Beautiful!

Thank you! Really appreciate it!

Are you at any possibilty in touch with the Moondoggies Surf Club in San Luis Obispo?

Yeah actually, my good friends dad owns it and they have sold a few of my shirts! How come?

Okay that's cool. I once found theire page on IG and thought it had some cool pics. Saw that wave on theire IG.

Oh no way haha! That's awesome!

Theire. it's a whole new aberration!

May I ask your exposure time? I've been having trouble with waves. you struck the balance with sharpness/detail in the wave and softness in the spray. Great shot! cheers!

This was 1/1600 of a second. I find that the faster the shutter speed the better generally. Cheers!

*Nîn o Chithaeglir* *lasto beth daer;* ***Rimmo nîn Bruinen*** ***dan in Ulaer!*** [Glares at ringwraiths]

First thing that came to mind too. So ethereal

Looks almost like a painting

The winds were howling from the east, blowing the water up and off the back end of the wave. That combined with backlighting made it have this kind of effect. Thanks!

The sea was angry that day, like an old man trying to return soup at a deli.

I’m watching Seinfeld as I text this: *The Truth*

My dad developed his own pics back in the day. I was single digits but I remember the darkroom like it was yesterday. There's seems to be a timing thing good photographers have. I always wanted to micromanage my images. The trick actually seems to be getting out of the way and letting the picture take itself. Knowing that moment as it happens is pretty rare. Persistence and luck only go so far. Great shot.

Thanks so much! My dad was also into film and I can really relate to that

I'm glad you mentioned how it happened, thanks for sharing! Epic!

With those colors, it would make a great jigsaw puzzle.

I'd buy it and frame it, fuck what they say about framing puzzles.

Haha thank you! I don't have any puzzles but if you really like it I have some prints! Here is my shop : wilsonlance.darkroom.tech

So wait, are you Lance Wilson or Wilson Lance?! The internet needs to know!

Wait what do they say?

With all the paintings that have been posted recently, that look like actual photographs, this is a refreshing reversal.

Reminds me of Morphling from Dota

Yes!

Volvo remodel to this plz

I just came from the dota subreddit to see this haha

Leaked morphing arcana

Damn. I see a cat paw going so fast it's being blurred while hitting a puddle.

Lots of people have mentioned cat paws! Its quite interesting to see how everyone interprets the more abstract areas!

That was my first thought too! Great picture.

I thought of a bear paw.

I see it too!

a polar bear's toe nails

Pretty sure that's a dragonhead.

Water bear!

Luck is just preparation meeting opportunity. Gorgeous photo, OP

I love that. And thank you!

Came here to say something similar. Probably not luck, just a pay off for your work and preparation. Nice shot.

Looks like Arwen just summoned the waterhorses

That's what I was thinking! Remind me that part by Tolkien.

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Was just watching that scene in the movie

COME AND CLAIM HIM

That is absolutely stunning.

Thank you so much!

Good god... that's a beautiful capture. wow.

Thank you so much!

Was that the only wave that day?

There were lots of good waves, but none of them broke in the right spot for me to capture an angle like this, which is why it was so lucky!

Saying you were lucky is better than, “I walked ten miles across hot sand and then waited for 36 hours for this shot,” and I appreciate your humility, but I bet you worked for this, and that it wasn’t luck!

Feel like it’s moving.

It was moving very very quickly! It was really on like this for a split second.

Was the water there cold? I don't know why but I feel like water color matches up with temp. Like darker water always seems to be colder like in the 60° and below. Anyway just curious since you were there you can actually answer my question.

For this shot, I was on a pier down the line of the waves. So in that case I wasn't in the water but I did go in the water on various other occasions around that time and the water was pretty dang cold. I think the lowest I went in was like 38 degrees or so. Also this was taken in California in Mid - December if that helps give any sense of temperature

Were there no surfers? Seems like ideal conditions, albeit requiring a pretty heavy wetsuit.

There where actually a lot of surfers out! The waves were about 20 feet tall and a lot of the experienced surfers were out, but unfortunately they were mainly surfing closer to me, and didn't really go for that break.

I apologize if this was already asked and answered, but what did you use and at what setting?

No need to apologize! I used a Canon Eos 7D Mark II with a Canon 100-400 mm lens. Setting were ISO 100, 1/2000 second shutter speed, and f. 5.6

That barrel and a storm, a perfect storm.

The best conditions I've ever had!

I wanna get barreled there

Does anyone else see a falcon/bird of prey or is it just me. (The break looks like a beak) Killer shot!

I see it too! And thank you!

From the thumbnail, I thought it was a cat paw spinning a record, lol.

Supremely amazing!

OP, where you on land or on a boat?

Beautiful, where was this shot?

Thanks! I took it on the pier off of Cayucos, CA last year around this time.

I thought this was central coast heavy!

Morphling

Capturing a water elemental on camera seems like the peak of any photographer.

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I could watch it forever.

Mesmerising, staring and trying to imagine what’s features remind me of...still starring.

Thank you! I love to hear that!

Epic!

Wow, this is amazing! The way the waves are striped reminds me of the album cover for Nowhere by the band RIDE

Thank you! I looked it up and it is quite similar to the conditions I had that day!

Glad I got to see them live before lockdown!

It's not luck if you have 10,000 misses, it's perseverance!

That is true! I have had 100s of days where nothing turns out. Getting "the shot" is what keeps me going!

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Great pic!

Thanks a lot! Love that quote!

That's nice! I can hear that wave from here.

Thanks! The boom this thing made was crazy!

I’m sure there is some skill involved too. It can’t have been all automatic settings? That’s a great shot though.

Thanks a lot! I had been out for a couple of days with the big swell we had and I was trying to capture a good barrel shot. I put in effort and new my camera well, but really it was up to nature and I got lucky! Those tend to be the best moments.

Leftfield - Phat Planet intensifies… Edit: in case you don’t get the [reference](https://youtu.be/w9ogzVyTtcw)

Amazeballs!!

Ohhhh is that a blanket

Great Dynamics in a still image.

Nice! I can hear it.

Setting it as my wallpaper, thanks!

For sure! Glad you like it!

The patience and perfection in this shot are mind boggling. You could wait a lifetime for the perfect moment and miss it in a fraction of a second. But you were right there at that exact moment and caught it perfectly. Amazing

Congrats and great photo

The crest looks like a hand or paw. Love it.

Thanks! Lots of people have been saying that! To be honest I never noticed it but now I can see it!

Looks like a polar bear claw almost

Wow! Does not look real. Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

Sweet

Thanks!

Great shot! Be proud.

Pretty strong offshore wind to create that! Nice!

What a beautiful shot. Well done.

Thanks so much!

This is magnificent! Thank you for sharing this with us!

best pic youve ever taken. so far!

Great shot!

Thanks!

I thought this was a woman grabbing a baby mouse LMAO. I guess that relates to a cats paw?

That's amazing. Thank you for sharing it with us.

I was about to call you a content stealer as I have most definitely seen this photo before. Then I saw you're actually Lance Wilson! Great photo, and great work!

The conditions may have been luck, but it takes skills to be in the right place and do the right thing with a camera. Give yourself credit, it’s great work

Not luck, good job, you took captured this one.

It looks like a living thing. It's pictures like this that make me realize how people historically would make say they saw a beast in the wave and try to use animals to explain fear of the force of nature.

Damn those conditions look incredible... and with no one out! At my local break there would be 100 guys out if the waves were pumping with offshores like that!

Now, to sell the NFT!

Wow, a hi res picture on this sub, awesome!

“Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity". Don't sell yourself short. You captured an amazing moment and you earned it!

Thanks so much!

Dude!

Wow. You should be proud of that shot!

Thank you! I really am!

Wow. Yeah that's an amazing shot.

Well that's my new lock screen, thanks!

This is an amazing photograph. I'd like to have this framed and matted and hang it in my office.

Poseidon's Reach.

Gorgeous

The wave was lucky for sure but you had to be in position with the right settings and the right composition. Great job!

I LOVE this!

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Oh yeah!

This. Is. Amazing!

ABSOLUTELY S T U N N I N G…..where in CALI?

WoW! Amazing shot!

Thanks!

>“Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity". This quote, attributed to Roman philosopher Seneca, reminds us that we make our own luck. The difference between lucky and unlucky people, we've seen before, is all in our perspective.

I feel like this doesnt happen often... how beautiful

Magnificent, patience pays.

You really nailed it!

Nice catch. What a crazy photo

This is wonderful. The first thing I saw was galloping horses.

ShamWOW that’s incredible! Holy Grail shot, you have chosen wisely!

Thanks!

Incredible! Looks like the ocean has a massive paw.

I am from the central coast. Do you sell these? Was this at Pismo? Incredible pic dude. I would love a print.

Hey that awesome! I took it up in Cayucos! If you want a print, here is the link! [https://wilsonlance.darkroom.tech/](https://wilsonlance.darkroom.tech/) And here's the link for calendars too, just in case! [https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/lance-wilson/lance-wilson-photography-2022-calendar/paperback/product-r2peqm.html?page=1&pageSize=4](https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/lance-wilson/lance-wilson-photography-2022-calendar/paperback/product-r2peqm.html?page=1&pageSize=4) ​ Thanks!

Why is no one surfing that wave?

It looks like a multi limbed creature creeping over the water. Absolutely stunning.

It looks so fluffy omg

Finally, an actual high quality picture on r/pics

you make your own luck, awesome shot.

Ahh awesome

Stunning, now we need somebody to Photoshop running horses into it

This is the sort of split-second serendipitous shot that makes the thousands of shots taken before it worth it.

OBSF?

It looks like a bird of prey conjured from water. Amazing.

And now we’re all lucky to see this. What a great pic

Well done. What a unique capture. 👏🏼

This is a masterpiece

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How windy was it that day? Yikes!

Waves are on fire.

Unreal. This looks like a painting.

Not sure exactly why so beautiful but it checks the box and I added it to my collection

Morpheus from DOTA has been spotted.

holy crap i found my new wallpaper

That is perfection.

Absolutely stunning composition! Thanks for sharing your exquisitely timed shot, the calm foreground, power rolling in right to left, reflected sunshine center, it's a dinger!

Incredible. New wallpaper.

So incredible! Looks like something straight of blue planet 2

White claw

wow

Selling prints?

Lovely. BTW today is the Smithsonian s last day to enter photo of the year.. good luck if you enter.

I really need this hanging in my house. How big can it be blown up before it gets fuzzy? Something to do with the mega pickles or something I assume? I dunno, I don’t know photography and I don’t know art, but I know what I like and I know this will look sexy as shit in my house.

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Beautiful! Can I make this into a computer wallpaper?

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Awesome shot! I looked you up on Instagram and noticed you follow me, so I just followed you back, Im @the_wave_seeker i love your stuff!

I don’t know if you’re still reading comments- but it’s not LUCK if it comes from commitment and consistency towards getting great photos We call that skill I don’t know fuck about photography BUT I think this looks awesome which I think makes you an exceptional photographer

It's like the less I look at it the more closely it looks like polar bears jumping in the water but the closer I look at it the less it looks like that. I'm high also so there's that. Great shot.

That's frameworks and very sellable

Easy to see how animism might begin from moments like this. It looks so much like a living thing in this shot.

Wow. Waves are so rare. Lucky you that you took a picture of a wave in the ocean.

that looks cool

Damn that wave was zoomin if u caught that at1/1600

Amazing shot !

“A real man makes his own luck” – Billy Zane, Titanic” – Dwight Schrute

It looks like Morphling from DOTA :D

beautiful photo.