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?
barrels
Spongers Through the Lens
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:
Continue readingDocumenting California’s 50 Year Swell
What an amazing run of swell we have enjoyed here in Southern California. Pundits call it a once in 50 years kind of swell. I call it “busy time.” As a surf photographer, the opportunities have been broad and the toughest part has been choosing where to shoot every morning.
Continue readingSurf Photography – Knowing the Sport
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:
Continue readingSurf Photography – Hacks for Staying Warm
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?
Continue readingShooting Waves: Similar to Playing Golf?
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…
Continue readingShooting in the Waves: A Good Pair of Fins!
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…
Continue readingChasing Waves: Photo Gear to Bring on a Surf Trip
There is something special about a surf trip to an exotic locale. It is even more special when your son calls you in the middle of winter and invites you to be the photographer on his surf trip to Panama! When such events occur, I’m all in. Having done a number of surf trips, I have learned a few things about traveling with photo gear. Here are some tips I have gathered along the way.
Continue readingIn the Water Surf Photography – Lining up the perfect shot
You’ve seen the images from Hawaii, California, the Mentawais: close up surf shots looking right down the barrel with the surfer seeming to pop out of the picture. It seems easy, but this type of image may be one of the most complex sport shots to capture. Let’s unfreeze the photograph for a moment and put this all into perspective.
Continue readingBig Blue – An Image of All that is Right with the Ocean
As a photographer who has spent thousands of hours in the ocean, I most relish the time spent in the barrel when, amongst the chaos and churning, there is that idyllic moment when everything lines up just so. The inside of a wave as it curves up and launches over your head becomes smooth, translucent and flowing. The texture here is like glass, even if the rest of the ocean is churning in a wind-swept frenzy. Here, in the barrel, gravity and movement reshape and recolor your environment. It is often just a fleeting moment, but a moment in time so perfect, so special, that time slows just enough for nature to imprint this vista on your soul.
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