Pacific Blur
Abstract of breaking waves somewhere along the PNW coastline.
Abstract of breaking waves somewhere along the PNW coastline.
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Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Aperture f/32 ISO 100 Shutter 4/10 Focal Length 200/1 
United States of America
Dec, 2020Views
2926
Likes
Awards
Chatter Award
Runner Up in The Color Of Water Photo Contest
People's Choice in Swell Shots Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Green Shades Photo Contest
Curator's Selection
Runner Up in Capture The Ocean Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Photo Contest Volume19
Treasure Award
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
All Star
Virtuoso
Genius
Top Ranks
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in the coastal town of Yachats, Oregon.Time
The photo was taken about an hour before sunset on October 20, 2019.Lighting
There wasn’t anything impressive about the lighting on the day this photo was taken. It was cold, windy, and very cloudy that evening. Probably far from most photographer’s idea of perfect photo-taking weather.Equipment
I used a Canon 5D Mark IV with the EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM II lens.Inspiration
Experimentation was the inspiration behind the shoot. I was introduced to panning with a long lens, which was very much outside of my comfort zone. Aside from the horrible shooting conditions (cold, wind, and the ocean wanting to kill me by crashing waves against the rocks, oh, and a thick grey sky) I was frustrated because none of the shots were coming out like I wanted them to. The idea was to get a shot that had just the right balance of blur and detail. It wasn’t helping that the sunlight was fading quickly, and I was also fighting the sea by trying to keep my lens dry from its fine mist. Nonetheless, I plowed and kept shooting until either the light was gone, or I had enough battering from the elements.Editing
I used Lightroom to help sort through the 400+ photos of blurry waves and mostly grey photos. After spending weeks periodically combing through the photos, I found a few that could be used to turn into a respectable photo. Once I had several candidates, I used Lightroom to bring out the colors the camera saw that I couldn’t by adjusting color temperature and exposure. Further processing was done in Photoshop to remove dust spots and correct for image distortion. Luminosity masks were also used to bring out details in the lights and shadows with selective dodging and burning. Global adjustments for tone, color, and clarity were also applied.In my camera bag
When it comes to what I carry with me, I tend to be a packrat and I usually have more gear than I need. I've been trying to pare down my pack weight, but I usually fail miserably. Along with my camera (now a 5D mark IV) and the 24-70, I have the 16-35 f/2.8L USM II and the 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM II. Depending on hiking and what my shooting goals are, I'll pack the Really Right Stuff TVC-33 with the BH55 ballhead or the much more compact Really Right Stuff TQC and BH30. A polarizer, intervalometer, a roll of gaffer's tape (comes in really handy) and the Big and Little stopper are almost always in my bag.Feedback
This photo was enormously challenging from start to finish. Shooting the photo was challenging, let alone sifting through the hundreds of resulting images. The entire process took me about a year from start to finish and there were several times I wanted to give up and delete the entire folder. I wasn’t sure how to connect the dots from vision to final product and it was extremely frustrating, but once I trudged through the selection process and zoned in on a photo or two, things got a bit easier. I must have edited, deleted, and edited a dozen times before I felt the photo was ready enough to show. Could I have done a better job? Yes. There is always room for improvement. I kept pushing through each hurdle until I got to a point where I could move forward, and like editing, these wins were incremental. Don’t be afraid of experimentation and failure. As far as trying to capture something this, the best advice is to try and keep on trying. It is during times like this that you will know how far you can push your camera and your creativity. I learned that I could shoot past what most photographers would deem as unusable light and how forgiving RAW files can be. In short, don’t give up and keep shooting!
