Every so often I waste half a day shooting hundreds of waves, then all of the next 2 days trying to decide on the keepers. This one is from 6 years ago, and easily survived my latest deleting rampage.
Specific Feedback Requested
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
Canon 7D2, 100-400 II at 240, f/8, ISO 400, 1/1250 sec. Some pretty major slider moves in LR to bring up color and contrast in a very flat original. Into PS for denoise (hardly needed) and a piece of foam on the left edge removed. Cropped from the top and bottom.
Hi Diane, too funny, I spent the morning shooting waves at Cannon Beach. It was foggy and dreary, with very wimpy waves, so I got nothing like this. U really like the comp and the action. Your shutter speed really did freeze the waves nicely. Well done. Great work on the processing too.
Thanks, @David_Bostock – this was in late winter when we often get a lot of surf. That’s when the Mavericks competition was (and now again is) held south of San Francisco, in Half Moon Bay. After several years off, it was back on this year. The waves vary a lot with different locations but a high perch with a long lens is mandatory as sleeper waves and undertow are deadly.
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Great wave action and fabulous capture Diane! I love the curl and perfect timing of the main wave as it’s curling and starting to break - or partially broken already!
I’ve watched and tried for years to capture the aqua transparence of the waves along the coast. I know you know what I’m talking about! I know this doesn’t capture that, which isn’t important for this capture anyway - not sure why I even brought that up! 
Also, really like the capture of the spray blowing off the top of the wave - for the entire length. Surprising depth of sharpness - actually, not really given the longer focal length and a solid f/8. Just a terrific capture and image.
The only suggestion might be to somehow reduce the brown coloration of the foam wave on the left. It’s the only part where the colors are not as in sync with the rest of the image. I was going to suggest cropping since the main part of the image in on the right - but I wouldn’t want to reduce the length of the whole wave, which I think is also important to the image.
Great job with the processing and colors of the ocean and surf!
Lon
Thanks, @Lon_Overacker! I’m guessing the yellowish areas are scooped-up sand? I liked them for the contrast to the blues. If they were the reddish brown of mud, I would be trying to change the hue for sure. Yes on the quest to capture transparency – that’s the Holy Grail of wave capture, for me. It requires strong waves but you need to be low, getting light through the wave. Not the best strategy for safety with the waves up here.
I have at least one more from this day to post. (Nothing like a deleting binge to turn up a few good ones buried in the archives.)
