Water behaving poorly

[tbob]

On the Canadian Prairies we like our water to stay in one place. So much so that for most of the year we insist it be frozen, either in snowdrifts or as ice. For several weeks in spring it is allowed to move about. Then it has to quiet down and behave in a seemly and predictable manner.

Imagine my horror when I went to a conference in Monterey California last weekend and discovered they allow their water to move about in unpredictable ways. Not being used to this I photographed in my usual way, using a small aperture to get the fine detail in the fascinating rocks and some fore and background detail. When I got home I found this in my camera. Note the water in the background is rather sedate and gently moving up and down like good Canadian prairie water would . The water in the foreground is suicidally throwing itself upon the rocks.

Can those of you who are used to this sort of uppity, unruly, undisciplined water tell me if this is an acceptable way to portray this sort of water? Or is it better to use a faster exposure and portray it as if it is not doing all these unsettling wayward antics? Or at least have the semblence of being static.

[pnodrog]

First a reproachful note. You are hardly in a position of pointing the finger for water moving in unpredictable ways when you in fact do the same yourself. First NZ and now California where ever it may be.

I think the wave has been caught at a rather interesting shutter speed. Lots of movement in the spray and not such a slow speed that it has turned to fluffy mist. Out of habit I request a crop and this time I wonder what it would look like with a little less rock on the left also I would be tempted to clone out most of the lighter coloured streak of water on upper left.

Half expected to see a derelict barn floating around somewhere...

[ShaneS]

I agree with L.Paul on the fact that this is shot at an interesting shutter speed and as a result has created a different portrayal than what is normally presented. I also think the upper white wave would be better gone

You have captured a lot of detail in the spray which is great but I wonder if a little burning might be in order to break up the white mass hitting the rocks (and off the the right of them) and providing just a bit more definition in that area?

If you don't like suicidal water then you won't want to frequent some of the shore of Hawaii, although we would welcome you with open arms We don't have many barns though

[Stagecoach]

Very nice capture Trevor,

I would not say it would be better or worse with a different shutter speed it's fully acceptable to me as is, just one of a few different ways of portraying the power and movement.

Grahame

[FootLoose]

Interesting, Trevor. I don't think I have seen such a warm fuzzy wave. I guess if you portrayed its full force your fellow Canadian Prairians would be aghast.

[John 2]

Very dynamic Trevor, mainly because of the feathered effect you have caught around the wave edges. I agree with Shane that a bit more detail in the blown areas would help but it would have to be as a result of highlight recovery rather than just burning those areas in. If this started out as a RAW image, it might be there. Nice shot, well caught.

[Jeffbridge]

That is beautiful! Excellent Shot!!!

[Shadowman]

Nice.

[pnodrog]

Very dynamic Trevor, mainly because of the feathered effect you have caught around the wave edges. I agree with Shane that a bit more detail in the blown areas would help but it would have to be as a result of highlight recovery rather than just burning those areas in. If this started out as a RAW image, it might be there. Nice shot, well caught.

I am not sure that it is blown and not sure due to the shutter speed and subject mater that there is in fact much detail to see. Certainly the histogram is not indicating it is blown but without viewing the image directly from the RAW file it is impossible to be certain.

[FrankMi]

Hi Trevor, although I find the unusual shutter speed for a breaking wave produces a different kind image from what would normally be expected, I find your description of the scene to be quite entertaining and together they tell a very engaging story!

Thank you for post your image and unique sense of story telling!

[IzzieK]

Trevor...to answer your question, I am speaking here for myself...I like to see the power of water hitting the rocks in a much higher SS. It represents more of the real thing than a slow exposure that turns power into soft milk or something like that. You know what I mean...

[NorthernFocus]

Hey, Trevor. My wife and I have spent a good bit of time in Monterey though not in recent years. I've not seen breaking waves depicted like this before. I have mixed feelings about it. I like the look of the wave on the rock but it seems out of place with the calm see in the BG.

Yes coastal waters definitely behave differently than back in your neck of the woods.

[tbob]

Thanks for all the comments. I will look into removing the smaller white wave. I am not used to the vagaries of dealing with water doing this sort of thing. Our water obeys the Law,not the the Suggestion or Recommendation, but the Law of Gravity. What next, trees growing taller than a grain elevator or some other nonsense?

The main mass of the wave (on the right) is just pure white. I checked the histogram in the original (RAW). Seems it sucked up to much air and then gotten all turbulent and reflective.

I did learn quite a bit from trying this. Unfortunately it is all in retrospect and I am stuck with a lot of blurry waves and rock. I suspect you need to be spot on in your focus and choose either a low enough speed to blur the wave attractively, but not so much it is a white blob, or fast enough to freeze the wave. In between it is unattractive blurry water

[Mike Buckley]

It's not the water that behaved poorly. It's the photographer who behaved poorly. Shame on you for providing a unique, interesting, intriguing display of crashing water. Never ever let it happen again.

[tbob]

First a reproachful note. You are hardly in a position of pointing the finger for water moving in unpredictable ways when you in fact do the same yourself. First NZ and now California where ever it may be.

I think the wave has been caught at a rather interesting shutter speed. Lots of movement in the spray and not such a slow speed that it has turned to fluffy mist. Out of habit I request a crop and this time I wonder what it would look like with a little less rock on the left also I would be tempted to clone out most of the lighter coloured streak of water on upper left.

Half expected to see a derelict barn floating around somewhere...

I will do the crop when I get home (or not on a call) And the removal of the streak of water.

About the old barn. There seemed to be a deficiency of interesting dilapidated buildings in Monterey. Poor urban planning I suspect. The people were dressed nicely too. Not an dirty torn coverall or gumboot to be seen. Very strange. How do you muck out a cowbarn wearing clothes like that?

[tbob]

I agree with L.Paul on the fact that this is shot at an interesting shutter speed and as a result has created a different portrayal than what is normally presented. I also think the upper white wave would be better gone

You have captured a lot of detail in the spray which is great but I wonder if a little burning might be in order to break up the white mass hitting the rocks (and off the the right of them) and providing just a bit more definition in that area?

If you don't like suicidal water then you won't want to frequent some of the shore of Hawaii, although we would welcome you with open arms We don't have many barns though

Shane; My problem with the water is the darker green spot to the left of the main rock. I tried to remove or amend it but all I got was weirdness. Elected to leave it alone.

I have heard your Hawaiian water is unruly. I spoke to my sister about it, she has been to Hawaii several times. She said it travels from the North Pacific and is in a rush to get there. Then it misbehaves like most tourists.

[tbob]

I guess if you portrayed its full force your fellow Canadian Prairians would be aghast.

I suspect you are right. That is why so many go to the arid American Southwest. Some do go to Cuba, Mexico or Hawaii so they must be made of sterner stuff.

[tbob]

Hey, Trevor. My wife and I have spent a good bit of time in Monterey though not in recent years. I've not seen breaking waves depicted like this before. I have mixed feelings about it. I like the look of the wave on the rock but it seems out of place with the calm see in the BG.

Yes coastal waters definitely behave differently than back in your neck of the woods.

Dan: I had to wait for extended periods to catch a wave that was large enough to actually break onto the rocks. Most of them were as you see in the background, small and gentle. Then a series of three to five larger waves would arrive. It was interesting because I could see them coming for quite some distance (a quarter mile?) as a darker line. No idea why there was the space then a group.

[flashback]

Trevor, perhaps your discomfort with the wild (free ranging) waters is that you are too used to your domesticated ponds, cricks and such.
As to your photo, I can nearly feel the thunderous impact of that totally wild water assaulting the poor coastline. Your image nicely conveys the fury that is the unrestrained action of dihydrogen monoxide.

[tbob]

It's not the water that behaved poorly. It's the photographer who behaved poorly. Shame on you for providing a unique, interesting, intriguing display of crashing water. Never ever let it happen again.

I can promise nothing. Actually I can promise more of the same or similar in the next few weeks. Most will be of lesser quality so at least you have that to look forward to.

I will posting some of my more egregious failures as to help others avoid my idiotic shortcomings. And hopefully people will chime in and point out even more places where my photography skills are less than adequate.