When many surfers hear the word SUP, they immediately think of the over 40 crowd floating along the bay inexplicably wearing a leash as they slowly cruise along over 2″ ripples. Then there are the surfers who also surf SUPs. This is a different breed of watermen and waterwomen and nothing like the bay floaters.
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It always amazes me how the story an image tells changes depending on the finish you apply to your image. Let’s take, for example, this image I shot of the Hotel del Coronado. To me, it provides a glimpse into the past. The tonal range of the photo suggests a film camera; something appropriate for a vintage resort. Perhaps it is a stormy day, yet it has warm tones so it is a bit of a mystery…
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Every race has its own pageantry and large visuals. Yet every race is comprised of many individuals, all with unique feelings, struggles, and personal victories. While we tend to think about action shots in the middle of races, the finish line should not be overlooked as the place and moment where individual expression is at its highest. Last weekend…
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May Gray has definitely settled in for those of us that live along the coast and we can expect June Gloom to follow. As a photographer, my work is all about the light and usually color. I absolutely love sunny days, blue skies, and blue water and the vibrant images that can be created in those settings. So what to do in May and June? Well, in the spirit of lemonade from lemons, our annual marine layer presents some wonderful opportunities to see our world in a slightly different way.
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Back button focusing is one of the simplest ways to improve your surf photography (or any photography for that matter) and I have grown to love the versatility it provides. Here’s what you need to know…
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2023 started off with a bang on the West Coast. Big waves, er towering monsters, were providing dramatic moments as the watermen and waterwomen paddled out to meet these challenges day after day. Photogs were clicking away from the shore and we were producing awesome images on a daily basis. Then the ocean went flat. What to do?
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I have spent years photographing surfers and surfing events. My goal is often to capture critical moves on the wave, body language that speaks to the difficulty of the sport and facial expressions that hint at the ultimate joy of surfing. Yet these are typically solo representations as surfing is primarily an individual sport. That is, until you watch adaptive surfing…
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Every spring, a convoy of trucks towing trailers filled with state of the art shells and long oars descend on Mission Bay. Then come the busses filled with athletes from schools all across the nation. Finally, SUVs and minivans pull into the parking lots, disgorging excited parents wearing all forms of college attire. That’s when we know it is time for the annual San Diego Crew Classic.
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We all did it growing up. We all know the thrill of feeling the wave gathering strength and propelling you down the face. But there is a subset of bodyboarders who have taken that experience to a much higher level. I set out last week to see if I could capture some of the action and here is what I discovered:
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Remember when photos were something you got in packs of 12 or 24 from the drive up Kodak Fotomat? Your options consisted of rounded corners or normal corners. If you had a really special image, you could go to the local photography shop for a paper enlargement made in their darkroom. Oh how far we’ve come from those days. Today, the options are incredible…
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With tens of thousands of surfing images stored on my hard drives, I realized that I have an incredible source of material to play around with (notice I didn’t say “work”). Photoshop opens the door to a wealth of approaches to making whimsical, wacky, or cool images from your surf photography. Let me show you some examples…
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I get a lot of questions about workflow when I’m out shooting the surf scene. First, I appreciate the question because there is so much more to capturing a good image than just pointing and shooting and anyone who asks the question has obviously struggled with the editing process. So, here I strive to share the steps I take once the day’s shooting is complete and I’m back at the computer.
Continue readingThis is a question I get a lot: are the best surf photos closeups or distance shots? My personal answer is that there is a purpose for each type of image. Here are my specific thoughts on the matter:
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One of the beauties of our modern, connected world is the access to all sorts of cool images. We see them every day on social media. Often, however, there is disconnect between photography and art. How many images do you see posted on Instagram that you immediately think would look good hanging in your home of office? Not many, I would venture to guess. But here is another way to think about it…
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Surf photography depends upon so much more than time and location. The best results come to those that know the sport well enough to anticipate the surfer’s moves before they are executed so they are ready to capture critical moments on the wave. To me, there is little worse than seeing an image of a surfer doing nothing on a wave. Here are my thoughts on the matter:
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Shooting surfers in the water or seeking the next cool wave shot is immensely fun and a heck of a workout. Our bodies, however, are warm blooded – that is we pump blood to keep warm. When we submerged in water that is colder than our body, our muscles and nerves start to cool and over time and this leads to loss of strength and coordination (not so wonderful)! Here in San Diego, our average ocean temperature is only 63. So what to do?
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The ocean: always changing; always beautiful. I have spent thousands of hours on the shore gazing through my lens at different aspects of the Pacific and I am drawn to the shapes and colors of incoming swells. To me, there is real art in the swell and it only depends on how you choose to capture it. A slow shutter blur is one method that creates beautiful images. Here’s how it is done:
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Shooting waves is one of my favorite types of photography. Over time, I’ve come to realize that it is surprisingly similar to playing golf. What, you may ask? Well, let me explain…
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So the next swell is starting to fill in; the sun is shining; and you want to give surf photography a spin. It sounds simple, but it is anything but! I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen in the water floundering around just struggling in the elements. So before you burden yourself with a camera, take a spin with your hands free. Here’s what you need…
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Color Grading is a technique that few outside the world of art and photography really understand, but which viewers will unknowingly appreciate. It is an essential finishing touch to any photograph and has the ability to dramatically affect mood and appearance. So what is it and how is it done?
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