Although only 8 minutes long, this shows the power of quick studies to clarify visual intent. What are your shapes and colors doing? What about value? Can you play with paint? This is my favorite way to work on location at the beach with min studies to capture color and play with ideas.
Try painting from memory alone or with a handful of flawed photos. If you don't have a perfect photo you are more likely to be creative. You can always find reference later if you are 'missing' key information such as a fold of a wave, or a gray cloud. By using your imagination to create shapes and try out colors your art will be better because it's not a COPY of a photo... you are interpreting it instead and using the IDEA for creative expression.