Ocean questions · Interview companion
How whale photo identification works
Ted Cheeseman explains why a humpback’s tail photograph can help connect an individual whale to a research record.
In this guide
The short answer
A photograph becomes evidence through identifiable features and context
For humpback whales, Ted Cheeseman explains that the underside of the tail carries features useful for identifying individuals. Other species require different features. Date, location, the submitted photograph and checks around the record help turn an image into a useful encounter record; a match is not a complete account of a whale’s life.
- The identifying feature depends on the species.
- An individual sighting needs its date and location to become meaningful.
- Happywhale connects contributions and encounter histories; one photograph does not prove an entire migration route.
Orca Group Series · 1 November 2026 · Featuring Ted Cheeseman
From a whale sighting to an individual
A whale photograph can show more than a species. Distinctive features may help researchers recognise an individual and connect that encounter with others. Ted Cheeseman demonstrates this idea in his conversation about Happywhale.
For a humpback, the underside of the tail flukes is especially useful. NOAA Fisheries describes distinctive pigmentation patterns, fluke shape and prominent scars. Together, these can help distinguish one whale from another in photographs.
Why the tail photograph matters
Imagine comparing two clear photographs of a humpback’s raised tail. The question is whether the visible features support a match to the same animal. A photograph becomes more valuable when those features can be assessed alongside the encounter information.
Ted points out an important distinction: other species have different useful features. The International Whaling Commission’s identification guide helps readers see that photo identification is adapted to the animal being studied.
So if it's a humpback whale, we want the underside of the tail. When a humpback whale dives, oftentimes you see the underside of the tail. And that has individual features that are very identifiable. For other species, it's different features.
Ted Cheeseman in the full interview. Ted explains photo identification as part of a longer demonstration of Happywhale submissions, including dates, locations and human checks.
The information around the image
During Ted’s demonstration, the image is accompanied by a date, location and description. These details turn an isolated picture into a record of an encounter. Across documented sightings, researchers can investigate where an identified whale has been observed over time.
If you have existing photographs, retain the original files and the encounter details you know. Check the date information rather than assuming a camera was set correctly, and follow the receiving platform’s current submission guidance. Honest uncertainty is more useful than a guessed detail.
How public participation helps
Photo identification offers a practical connection between people who see whales and people who study them. A participant contributes images and context; the research process assesses what those materials can support. The full interview shows Ted explaining those different parts of the process.
A match is an evidence based outcome, so every uploaded image cannot be promised an identification. The contribution begins with a useful, responsibly obtained photograph. Follow local wildlife viewing rules and avoid disturbing animals for a particular shot.
Watch the process, then explore
Watch Ted’s demonstration to see how a photograph becomes part of a larger encounter record. His guest page links to Happywhale and the other resources discussed. NOAA’s humpback account and the IWC guide provide complementary background on the identification features themselves.
A good question to take away is simple: what can this particular image tell us, and what additional information would make it more useful?
Hear the full conversation
Keep the speaker’s examples and qualifications in context.
Watch Ted Cheeseman →