This is an image of a wave at Bonzai Pipeline on Oahu, taken by Thomas Dean. This is a great image that shows both the beauty of the wave as well as a few different fluids concepts. From an artistic perspective, this image does a great job of highlighting the color of the wave, with focal points optimized to show the magnitude of the wave. The natural lighting also does a good job showing the wave curling. From a fluids perspective, the back spray off the front of the wave lip is a result of the air resistance that the lip experiences as it curls over. The wave curls due to a reef that slows the velocity of the lower water, causing the velocity of the water on top to outpace the lower water and curl over.
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Third prize – I really like how the flow of the wave comes to the interesting shape shown in the picture, where the stunning dark blue color of the ocean contrasts with the light blue color of the sky and the light-colored ocean foam flying in the sky to provide us with a really pretty flow. As I said in another comment, natural flows are my favorites, so I’m kind of biased about that fact as well.