I need to start by saying that i appreciate the patience and precision needed to create this photograph. Very-long exposure times create unique challenges for production, and twenty-five seconds is an eternity for a photographer.

I would like to speak about the color and texture used in the photograph, and close on movement and depth of field.

The variety of textures in the photograph is very appealing. Focus is extraordinarily sharp in the extreme and near foreground, allowing the viewer to recall the feeling of broken, rough rocks and smooth, foamy surf. The effect of, what I guess to be, water running out from shore over most of the exposure is a glass-like luster on the rocks adjacent to the surf; I find this glass effect to be one of my favorite aspects of this photograph. I will echo =Melancholic-Symphony's celebration of the supernatural nature of the surf. Its airy, delicate nature suggests more fog than ocean. The effect created by the fog acquiescing to water as the ocean expands is quite pleasant.

The uniform saturation of the sky and the level of darkness setting on the ocean horizon to the left makes me think this was made before the sunset, but after the peak moments where the sky ignites and the colors of the world come alive. That would be one small disappointment; I would like to see maybe a little less surf and more contrast between the light turquoise and deep aqua in the ocean, and a similar gradient in the sky. Maybe, a half hour earlier, perhaps a little more, would have lit not only the cloud walls but their bottoms as well (though your choice to use the shadow may have more attractively established the definition between sea and sky). I would contend that the ultimate effect is the introduction of stormy uncertainty, but not so much so as to make the bold statement such an emotion requires. The photograph otherwise has a soft and dreamy nature, so there's a little confusion in that dichotomy.

I am initially drawn to the bottom-center area of the photograph, drawn to the pit of the "U" shape created by the rocks on the bottom-left and the curve of the beach rocks. It is also the brightest point of the photograph and possesses the greatest sharpness, which is very pleasing.

Your choice of line construction in the photograph creates a perceptible notion of movement from that point. Supported by the color composition, The horizon's cant produces one line, running toward the top-right corner. I would identify two other lines: the first starting just above the bottom on the left wall of the photograph (in the "V" shape in the rocks) and runs directly at the tree; the other line follows the rocks along the shore at a noticeable seam in the surf toward the right corner as well.

The motion indicated by these lines and the progression of the color gradient pushes the eye toward the corner, and is well constructed in that purpose. I wish, however, that the tree could have been kept in better clarity. The necessary evils of very-long exposure that I alluded to in the beginning show themselves plain in this little detail. In order to capture the surf, the tree and grasses had to be allowed to blur from natural movement. But the fact that the tree breaks the horizon and is at the natural focal point of the photograph's movement suggests that it's a point of interest, so it's lack of sharpness is a small disappointment.

If you had the opportunity to make this photograph again, I would be intrigued by two variations: the first I would ask you to decrease the depth of field, allowing the photograph to emphasize the beauty in the rocks and surf. The second variation I would ask you to emphasize the tree, possibly by increasing your shutter speed to allow greater detail capture in the wispy branches.

That said, this is a very well-constructed photograph with many more attractive and intriguing qualities than it has points of contention.

Thank you for this very fine contribution.

Since this says "critique" I'm giving a real one, not just a "hey this looks cool."

First, I'd like to say I love how natural this looks. I can tell it hasn't been "doctored" to look this way. Canons always take lovely pictures! The timing in capturing the waves is perfect. The froth actually reminds me of dry ice, with how it floats around the rocks, instead of crashing into them. The balance of the image is great, with the contrasting colors blending together nicely. The sea is a very vivid blue, and it plays of the sunset giving a slight purple tint on the left. Honestly, I love seeing some purple in a sunset. Overall, you have a well balanced image.