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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken at the Newport Wedge on July 12, 2017, during a high surf advisory.Time
I live in Long Beach, but I heard their was a high surf advisory for the Wedge at Newport Beach. After the inevitable search for a parking spot, I got to the beach itself around 10. After shooting some pics near the jetty, I looked over and saw this, so I snapped it.Lighting
The lighting was pretty harsh direct sunlight, but that's what allowed the capture of the translucence of the wave as it curls over the surfer, and also makes the photographer pop.Equipment
Nikon D750 with a 28-300mm Nikkor lens, handheld (it was bright). This was a hey look! shot.Inspiration
I took this shot the instant I saw it. I didn't have any time to think about it. When the stars align, you gotta be ready.Editing
I don't use Photoshop, but I do use Lightroom. The film photography analogy for me is the darkroom is where you develop the film and convert it to a photograph. Any subsequent action that alters the photograph falls into the realm of editing. Although the day was quite sunny and bright, I did use the dehaze slider just a touch.In my camera bag
I now have a Nikon D850 and a few lenses, but my go to setup is the D850 with the Nikkor 28-300mm telephoto lens. I drive a convertible, and this is usually on the passenger seat whenever the top is down.Feedback
Again, this shot appears to have been a lucky capture, but I was lucky only because I was prepared. I paid attention to the weather reports, so I knew the surf would be high, so I headed on down and endured the search for parking and the long walk to get to the Wedge. While I was shooting one section of waves, I kept my awareness level up and was able to glimpse peripherally what was happening, and was able to capture the 'lucky' shot. I'm not bragging. I'm just passing on a tip I have learned over the years. You have to be prepared to be 'lucky.'