Grace by the Sea - Extras (Patreon)

This set of 34 hi-res images is now in the Archive Folder for $25+ Patrons.  Consider upgrading your subscription to gain access to literally thousands of images and video in this massive folder filled with years of my nude photography work!

Its kind of a gamble taking a non-model to the tide pools to shoot. Its not the most comfortable environment to shoot in - sharp rocks, critters all around you (is that a crab biting my ass??!), rogue waves of cold ass water crushing you out of nowhere, people being around to spy on you, not to mention the steep scramble up and down the cliffside (the spot has no actual trail down to it).  Grace was affected by all these things, but she did not let it rattle her, and really threw herself into the tasks, determined to document this current state of her physical self.  

I really wasn't sure, though, if I should attempt some crashing wave images.  These shots are pretty basic, and many a photographer does them regularly and better than me, but the pull toward this sort of clichéd shot is hard to deny - it just looks SO cool when you nail a shot of a model looking calm as a waves comes crashing over them.   The big waves come in unexpectedly, so as a  model, you need to settle in to some comfortable position and hold it somewhat, sometimes hanging out for several minutes waiting, but trying not to look like you are waiting.  Each wave that comes at the rocks sounds like it might be a big one, so at first each wave can cause you to tense up, but after a while you can start to think none of them will hit you - that's usually when a big one roars in and knocks you over, which can be unpleasant on sharp rocks to say the least.  

Grace rose to the task though - it was late in the shoot, as she starting to feel more comfortable, and she really wanted to do it. I was a bit surprised - she was more freaked out by tiny hermit crabs being close to her than by the potentially dangerous power of the ocean. She seemed really calm in the face of that unknown power, so I was able to get a handful of good crashing shots (I took her on a day I knew the waves wouldn't be too big, but now I kind of want to take her on a bigger day!).