Seeing these dolphins’ effortless breaches from the sea, onlookers could be forgiven for thinking they had arrived at a carefully-choreographed display.

But those close enough to grab a glimpse from nearby boats know that the show put on by Bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth, Scotland, is entirely natural and very much off the cuff.

Two dolphins synchronise their leaps

For lucky tourists, the sight of up to three of the creatures leaping from the blue was only bettered by a salmon-hunting expedition.

And after the thrill of the chase, the successful Bottlenose was only too happy to remain on the surface to consume his prey.

A trio of Bottlenose dolphins leave the water in Moray Firth, Scotland

These incredible images of dolphins at play were captured by marine photographer Charlie Phillips.

Previously, Charlie was a Marine Mammal Interpretation Officer at the Dolphin and Seal Visitor and Research Centre at North Kessock.

However, he began taking photos to document the markings of the animals in an attempt to identify the local dolphins in the area.

Lucky dolphin watchers are treated to an all-natural show

Tourist boats are a common sight in the Moray Firth, giving tourists a stunning experience rarely seen outside the outdoor aquarium displays of Florida and other sea life centres.

One boat-tripper said: “It was unbelievable, we were so close and it felt as if they wanted to show off to us.”

A young Bottlenose dolphin breaches with its catch

“It was incredible to see how synchronised they were, at times you felt as if they had to hit each other.

“Watching them hunt salmon was just the icing on the cake.”

A successful hunter enjoys a meal of freshly-caught salmon

Bottlenose dolphins are well-known for their highly-sociable nature and live in groups of up to 10 in coastal areas and up to 25 off-shore.

They often hunt in teams and feed on shrimp, squid, eels and of course, fish such as salmon.

A Bottlenose dolphin in mid-flight, while a companion re-enters the water