In 2006, Captain Paul Watson began sending ships to the Southern Ocean in order to disrupt Japanese whaling vessels from illegally hunting and killing whales. His organization – Sea Shepard – is a global organization that aims to protect oceanic wildlife from illegal activities. I first became aware of their efforts when I began watching Season One of Whale Wars on Animal Planet. The TV show follows Paul Watson and his crew as they traveled down to Antarctica during whaling season. The picture is from Season Two, when a Japanese harpooning vessel killed a whale using its massive harpoon to spear the whale, then a rifle to kill it. Video of the incident, which was taken via Sea Shepard’s helicopter for the show, can be found here: please use discretion, as the clip is very graphic and difficult to watch.
As mentioned, context is key to understanding the true meaning of this picture. Sea Shepard has for years been bringing attention to the illegal killings of whales by Japanese whaling organizations (with help from the Japanese government and recently their military). The whalers claim they have been whaling solely for research and not as a food source; however, according to Sea Shepard’s website, this has been proven to be false. This picture aims to connect the public to the issue on an emotional level, as most people find it hard to see an innocent animal being slaughtered in such a manner.
Next, the focus of the image is only on the animal. It focuses on the brutality that the animal endured in its final moments, which can be especially seen by the ample amount of blood flowing from the whale into the ocean. By doing so, the viewer only thinks about the animal and the cruelty surrounding the actions of the Japanese. However, it is important to note that the photographer made sure to include “Yushin Maru” in the shot. This makes it evidently clear to the viewer who exactly is responsible; they do not leave it up to chance. For reference, the Yushin Maru is one of the vessels used by the Japanese designed specifically for killing the whales. There are multiple in its fleet, and they solely hunt. When they kill a whale, they then transport the animal at high speeds to the mother ship, the Nisshin Maru.
Finally, one aspect of the image is the color. The photo is not edited; it is a raw image. Often times, when a photo is edited, it takes away part of the realism from the picture, making it harder for the audience to connect. However, this is not the case in this example. Another aspect to mention is the steep contrast between the reds and blues in the image. The reds is very vibrant and sharp and can be clearly seen against the blue. It seems to literally be cutting its way into the blue ocean waters, as we can see the blood relatively deep into the ocean. Also, the red of the blood is in line with a slightly darker red from the Yushin Maru, which also helps the viewer make the connection between the whaling vessel and the animal it has just slaughtered.
The picture is one of the many ways Sea Shepard has effectively brought attention to the cruelty of the Japanese in regard to illegal whaling, sparking a huge increase of interest within the public, leading to an increase of success for the organization.
For more information on Sea Shepard and their mission, you can find their website here. I would highly recommend visiting their page, as well as watching their episodes on Animal Planet’s website