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OK... Here's the photo that I was trying to post when Photoshop crashed on me on Monday... Taken at Coogee Beach on Sunday...

I'm not sure which version I prefer...

Great photo, John. I really like the colour version. There is a stark contrast between the bright beach mood and dim mood of the surfer whereas the b&w version makes all look grey. Hope I didn't confuse you.

Alex

The color's nice and bright and vivid, but I tend to go for the BW one, as I reckon it suits the image more with the "beach closed" sign and what looks like they're sad and bored that the beach is closed...

John - I really like the colour image a lot more than the black and white, it's alive and vibrant, in contrast with the B&W image. Well done.

John, the colour version works better for me.

Tony

John I prefer the colour version but I think that the saturation is a little overdone

Colour for me too John, but a little less high sat. Good to see PS is back.

Colour version, but maybe try a desaturated version - not totally b&w but just some colour in it.

For me there is a blue colour cast which is too much. The sand should be yellower IMO. Here's my 5 min attempt at changing it. My variation will be deleted if leek would prefer me not to fiddle with his photo..

The color one is the one for me.
Cheers,
Gerard

I like the B&W image the best.

I thing the colour detracts from the surfer, who is the the subject of the photo anyway.

The blue sky and red pole both pull your focal point away from the miserable surfer in the opposite corner. I feel that the B&W image makes him stand out more.

But thats just my opinion.

Nice image either way!

Thanks for the comments so far...
I used a little poetic licence for the title of the photo... Actually the surfer was just getting changed before he plunged into the enormous waves...
There was no-one swimming, but plenty of surfers chancing their luck... The lifeguards looked on hoping that nothing would go wrong...

I didn't notice the blue caste when I was editing the photo, but now it's obvious - I'll have another look at it when I get home...

I don't think I bumped the saturation that much either - I did use a polarizer which has bumped the blue sky up a bit...