Fadia Al Abbar
About me
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Research
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Hi there! So who am I? I am a marine biologist and am currently doing my PhD on common dolphins in the Azores that started with a feasibility study in 2020, at Wageningen University, in collaboration with the University of the Azores. You can find my research profile here and my ResearchGate profile here. Read more about my research here. Through my work, I also do photography.
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Credits: Tiago Batista
Conservation
Now let's go back to where it all started. My interest in photography started with conservation projects on coral reefs and whale sharks in 2011. Cameras were always used for these conservation projects. So when I was spending plenty of time underwater, I took the time to capture my perspective, to remember the moment.
Credits: Laura Gonzalez Garcia
Wildlife photography
I soon decided that to get my own DSLR camera, a Canon 1200D in 2016. I was lucky to practice photography with a professional photographer Sandra Reeb-Gruber during my travels in Madagascar. After that, I was hooked, whenever I was searching for animals, my camera was there with me. I then became a marine mammal observer from cargo ships in 2017 where, again, I had a lot of time to play with camera settings and see different marine life.
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Credits: Alvaro RP
Whale watching
My camera was also in my hands every single working day when I was a whale-watching guide on the Azores in 2018. I was guiding the tours, practicing my photography skills, and collecting data on individual dolphins. Every moment could be worth a shot, so I was always alert and thinking in "pictures". I soon realized what the camera limitations were, and I switched to a Canon 7D with a 70-200 IS L and 100-400mm L lens in 2019, which is the set-up that I am still using.
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Whale scientist
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If you would like to know more about my marine biology life, read my feature on Whale Scientists ....
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Credits: Agatha Gil
Behind the scenes
...go to the section "behind the scenes" where the photos were taken...
Social media
...and follow me on Instagram and Facebook for more of my photography and marine life and wildlife experiences.