I escape to the edges of the earth, where the mystical, powerful ocean makes repeated attempts to join us on land
Dec, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Wind and Sea beach in San Diego, Ca. It is an iconic San Diego surf spot. The surfer changing shelter on the left is featured in most the photos from this beach, so I left it cropped out so you know it’s there and the location but it isn’t the main focus point.Time
This was taken right around sunset during the winter. San Diego winters can be very rainy so the right before the rain comes we have amazing sunsets/sunrises and the high clouds light up the sky with vibrant colors.Lighting
I really liked the strong contrast in the rocks showing lots of texture. This shot was taken without a ND filter just after the sun had gone down. I was able to leave the shutter open a bit longer to show the motion blur in the waves.Equipment
I used a Nikon D750 with a Tamron 24-75mm f2.8 and a Manfrotto tripod. That’s basically it. Sometimes I use a remote trigger but can’t remember if I did on this one.Inspiration
This is an iconic surf spot in San Diego, and 10 minutes from my house. It’s one of my favorite beaches to shoot because depending on the tides, the beach is either submerged or walkable. This makes for a good variety of subjects. This shot specifically inspired me because the ocean continually slams against the rocks with all its force but the rocks are unmoved. Having a longer shutter speed, I was able to capture the movement and calamity of the waves against the strength of the motionless boulders. I also really loved the contrast between the warm colored land, cool blue ocean and the sky which included both warm and cool colors.Editing
I always shoot raw. My general workflow is to just bring up the contrast, shadows, saturation and lower the highlights. I typically do these things globally. Besides that I might straighten and crop, but i like to keep my post processing rather simple.In my camera bag
Too much! It has gotten to the point where I got such a big bag it typically stays in the car for quick beach outings. I got a Mountain Smith Tunuck. It’s huge and great for hikes and traveling but has a smaller cube in it I take out when I’m not going far. In it is my Nikon d750, and a 15-30mm Tamron. It is also huge so the cube only holds those two,batteries, Tamron 24-75mm. And an old manual 70-200mm. I like that one because it isn’t as big as the current 70-200 options. I also have a remote trigger, lens cloth and rain cover in case the waves are getting really big and a rogue one comes out of nowhere. (Happened to me during a king tide. A random wave surprised me over a sea wall). Then I have a case with a GoPro and accessories. As well as a Nikon d5500. Two tripods(full size for d750 and 15-30mm and smaller one for d5500, gimbal and GoPro). I also have a gimbal for time lapses and video. I have a waterproof led video light as well as headlamps and waterproof flashlight. I don’t really use flashes, if anything I just need to wave a light over a long exposure scene.Feedback
For shots of the waves you can’t be afraid of water. Some of my best shots were on sketchy rocks with waves crashing a few feet away over spraying my gear. That’s why I got a rain cover even tho my camera and lens are sealed. I always rinse off my tripod to get the saltwater and sand off, but don’t be afraid to get it wet. Take lots of photos since each wave is different and they can make a cool series. I always check the tides depending on what I want to shoot. There can be really cool tide pools or access to places only accessible at low tide. Or if there’s really big tides there’s massive cliffsides for them to smash into making for interesting compositions. Stay after sunset. I always see 98% of photographers leave as soon as the sun is gone but there’s still so much color that a long exposure will pick up during twilight.
