Big November Waves

Gorgeous day in Pacifica California

20-25 ft waves drew me and my 4K video camera to the coast this Friday. Clear blue skies, warm air temperature and a gentle offshore breeze made the day perfect for shooting stock footage.

My first stop was Pacifica Pier for several shots. It took me a while to adjust the cycle of the wave sets, but once I got my chops, I was able to do my lens and screw-on filter swaps during the lulls.

I stopped at the beach Pacifica State beach next, where surfers were shoulder to shoulder. The waves weren’t very good there for some reason. I packed up, grabbed a couple tacos at what has to be the most scenic Taco Bell anywhere, and drove down to  shoot a few high breakers hitting Montana State beach head-on.

Many of my best shots for the day were captured with a Canon EF 100mm f2, however the pier itself shakes a lot when the swells pass under, so out there, the wide end of my 17-55mm was best.

Shooting north, through the spray of the breakers at 11 am, sometimes revealed a nice rainbow effect.

Hopefully soon you’ll find the best shots from the day in my Getty Images portfolio.