Poseidon's Wrath

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 22, 20111,415 views46 comments

I spent the weekend in the backcountry of the Olympic National Park coast here in Washington, leading a private workshop. We had some fantastic conditions along with planned-for low tides, which opened up a whole range of interesting opportunities. I took this one long after sunset as the tide was coming back in. Near the end of the 6 second exposure a rogue wave came in and threatened me and my camera.. so I grabbed the tripod and held it out of harms way. As it turns out, the brief motion added an emotional intensity to the image that I really enjoyed. Thanks for your thoughts!

Comments

46 comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on March 22, 2011 at 12:25 AM

Damn, even your mishaps turn out good!

Seems that chance favors the prepared mind, and you are certainly well prepared to excell. Even if by chance!!!!!!!

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Jason Kim on March 22, 2011 at 12:44 AM

Wow, that is fantastic. Your little anecdote sure adds a lot to this wonderful image. I love the colors in this. I am always impressed by the creativity you bring to your photography. It's very motivating.

Registered on July 1, 2006, 60 Posts, 1233 Comments

Comment posted by Todd Liotine on March 22, 2011 at 1:02 AM

Awesome and love the monochromatic colors and dynamic motion

Registered on July 1, 2008, 131 Posts, 671 Comments

Comment posted by Kent Mearig on March 22, 2011 at 1:26 AM

The photographer's first response is probably to wonder what is going on here. The result of the hasty relocation adds a layer of complexity to the image with a very raw feel. I wonder weather it would feel different if the move had been calculated.

Registered on September 4, 2006, 237 Posts, 4748 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on March 22, 2011 at 1:53 AM

Yeah, what Chris said. There is no way to account for serendipity.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on March 22, 2011 at 1:56 AM

Ah ha! Guessed right ;)

aF

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Jason Blankenship on March 22, 2011 at 2:00 AM

What a trip! I stared at this for while trying to figure out what you had done(before I read the story) but I would have never guessed. I'm really digging this image, very surreal.

Registered on May 20, 2008, 15 Posts, 94 Comments

Comment posted by Serban Simboteleca on March 22, 2011 at 4:20 AM

Same here, I didn't knew first time when I looked on the image what you did to it. I like a lot the feeling of the image.

Registered on March 17, 2011, 8 Posts, 67 Comments

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on March 22, 2011 at 6:31 AM

Superb image, love the mood here! Somehow my mishaps never turn out like this

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Richter on March 22, 2011 at 7:14 AM

Floris, you show us the power of nature in an unique way. First I thought of an earthquake, but your explanationn tells us how close you were to these forces. Fascinating work!

Peter

Registered on November 10, 2010, 218 Posts, 2723 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Duval on March 22, 2011 at 8:39 AM

Floris,

Very moody, and spirit like. Your tripod rescue at the end of the exposure really did add something, funny how accidents and camera quirks can really make an image sometimes.

Paul

Registered on June 30, 2009, 508 Posts, 1907 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Wegemann on March 22, 2011 at 9:09 AM

What a wonderfully moody and dramatic image, Floris. Well done.

Registered on December 14, 2006, 58 Posts, 1888 Comments

Comment posted by Koveh Tavakkol on March 22, 2011 at 10:47 AM

This is beautiful work Floris. I love the after dark colors and light. The wave motion is also fantastic!

Registered on September 1, 2009, 41 Posts, 608 Comments

Comment posted by Luis Argerich on March 22, 2011 at 11:18 AM

Hi Floris,
It's all about the blues!
Really fantastic image fool of mood and detail, terrific!

Registered on December 22, 2009, 91 Posts, 1349 Comments

Comment posted by Joel Hazelton on March 22, 2011 at 11:24 AM

This is amazing!

Registered on August 6, 2008, 194 Posts, 1315 Comments

Comment posted by Andreas Resch on March 22, 2011 at 11:30 AM

Very nice unwanted "experiment". It would a great shot anyway, but the motion adds a nice ghostly feeling here.
My only little nit would be the the concentration of the black point of the image in the center which looks a little too localized. I might either lift the shadow there of add black point in other places to balance that out.

Registered on November 14, 2007, 322 Posts, 6101 Comments

Comment posted by Kory Lidstrom on March 22, 2011 at 11:38 AM

Very moody and original. Nicely done.

Registered on November 19, 2008, 49 Posts, 1035 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 22, 2011 at 12:03 PM

Wow, this worked out fantastic Floris. I love the feel of this image. I really like how the sky and water look so similar. Wonderful mood captured here. Cheers!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by David Page on March 22, 2011 at 12:40 PM

It's almost cartoon like. In a good way - the sense of motion and anger from rough seas is exhibited hear quite nicely. Next time put a little toy boat in those swells

Overall, a great stormy looking image.

Registered on April 15, 2009, 19 Posts, 199 Comments

Comment posted by Abdullaziz Bin Ali on March 22, 2011 at 12:52 PM

this is from the other world
Wonderful Floris

Registered on May 31, 2009, 112 Posts, 1590 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on March 22, 2011 at 1:23 PM

Thanks Andreas for the crit - I'll touch that up!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Kyle L. Krause on March 22, 2011 at 1:52 PM

Wow this is fascinating Floris. As Andreas said it is has a ghostly feel to the Image which I like. Great work!

Registered on June 15, 2010, 29 Posts, 605 Comments

Comment posted by Lizzie Shepherd on March 22, 2011 at 1:59 PM

I love the sense of movement here and the grey/blue tones are wonderful. Those are two cracking sea stacks - great shape and yet strangely 2D with the light you enjoyed. It's one of those images where there's a lot to explore. I'd also have been fascinated to see a version without the little wave-avoidance strategy, although of course it adds to that super eerie feel.

Registered on March 2, 2011, 18 Posts, 120 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on March 22, 2011 at 3:33 PM

Gorgeous, dynamic image. The gray/blue palette is real nice and creates a mood that complements the scene perfectly. Beautiful work!

Registered on August 24, 2009, 123 Posts, 3099 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Dayton on March 22, 2011 at 3:46 PM

Well done, Floris. I like the formations and the tone of this.
Your shutter speed handled the waves nicely, giving the
image an ethereal mood.

Registered on November 11, 2008, 281 Posts, 3958 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Salge on March 22, 2011 at 3:46 PM

Stunning...can't possibly plan for this...but wow what a captivating results. Reminds me of the late great Bob Ross and one of his 'happy little accidents!'

Registered on February 23, 2006, 269 Posts, 2210 Comments

Comment posted by Mohsen Al-Dajani on March 22, 2011 at 4:18 PM

Beautiful shot!

Registered on August 23, 2007, 160 Posts, 432 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Moore on March 22, 2011 at 4:41 PM

Amazing image here, Floris, really like this one.

Registered on January 12, 2010, 84 Posts, 388 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on March 22, 2011 at 6:34 PM

It does give the appearance of unseen forces at work. Righteously cool! Now we will all be trying to duplicate this effect!

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on March 22, 2011 at 6:52 PM

Too cool, Floris!

The slight ghosting gives this an added boost of turbulence that makes this even more dynamic.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on March 22, 2011 at 8:01 PM

Very cool - the angle makes it feel like you were below sea level. I'm glad that you didn't warm up the scene too much - the mood is striking.

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Jason Risinger on March 22, 2011 at 9:00 PM

Intense is a great way to describe this. You would have walked away with a fantastic image, and instead captured something altogether unique, one of a kind. Just incredible.

Registered on July 13, 2010, 13 Posts, 91 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Sieren on March 22, 2011 at 9:20 PM

Nice work Floris, look like wind coming through the photo.

Registered on January 2, 2008, 360 Posts, 5321 Comments

Comment posted by INGOMA on March 22, 2011 at 11:09 PM

Breathtaking work, Floris!

Registered on July 2, 2004, 231 Posts, 3110 Comments

Comment posted by Sarah Marino on March 22, 2011 at 11:36 PM

I love the blue tones in this image and motion definitely adds some mystery and interest. A happy accident, for sure.

Registered on November 10, 2008, 23 Posts, 393 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Diggins on March 23, 2011 at 3:11 AM

Such a ghostly look to it. I like it!

Registered on May 8, 2010, 4 Posts, 83 Comments

Comment posted by David Edwards on March 23, 2011 at 5:21 AM

A very nice image, Floris. I like the sense of swirling movement, which when combined with the overall blue tone, gives the impression of being very cold and windy.
I can relate to the wave situation. A similar thing happened to me and now I don't have a camera for a month while it's in getting repaired

I'll be using my rainsleeve next time!

Registered on December 6, 2008, 142 Posts, 2623 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on March 23, 2011 at 11:51 AM

Floris,

This is magical, mysterious, eerie, mystical and ghostly all at once! The sea stacks especially look like ghosts. Nothing to critique, just simply to enjoy. Great work, as serendipitous as it was...

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Phillip Noll on March 23, 2011 at 8:12 PM

Wow! Talk about DRAMA! This kinda looks like something from the end of the Earth!! (2012 is coming up soon!

) Looks like you were in the absolute worst of conditions with the wind howling and the sea spraying. Lots of power in this photo, Floris!

Registered on November 17, 2003, 207 Posts, 1083 Comments

Comment posted by Justin Reznick on March 23, 2011 at 8:42 PM

Wonderful effect Floris, moody and powerful!

Registered on November 24, 2009, 79 Posts, 515 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on March 23, 2011 at 9:58 PM

It's been a long while since I've seen a seascape this powerful, moody and unique.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Smorra on March 23, 2011 at 10:07 PM

Excellent image Floris. I really like the drama you captured here. I'm amazed how well this image turned out given the camera movement. Very creative and well done.

Registered on November 2, 2009, 161 Posts, 2143 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on March 24, 2011 at 12:50 AM

Very cool, the movement of the camera made a nice shot even better.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Anil Rao on March 24, 2011 at 3:41 AM

An excellent seascape. The motion induced effect is quite lovely and adds to the beauty of the original composition.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Dean Sauskojus on March 24, 2011 at 6:00 PM

Pat yourself on the back Floris, this is a great image. Great title to, it seriously reminds of Greek Mythology. Plenty of mood with this one. Can't say enough. I am a little curious about the light streaks fading across the image. Very nice effect.

Registered on September 29, 2009, 137 Posts, 2659 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Good on March 24, 2011 at 8:40 PM

I can see it now, instead of the F64 club, the new thing will become "move the camera during exposure" club.

Love the comp and mood captured here. Very primordial!

Registered on March 17, 2007, 116 Posts, 4764 Comments