In the Waves at Cocoa Beach, Florida
Waves in the Atlantic Ocean curl and crash near the shore at Cocoa Beach, Florida.
At the beach, I am always on a quest for a good wave photo. I try different angles, different lenses, and even different cameras. And this one is one of my recent favorites. The wide view with the wave rolling right in the middle while the foam swirls in the foreground is pretty cool, in my opinion.
Yes, Cocoa Beach may not have huge, ten foot waves like some places do, but these waves are just my size. They are big enough for surfing for those who know how to do that, or for body boarding, which is more my thing, but they aren’t so big that they can overwhelm the average person. So this photo takes me back there every time I look at it, and I want to grab my board and run out to try to catch one more wave.
If you have ever been to a beach, you know the waves are constantly in motion, always going, never the same. Some are big, some are large, some don’t come as often as others do. But they are always there doing their thing. Sometimes you can catch a good one. Sometimes one comes along that you aren’t expecting and smacks you around, knocking you over, forcing you to swallow a little of that lovely-tasting salt water. Sometimes waves look big and threatening, but when they get to you they really aren’t that bad at all.
And if you think about it, in a way those waves are like people. Some are good, some smack you around, some leave a bitter taste, and some aren’t what they seem to be. But they are always there, constantly in motion. You are constantly coming in contact with them. And how do you succeed? By knowing how to handle each one as it comes. By getting back up if one knocks you over. By smiling and going on with your life no matter what comes your way.
Yes, I guess those are some pretty deep thoughts. Deeper than the water in the photo. Especially for someone like me who isn’t often that much of a deep thinker. But just smile and keep going, even if you aren’t a deep thinker, either!
Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. - Philippians 2:14-15
About the Photo
If you ever doubted that the world was round, maybe this photo will convince you otherwise. Actually, the roundness of the horizon here was caused by the distortion of the fisheye lens. But with that lens I was able to get pretty close to the waves and still get a lot in the shot. Of course, you have to keep your eye that isn’t looking in the viewfinder on the lookout to make sure that you aren’t too close to the waves, just to make sure that your camera isn’t about to get splashed. Because the fisheye lens can also play tricks on your mind about how far away things are.
Once again, here is the before and after version. The before version was straight from the camera, and the after version was after some work with Adobe Camera Raw, Photoshop, and Nik Filters.
Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Photoshop. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10
Lens: Olympus M.Zukio 25mm f1.8
