The sublime waves in Ray Collins’ photographs appear like towering mountain ranges rising up from the sea. Collins seems to freeze the water, capturing waves in the instant just before their imminent break, thus creating a unique interplay between shapes and contrasts. He sits or lies on his surfboard in wait of the perfect moment of rushing water. Through immediate proximity to the subject, the Australian photographer creates a form of abstraction that leads us to forget that these are pictures of ocean waves. Although the water is clearly recognizable, the waves form portraits of