Wave Capture Trials and Tribulations

[John Layton]

Here’s a setup on Star Island (off the Portsmouth, NH coast), from earlier this afternoon:



5x7 camera with 210mm lens…bottom of the image skirting just below those light colored rocky “shelves” on the right, with just a bit of the “shelving” included, up to just above the horizon, and over to about one third in from the left.

I was hoping for a short(ish) time exposure of waves crashing over the “barrier rocks” just to the left and over into the trough…with the lighting upon my arrival being medium bright backlit fog - which I really enjoy for setups like these.

At any rate…once I got the composition, focus, etc. dialed in, with film holder inserted and light measured, with everything set - the waves just died. So I waited….

When the next set of large waves arrived…I removed the dark slide just in time for the sun to blast through the haze, at which point I re-inserted the dark slide and waited for a bit longer.

When the sun was finally blocked by the next installment of haze…I removed the dark slide once more - only to notice that a really slow lobster boat had appeared on the left horizon…and while the light and waves were each spectacular during this interval - the end of the lobster boat then coincided with the end of the waves.

By this time the tide had receded enough that the intervals of strong surf covering the rocks had lessened significantly.

At this point the waves had become very intermittent, and the light was quite variable - so I did a “hail Mary” series of exposures (totaling about thirty seconds) on one frame of film…having no idea if it would actually work.

Then the sun arrived once more…so I rolled my dark cloth up as a back rest and lay down on the rocks for awhile.

After a bit I’d noticed that the sun had disappeared again - at which point I had a sudden urge to urinate…and so I hopped down a few rocks to a little alcove and peed.

At about the time I was zipping up my fly…I suddenly heard/felt a rumble of surf and got to my camera just in time to reach for another film holder. With the waves and light suddenly cooperating…I could sense that everything had finally come together. But at that point I discovered that I’d already used my last frame of film. Then it started to rain….

[Mark Sampson]

Try again tomorrow, John. "Can't catch fish if you don't go fishing".

[John Layton]

Well...tomorrow's forecast (and the next day, and the next...) are for sunny skies - ugh!

[jp]

At least you spent a relaxing time at the ocean edge.
forecasts especially involving fog versus sun are notorious along the coast; be prepared anyways especially in the morning if tide is where you want it.

I have seen waterfall/stream photos made with multiple shorter exposures rather than one long...I have not tried that with the ocean waves; I think I would need a self-cocking shutter because I'd probably move the camera keeping recocking it.

If you have a film choice good for night use, perhaps the full moon would be helpful?

[John Layton]

I do have a couple of the old Polaroid #1 press shutters - but the flange to flange spec is just a bit off (too thick) which makes me nervous.

Sometimes I think I might try laying a sheet of 600-grit paper down on a sheet of glass...and gently sanding away a bit of that flange until its in spec. As mentioned I have two shutters if need be to get one right - but I'd hate to think of having the end result be just a bit off kilter or stray bits of metal messing something up. Probably worth a try though...maybe dedicate my "spare" 210mm Sironar-N for this purpose.

[Alan9940]

This story reminds me of why I used to carry my Fuji GA645Zi with me when out and about photographing with LF. If, for any reason, I might miss the shot on LF I could whip the Zi up to my eye and get an exposure. Sure, the final results wouldn't be anything near LF but having an image is better than having nothing.

Though I feel your pain, John, I enjoyed the story!

[Rick A]

I would have had my surf fishing gear along for the ride, helps while away the hours plus the bonus meal if you are lucky.

[Vaughn]

Sounds like a normal LF day.

I slogged 4 miles up hill on a muddy slippery rough trail with the 5x7 to check out a hanging glacier and falls in Chile. Arrived at the only viewpoint in time to see it in its glory, which lasted for the time it took to set up the 5x7 and the rain came in.

That is why photographing locally is so nice -- weather bad...no problem, there is always tomorrow.

[SergeyT]

When it comes to landscape photography, my philosophy is - it is great when everything comes together, but not every picture must be taken
Not succeeding at taking a certain picture today creates an opportunity for re-thinking and maybe giving it another try at a later time. Which usually forces one to be more critical\precise about specific conditions (season, time of day, light, tide levels, etc),composition and essentially the meaning...

[Martin Aislabie]

We have all been there.

But - you can get some really great shots of rocks in the rain - the rain brings the colours and texture in the rocks alive.

My personal favourite is sunshine and thunderstorms - intense brooding clouds with patches of sunlight - but you can end up getting very wet.

I use an upside-down supermarket plastic carrier bag to keep the camera and lens dry plus a bungy cord from the tripod to the camera bag to keep the whole thing stable in the inevitable squalls.

YMMV

Martin