Congratulations to Mark Metternich for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 7 votes - View Previous Winners
Sadly, this precious and immensely photogenic Seastack has fallen into history. I was blessed enough to get a shot of it shortly before it fell.
Sony A7R2
Canon 16-35@16mm
Circular Polarizer
2 seconds
ISO 400
f/5.6
The image and details:
Dangerously getting slammed by very powerful waves (wearing chest waders) I took about 40 images here with the amazing conditions. I really enjoyed shutter speeds in the 1.5 - 2-second range here. Fortunately, before it got too dangerous I had caught an image that seemed to have all I wanted in it.
This was taken during a 2+ month trip scouting the entire Pacific Coastline from the very top of Washington all the way down the Washington Coast, the Oregon Coast and finishing at Bowling Ball Beach in Northern California for an "ULTIMATE PACIFIC COAST" Tour that has yet to come into fruition.
Side note, I put a total freebie on YouTube regarding the misinformation about image upsizing/interpolation (like Photoshops New "Preserve Details 2.0", and Genuine Fractiles/OnOne Resize and 10% Bicubic Scaling). It is a very hard subject to cut through the bull, but if you are interested, I hope it helps. It is something I have dedicated over 10 years of study and testing too.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!
Great Light to you!
Thank you very much for your support and encouragement all these years (almost 13 now)!
Question about the chest waders. I too have thought about using them, but what if you find yourself in a situation where water starts spilling over the top and filling it up? Are you using a loose baggy style or neoprene Hodgeman style?
Question about the chest waders. I too have thought about using them, but what if you find yourself in a situation where water starts spilling over the top and filling it up? Are you using a loose baggy style or neoprene Hodgeman style?
Thank you!!!
I would NEVER be that deep in surf with them. But it is a great question. After hiking in the Gorge rivers and ocean surf for about 12 years with various kinds, I do not like the neoprenes. They are too heavy and bulky. But I do have the neoprene bootie on them. I just take out my insoles in one of my hiking boots and use lose laces.
years ago while surf fishing in Remington full neoprene chest waders. i had a huge 15' wave come over the top of me. i was drawn out to sea a very long way of shore. needless to say, i had to rapidly get out of those waders and swim back to shore. i almost drowned when they filled with water dragging me to the bottom. i was pulled on the bottom and pulmed. i was blessed with a sandy bottom. lol
Great motion on that wave! Must have been some epic huge waves to take that sucker down.
Regarding waders. I think they are incredibly dangerous to use around moving water. They do fill up and weight you down if you go in. I find that a thick and tall set of wool socks inside a set of thick and tall 5+mm neoprene diving booties is the way to go. Compensate with a few layers of thick fleece up on your torso and wear some ultralight nylon pants that you don't mind getting wet or just shorts. You also know when you're getting too deep when the cold water hits the boys, so to speak. haha I will even wear a shorty wetsuit under my clothes if I am in a really sketchy spot during the winter. A wet suite doubles as a flotation device as wells as an insulator.
Just my experience as both a lifelong fisherman and photographer living around rivers, lakes, and the ocean in the PNW. Getting wet isn't too bad as long as you know how to stay warm.
JohanEickmeyer wrote:
Great motion on that wave! Must have been some epic huge waves to take that sucker down.
Regarding waders. I think they are incredibly dangerous to use around moving water. They do fill up and weight you down if you go in. I find that a thick and tall set of wool socks inside a set of thick and tall 5+mm neoprene diving booties is the way to go. Compensate with a few layers of thick fleece up on your torso and wear some ultralight nylon pants that you don't mind getting wet or just shorts. You also know when you're getting too deep when the cold water hits the boys, so to speak. haha I will even wear a shorty wetsuit under my clothes if I am in a really sketchy spot during the winter. A wet suite doubles as a flotation device as wells as an insulator.
Just my experience as both a lifelong fisherman and photographer living around rivers, lakes, and the ocean in the PNW. Getting wet isn't too bad as long as you know how to stay warm....Show more →
I use to use dive booties but now I use Five Ten Canyoneering Boots with neoprene socks. Works very well - especially if there are rocks. Also a great combo around waterfalls.
Beautiful image Mark. I had a similar experience in Arches. Shortly after I photographed Wall Arch it collapsed. That's what great about photography it documents our natural resources preserving them for generations to come.
Merry Christmas to you also and wishes for a happy New Year.
Nice photo Mark. That's a massive chunk of rock to have toppled; what an event if someone had captured it. Do you happen to have the "after" images?
Regarding the remarks on waders: When I lived on the Oregon coast, every year several people were killed by "rogue waves"--i.e., higher than usual waves. Rogue, or not, they happen all the time. People standing on the shore of the open coast are lulled into complacency by the usual waves; then the big one, or a series of big ones, hit. People are swept off the rocks, big stationary logs suddenly become moving steam rollers, waves roar up the beach and carry people out through the rip currents. Waders only increase the risk by encouraging people go out into somewhat deeper water, then engorging when over-topped by the waves. If you're going to take those chances, you're a lot safer in a wetsuit, but a wetsuit won't keep your skull from being smashed against the rocks as your face is scraped off by the barnacles. The safest thing is understanding the dangers and not taking big risks in the first place.
jdc562 wrote:
Nice photo Mark. That's a massive chunk of rock to have toppled; what an event if someone had captured it. Do you happen to have the "after" images?
Regarding the remarks on waders: When I lived on the Oregon coast, every year several people were killed by "rogue waves"--i.e., higher than usual waves. Rogue, or not, they happen all the time. People standing on the shore of the open coast are lulled into complacency by the usual waves; then the big one, or a series of big ones, hit. People are swept off the rocks, big stationary logs suddenly become moving steam rollers, waves roar up the beach and carry people out through the rip currents. Waders only increase the risk by encouraging people go out into somewhat deeper water, then engorging when over-topped by the waves. If you're going to take those chances, you're a lot safer in a wetsuit, but a wetsuit won't keep your skull from being smashed against the rocks as your face is scraped off by the barnacles. The safest thing is understanding the dangers and not taking big risks in the first place....Show more →
Yeah anticipating ocean swells is really hard even for people with lots of seascape shooting experience... nothing at all like shooting along lakes (even on windy days). I was caught by an unexpected swell in a less dangerous place (SoCal) and lost two cameras on account to it. Not as bad as my skull of course but your point is well taken.
I will even wear a shorty wetsuit under my clothes if I am in a really sketchy spot during the winter. A wet suite doubles as a flotation device as wells as an insulator.