blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

I was extremely lucky to get this shot, patients paid off and I can guarantee you one can sit at that spot for the next 20 years and it will never happen again. Here are the reasons why, it is very rare to see a winter storm hitting the coast in a blue sky, second a huge wave hitting the front rock and the cliff wall at the same time to send spray so high to silhouette the fisherman will not be seen again, I can say this as I have been going there for 50 years. I also have never seen fishermen at that spot as it is very dangerous to get there, plus, what were the thinking, no fish in his right mind will get that close to shore in that storm. I guess my mother in law was right, she told me after I spent hours sitting watching my rod and hardly ever got a fish “Fishermen have a misguided brain” To get the shot I set up the tripod aimed the lens at the cliff and used the remote release, I didn't use the viewfinder just watched the surf and clicked whenever I saw any action. I saw this method used at Yellowstone Park a few years back photographing the elk runt, there was a young man that had two tripod with mounted cameras attached with some exotic glass on each side of him while he was sitting in between on a lawn chair. Both lenses were aimed at the elks down the meadow and about every minute he would release one of the shutters, he never looked through the viewfinder. I guess in the 1,000 shots he took there must have been some winners.

Lucky shot.

(Download)

plessner Loc: North Dakota

you better be sending that in somewhere to win something!
It is a very awesome,wonderful,and perfect shot!
Congratulations

northsidejoe Loc: pittsburgh

Hell blacks2
I would have to agree with you not only a very lucky picture but a very good one. I think this may be the money shot of the year for you. These kind of pictures do not happen very often being at the right place and the right time to capture nature at the precise moment is awesome. Job well done. It is only feb. and you already have a wall hanger for this year. Way to go.
Saying hello from Pittsburgh

gtwhogger Loc: Lawton

Nicely done but remove the sensor dust spots if you plan to enter or print this.

ReFlections Loc: From LA to AL

Mike, after seeing your other gorgeous postings, hard to call this lucky. Great shot and great composition. Hardly lucky. :-D

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

Thank you very much, my prize is your comment.

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

Thank you very much for your kind comment. There is a lot of luck involved in photography unless you shot in studios.

jmw44 Loc: Princeton, NJ USA

definitely a winner in my book

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

Thank you very much, I seem to get the sensor dirty often, I should have checked the image before posting. No, I don't enter any contest and my printer enjoys his retirement.

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

Thank you so much for the nice compliment, it is greatly appreciated.

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

Thank you very much, happy that you liked it.

bob_71 Loc: Severna Park, MD

Being placed at a spot that has the potential for such a magnificent shot is not the result of "luck"! There are those who vow that "...the harder I work, the luckier I get".

I commend you for a picture that is uncommonly good!

Bob

Joe F.N. Loc: Oshawa, Ontario

The only luck in this photograph is that the two guys decided to go fishing there. You knew there were waves crashing into the rocks and planned for it. You had a blue sky that you considered. The composition was set by you. Camera settings were done by you. So give yourself more credit then you did in the narrative lead in. You did a sensational job.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Gorgeous, Mike!

And crazy fishermen, yes :)

I like that idea of setting the camera up and just clicking when you see something. Seems like you get to enjoy the "reality" more that way, too - not peering into the viewfinder every second.

jeanbug35 Loc: Jonesboro AR

Great shot.