The waves shimmer like molten glass then become crystal sculptures, the sea surging and boiling, then freezing mid-crest.
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SeaStills is the latest film from renowned Thirroul surf photographer Ray Collins, a collaboration with fellow Thirroul film-maker Chris Duczynski that is already turning heads in the surf world with its stunning depictions of a churning Illawarra break.
"I met Chris at a Q and A session during The Green Cathedral," Collins said, referencing the Wollongong City Gallery exhibit on local surf culture to which he contributed.
"He came out with his son one morning in December, the clouds parted, the sun shone through, and we got some amazing footage."
Collins said he wanted to keep the exact location of the shoot a secret, only revealing it was "somewhere in the southern Illawarra". He said he had long watched the area, and revelled in the chance to capture the treacherous break.
"It's not even really a wave; it's more like a mutated rock shelf or something," he said.
"You couldn't surf it."
"I've seen guys try to surf it, but they come out with snapped legs or torn-up wetsuits."
The film has already popped up on popular surfing website SwellNet, and will also be shown on Qantas in-flight entertainment for the next three months.
Duczynski, a veteran film-maker with more than 30 years' experience, said he had long been a fan of Collins's work before they teamed up for SeaStills.
Collins jumped into the surging ocean, while Duczynski filmed from a nearby rock shelf.
"I always wondered how Ray got the shots he did, because they are incredible," Duczynski said.
"I've never seen anyone take footage like that."
Duczynski said he planned to enter an extended version of the film into prestigious competitions, such as the New York and San Diego surf film festivals.
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