Blue Before Breaking

About this piece

Mike Gedj captures a breaking wave in a panoramic composition, setting luminous white spray against a deeply shaded turquoise face. A level horizon and narrow band of clear sky provide a quiet counterpoint to the unfolding surf.

The story

I watched the swell rise until its blue face seemed to hold the light inside it. On one side, the water had already broken into white; on the other, the curve remained intact, gathering fine lines and reflections. I made the photograph at that meeting of collapse and suspension. What drew me was not only the force of the wave, but the brief clarity of its shape before everything became foam.