynesia. “It’s so special when you get that perfect shot,” she says. “Shooting underwater is tricky. There are so many variables. But I love the challenge.”