Sea Otters are difficult to see in the wild. There is a delightful exhibit of otters at the aquarium in Newport, and they are often close enough to photograph, particularly with a telephoto lens. I used a 377mm telephoto focal length to make this shot. The reason telephotos are so essential is the small scale of the animal itself. The smaller the animal, the longer the lens must be if key detail is to come up. My long lens enables me to simplify my image, and stress the detail that will take this image beyond description and instead express ideas about this otter. The paws clasped to the chest, the serene expression on a face marked by trails of stylized tears, will tickle the imagination of all who will see this image. A long telephoto lens in the 300mm-500mm range is essential for photographing wildlife at a distance, enabling us to shoot without disturbing the animal, filling a large portion of frame with the subject and making key details visible. For more examples of wildlife photography using telephoto lenses, see my Safari Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/pnd1/safari