Soothing Ocean Surface

This video was photographed in December of 2011 in southern California, United States. It is a single shot of the Pacific Ocean, with the sounds of lapping waves in the background. There are no people in this video, and any seabirds are rarely seen. The focus of the video is the ocean, and the glistening waters of the Pacific fill the whole scene.

This video was shot with a slightly lower than normal exposure, giving the video a 'nighttime for day' feel. The video could easily be confused for an ocean view during a full Moon at night. In reality, this was an overcast day, with the Sun at a low angle. The sunlight shimmers across the ocean water in complex patterns as tiny wavelets sparkle out to sea. The reflected sunlight has just a hint of gold. Here, submerged giant fields of seaweed cause some parts of the ocean surface to be calmer than others. The saltwater is gently rippled by the ocean breeze. Nearer to shore, cresting waves turn from smooth water swells into a foamy soup.