Above photograph by David Recht. Click images in this post to enlarge.

One of the reasons why I enjoy teaching photo workshops and leading photo tours is that I see the photo workshop participants inspiring each other to make good images – in the field and during our photo processing sessions. Everyone learns from each other . . . and that includes the instructors.

This point was driven home last week on my Iceland Photo Workshop, with co-leader Tim Vollmer. During one of our processing/happy hour sessions, workshop participant David Recht showed me the image that opens this post.

I was most impressed, for two reasons. First, I thought it was a very creative image: balanced composition, interesting main subject framed by surf, perfect slow-shutter speed exposure, and a beautiful background of crashing waves. Second, it was exactly the kind of image I was trying to make the same day, but missed it while helping other workshop participants.

So I said to David, "That's a perfect shot. I want to get an image like that tomorrow."

The following day I got the shot. Before I share my image with you, here's the info on David's awesome image.

Shooting details:
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105mm f4L shot at 105mm
B+W 1.8 ND filter
.6 sec at f/10 with exposure compensation of +1 1/3
Really Right Stuff tripod and ball head

Processing: Lightroom to reduce exposure to bring out the black beach as well as the ocean and wave detail. Further processed in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 using Wet Rocks filter.

Background: Shot on the beach at the exit of the Jokusarlon glacier lagoon at about 12noon on September 12, 2015 on the Rick Sammon Iceland Photography workshop.

Concept: My plan that morning was to shoot longer exposures of the icebergs at the wave line to soften the backgrounds. I thought this would enhance the sharpness and brightness aspects of the ice sculptures in their environment. This small piece of ice was in the right spot and had an interesting shape. I shot it from the right side to take advantage of the ice sculpture’s direction and how it matched up nicely with the wave flowing to the left as well. The small, dark rock in the left foreground was happenstance but it does serve to fill some dead space and provides a bit of an additional foreground element.