Best Practices for Whale Photography?

So this morning I finally got to the shoreline right when a pod of Orcas passed by. It was amazing but I quickly realized that I’ve been concentrating so much on insect photography that I have no idea how to do a good job photographing/documenting whales. The best I could do was slap on an 80-300mm zoom and switch to a ‘sport’ photography setting. Most of the photos turned out OK but I want to do better if I get the chance again.

What are the best practices for whale photography?
What camera settings and equipment work well for you?
How do I make sure I am posting observations of different individuals separately?
How do you keep your hands from shaking from sheer awe?

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Use a tripod?

You would have to see them close enough to see their individual markings. Cetologists tend to use the white under the tail for humpbacks; if this is a known and monitored Orca pod, presumably the monitoring team knows what markings to look for. Maybe it is documented somewhere.

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