Splash! Part One; Maui Shoreline, 2016 and 2017
Interesting things happen when the Pacific's implacable waves hit Maui's placid beaches. Big, obvious drama -- natural grand opera -- results when endless phalanxes of great waves roll toward shore and successively smash themselves against the sand and anything else in the way. But this obvious spectacle can obscure the less-evident miniature dramas that briefly but repeatedly play out in any given breadbox-sized tableau in any given wave. Long lenses, high shutter speeds, and selective cropping help capture and isolate these miniature theatrics.
Spray here launches off the top of a breaking wave as it begins to hit the beach in stiff breeze.
A pane of water, backlit in early evening, rises from the breaking wave.
Another pane, flexible as molten glass, drops off the front of the wave.
Rolling water smoothly reflect sun, clouds, and sky.
The water tucks under the wave front; it is a miniature analogy to the curls surfers were riding while I was photographing.
Evanescent droplets, spears, bumps, and fantastic organic shapes form momentarily.
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After a lifetime of mainly expressing myself with words, my postings here will mainly rely on images. They will speak for themselves to some extent, but I'll usually add a few comments of explanation. I've taken photographs for decades, since the 1950's, inspired in part by my father's photographic skill. Four years of photo assignments and quality darkroom time eventually gave way to decades of casual and family picture-taking. I re-immersed myself when I left film and turned to digital.