Wave Foam, lucky shot?

While working in the Gallery one day, I could not help but overhear a customer comment: “What a lucky shot; he must have been using a very expensive camera." It got me thinking ... are my shots in fact a product of expensive equipment, lucky coincidence or talent? The customer was commenting on the image, “Foamy Flute,” one of my most successful images. Now, I recognize the customer has no real understanding that the foam (captured in a frozen state) was actually breaking on the sand at a speed faster than the human eye can process or appreciate. The foam was happening with such speed that it wasn’t until I got my film back from the lab did I even understand what had occurred in front of me that morning, or just how perfect my timing, composition and exposure really was.

Lucky images are rarely stumbled upon; they are the product of many years of failures and successes. They are about effort, tenacity and memory. When an opportunity like "Foamy Flute" presented itself, it took every one of those past experiences to apply the proper camera, lens, shutter speed, depth of field, shooting position and ultimately the precise moment needed to open the lens for 1/ 2500th of a second (faster than the blink of a human eye). Ultimately, I captured the image in question, an image whose composition, lighting and timing are as close to perfection as any I have ever taken.

Which brings me back to the answer of my original question … Yes. My shots are a combination of equipment, luck, and talent to create this very special image.