Humpback Whale Swims Up To Photographer for Incredible Close-Up Picture

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A close-up image of a blue whale's eye, showing intricate details and textures. The eye is framed by rough, textured skin, with a deep blue iris and a slightly reflective surface.

A photographer had a powerful experience with a whale who swam up close allowing her to capture a close-up photo of the humpback’s eye.

Rachel Moore tells PetaPixel she named the whale “Sweet Girl” after her encounter with the curious and friendly humpback. However, Sweet Girl tragically died just a few days after Moore took the photos when the juvenile was struck by a boat.

“I was utterly heartbroken,” Moore says. “It was difficult to process the fact that this incredibly gentle, curious whale had suffered such a tragic end. Even now, the images I took of her bring up a deep mix of emotions: joy from our unique encounter, and grief for her tragic death and the suffering she endured.”

Moore specializes in underwater photography and spends her time sailing around the world capturing marine life aboard Voyages of Agape.

Moore says that she was on a full-day tour in French Polynesia this October and had been swimming all day when she encountered Sweet Girl.

A snorkeler interacts with a large humpback whale underwater. The whale's mouth is open, showing its baleen plates, and its white fins are visible against the deep blue ocean backdrop.

“As soon as we got in [the water], she approached us very closely,” explains the photographer. “Unlike another whale we had swum with earlier, her movements were slow and controlled. Despite her calm demeanor, we still swam away from her whenever she approached, maintaining a respectful distance for almost an hour.”

But after closely observing the young humpback, Moore decided it would be safe to stop and let Sweet Girl get as close as she wanted.

“When I stopped, she stopped. She seemed to want to be eye-to-eye. For 10 minutes, we stayed together at the surface. She would sometimes pass me slightly, but then would immediately turn and come back toward me,” Moore says of her experience.

“I had seen others try to touch her, but she always moved away just before contact. I silently told her that I was just there to be with her, that I would respect her space, and that there were no expectations.”

A gloved hand reaches towards a large whale swimming gracefully underwater, against a backdrop of deep blue ocean. The whale's textured body is partially visible, emphasizing its size and presence in the ocean depth.

“I don’t think she understood my words, but I believe she understood my body language. Those 10 minutes were the most beautiful and profound of my life. I never took my eyes off hers. I completely failed at capturing that moment, but luckily, my GoPro was rolling the entire time,” she adds.

Moore says later that night she regretted not doing a better job of capturing the moment. But the very next day, in a twist of fate, she ended up encountering Sweet Girl once more and knew she wanted to capture the humpback’s eye.

“As soon as I got in the water, Sweet Girl approached me and went vertical in the water, rolling and showing me each eye,” explains Moore.

“This time, I didn’t swim away. I knew I could trust her, and she could trust me. For the next five minutes, we stayed eye-to-eye at the surface, with her coming even closer—just inches away.”

Close-up image of a whale's eye surrounded by textured gray skin. The eye is blue and prominent, with intricate details visible. The surrounding area has subtle patterns and shading, creating a dramatic and mysterious atmosphere.

“I held her gaze and zoomed in with my 16-35mm lens, trusting the animal-eye tracking to work. I pointed my camera toward her eye, and just as she rolled upside down, I pressed the shutter, capturing the last bit of sunlight illuminating her eye.”

‘Direct Connection’

The story of Sweet Girl and Moore’s incredible photos has moved people all over the world. She tells PetaPixel that her decision to crop in on Sweet Girl’s eye was “instinctual”.

“The way she looked at me left an indelible mark on my memory—it was one of the most powerful and profound moments of my life. I wanted to capture that direct eye contact so I could always feel the power of that encounter,” she explains.

“When I was in the water with Sweet Girl, I was focused on the moment, not on getting the perfect shot. But when she rolled and gave me that perfect opportunity, I knew I had to capture that eye.”

“It felt like a direct connection, and in that moment, the rest of the world faded away. The eye was everything. It was her — curious, gentle, intelligent,” Moore continues.

“I wanted the photo to show that, to highlight the emotion in her gaze. Sometimes, the power of a photograph comes from the simplicity of the moment, and in this case, I felt the closer crop really allowed the viewer to feel what I felt when we were eye-to-eye.”

Many viewers of the intimate photo say they can feel the connection to Sweet Girl. For her part, Moore says she’s been “overwhelmed” by the response to the photo.

A Beautiful Moment That Turned Tragic

Just four days after Moore’s final meeting with Sweet Girl, the humpback was killed by a “fast-moving” ship close to Tahiti.

“At first, I didn’t want to believe it was her. Statistically, the chances of it being Sweet Girl seemed so low, given the number of whales in the area during that time of year,” Moore says.

“It wasn’t until I saw the distinctive markings on her body that I was certain. When I realized it was her, I was utterly heartbroken. It was difficult to process the fact that this incredibly gentle, curious whale had suffered such a tragic end. Even now, the images I took of her bring up a deep mix of emotions: joy from our unique encounter, and grief for her tragic death and the suffering she endured.”

A humpback whale emerges from the deep blue ocean, its textured head breaking the water's surface. The sunlight highlights the patterns and barnacles on its skin, creating a striking contrast between the dark whale and the vivid blue sea.

Although the story of Sweet Girl ultimately ends in tragedy, Moore also sees it as an opportunity to spread awareness about ship strikes.

“I hope people take away a deeper respect for whales and for the ocean as a whole,” Moore says of her photos.

“These creatures are magnificent, but they’re also incredibly vulnerable. Sweet Girl’s tragic end is a reminder of the dangers they face — like ship strikes — and the urgent need for better protection and conservation efforts.”

A woman stands on a boat holding a piece of art depicting a blue eye. The ocean is in the background under a partly cloudy sky. She is smiling and wearing a black sleeveless top and shorts.

Moore launched a petition urging the government of French Polynesia to adopt and enforce a speed limit of 12 knots or less for all large vessels within two kilometers (1.2 miles) of Tahiti and Mo’orea during whale season.

You can sign the peititon here. More of Moore’s work can be found on her Instagram and website.

Image credits: Photographs courtesy of Rachel Moore.

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