Stunning photos of whales and killer whales off the coast of Norway (22 photos)

Eight years ago, renowned photographer Espen Bergersen took a series of remarkable photographs of whales and killer whales frolicking near the Norwegian island of Andøya. And since then he has photographed these magnificent creatures at every opportunity. Hundreds of whales come to northern Norway to feed during the winter months (October-January). In his photographs, animals communicate, play, eat and swim together.

A large humpback whale jumping out of the water. The photo was taken completely by accident, but Espen Bergersen says he was terribly happy about it.

A humpback whale opens its mouth wide to scoop up more fresh herring. Bergersen says whales can open their mouths so wide that a car could pass through it.

The photographer caught the moment of a killer whale chasing its prey - a fatty herring. In fact, scientists have discovered that killer whales often use their tails to swat and stun fish before hunting them.

Three humpback whales (left) surround a school of herring, which from above looks like an inkblot in the water. Two killer whales (bottom right) also join in the fun, as you can see in this great drone shot.

The four orcas put on a spectacular show that Bergersen said was "like something you'd see at Sea World," but for free.

Each individual whale can be identified by its tail. Bergerson said the same whale in this photo was photographed five nautical miles northwest of Reykjavik 22 years, 4 months and 13 days earlier.

And this is a company of frolicking killer whales. The average lifespan of a female in the wild is 50 years, and a male is 29 years.

Close-up of a humpback whale eating a herring (one fish happily escaped this fate). You can even see how a whale's mouth works from the inside.

Bergersen said he was just clicking his camera when this humpback whale suddenly jumped out of the water. The passengers on the boat (in the background) also witnessed a mesmerizing spectacle.

The whale's tail halves can each reach four meters in length, and the pectoral fins can reach five meters - about a third of the total body length.

Killer whales have noticeable dorsal fins, which can always be used to distinguish them. In males, these fins can reach up to one and a half meters, but in females and young males they appear not vertical, but curved.

Although killer whales typically live in cold waters, they can be found in all of the world's oceans, from Antarctica to the tropics. Like their dolphin relatives, killer whales have a conical head with a small beak.

Since his first whale sighting eight years ago, Bergersen has sold his photographs to numerous magazines, newspapers and publications, and won numerous awards in photography competitions.

This amazing photo was taken using a drone. Whales are the second largest mammals on the planet, and their numbers are greatly affected by commercial whaling.

A killer whale emerges from the water, and seagulls circle above it. Looks like there are a lot of fish here and everyone is hunting for them.

Bergersen says killer whales and humpback whales swimming together is an unusual sight, but there is one thing the two species have in common: food.

When whales slap their tails, the noise carries for many kilometers. It is believed that tail strikes are used as a method of communication or to stun prey.

Daylight hours in Norway during the dark season - from October to early January - are very short. The nights last 20 hours.

Fin whales (minke whales) have a distinctly prominent ridge along their backs behind the dorsal fin, giving them the nickname "razorback." It is a critically endangered species with an estimated population of 50,000 to 90,000 individuals.

Bergersen says sunset is an ideal time to photograph whales, as the golden light can reveal tiny sprays of water that can be quite astonishing.

For example, in this photo, golden water fountains took the shape of angels.

And finally, another close-up: a humpback whale and its smooth, elastic skin.