When it comes to gorgeous colors and beautiful contrasts, the Big Island of Hawaii may take the prize. I went for a quick-strike trip last week and this is what I learned. First, lava …. [click to read more]
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The surf industry is such an unique creature with such a unique opportunity for marketing. The world loves surfing and surf images. Brands that connect to the industry have a magnificent billboard…
Continue readingShooting for Sponsors
As a photographer, I am giving interesting opportunities to observe so many aspects of life. This past week was one such experience and I wanted to share it with you because it was an uplifting experience.
Continue readingA (Surf) Break From Tragedy
I’m going to give this one an emphatic YES! While I take a lot of shots of surfer’s doing their thing, I always have my eye open for a potential image that would complement a room. It might be subtle colors, shapes or details that catch my eye, but…
Continue readingIs Surf Photography Art?
Every home has its own unique patterns because every homeowner is different. Colors, materials, decor, style (or lack of style) all play a part in deciding what art best compliments a room. When I set out to help [click to read more]
Continue readingStyling Photographic Art for the Home
Anyone who spends as much time around the ocean as I do sees a lot of pelicans cruising the coast. They are fascinating birds whose shear size belies their graceful gliding ability. I can’t help but turn the lens to these denizens of the coast as they make for spectacular… [click for more]
Continue readingSailing with the Pelicans
Six years ago I was biking down the Strand between Coronado and Imperial Beach when I saw what I thought was a lawn ornament in the water. I chuckled to myself that someone had made quite an effort to play a prank. On my ride home, however, the lawn ornament had moved! Unbelievably, there was a living, wild flamingo in San Diego Bay!
Continue readingFloyd Found a Girlfriend!
Okay, this one kind of snuck up on me. I can’t say National Bird Day was on my radar, but hey, go with the flow, right? So what do I have in the way of birds?
Continue readingIt’s National Bird Day!
Whether the waves are big or small, there is a dedicated subset of watermen that prefer to hit the water with a set of fins on the feet and their hand on the wave. These are the bodysurfers: a bold group of chargers who launch out of the waves like the dolphins that often surround them…
Continue readingBodysurfing In The Big Stuff
The calm of summer has passed. Winter pulses are arriving from Hawaii and gracing standout spots in San Diego. Its all cold water and big waves now. If you are a bodyborder, it is the time to suit up and head out! What’s it looking like?…
Continue readingBodyboarding The Winter Swell
Summers in San Diego are wonderful, but late fall-winter is where its at. This past week was a prime example. Our weather was holding steady around 70 degrees with a hint of an offshore breeze. A beautiful swell lit up the beaches and gave a tease at what is yet to come…
Continue readingBig ‘Ol Black’s
Surf photography has so many options these days. Blue water and clear skies are the typical go-to. Sometimes, however, I like to play around with the finishes to share more of a mood that the day presents. For instance,
Let’s take a look at a session from Ocean Beach last week. The swell was quite good and the before school/work crew was doing there thing in the water. Yet, OB has a certain gritty vibe to it. The parking lot has an interesting crew hanging out and there are always plenty of dudes stuck in the 80’s along the beach. The surfers are a mix of up-and-coming groms and older watermen and waterwomen who claim their spot just north of the pier as if it were their own. So, when shooting OB, I like to tell a story.
Continue readingSurf Photography With No Blues or Greens
I have shot surfing all over San Diego County, meeting surfers from all the breaks. So which spot has the best vibe? Well, in my opinion….
Continue readingWhich Surf Spot Has the Best Vibe?
I know its hard to believe, but sometimes I leave the sand and sea and head to random concrete bowls to see some action. There is certainly some cross-over between the athletes who surf and those who skate, but there is also a cool vibe in the skatepark that differs from the waves. So how to shoot such a scene?
Continue readingSkate Park Shooting
Surf photography can take many forms. For contest surfers, I like to create close-up images to put the viewer into the action. For in the water shooting, there is nothing better than a deep, hollow barrel. For telling a story, however, I firmly believe that pulling back is the best option. What do I mean?
Continue readingThe Importance of Backdrop
Sometimes a super crisp, focused image is great. Other times I see something different than the whole shot. It is those moments that make a good image, but they are sometimes hard to discern. I like to go back to Photoshop and try and see if I can create what I “saw” when I was in the moment. You might be surprised!
Continue readingWorking the Blurs
iso 200, f/8, 1/125
As surf photographers, we love and pray for the perfect mix of sunshine, swell, and talented surfers. It can be a frustrating wait as the best swells generally come with stormy skies. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with different tones to create mood in an otherwise bland image. Here is what I found…
Continue readingSurf Photography When there is no Sun
Sunday marked another Paddle for Clean Water at OB; another community effort by Surfrider Foundation; another year in the long line of continual years of seeking a solution to the problems affecting our coastline…
Continue readingFighting to Keep our Beaches Clean
Usually dormant, North Island is a peaceful beach reserved for naval personnel. With the sounds of freedom thumping and humming from the runway just steps from the beach, this tiny patch of the Pacific usually offers a direct contrast to the activity on the base. Until……
Continue readingNorth Island Comes Alive
There are some places on earth that seem designed specifically for the lens. Stunning vistas, ever changing cloud formations, cobalt blue water, waterfalls and forests. Where???
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