This 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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Photography Exhibition: What’s on the Wall?
Readers, I am thrilled to share that I have been asked to do a solo photography exhibition on Nov 11. It will be held at the Emerald C Gallery in Coronado and I hope you can all attend. So what have I decided to show? I will share some previews here:
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 readingSurf Photography – Utilizing the Background
We have all seen dozens of surf shots, ranging from the out-of-focus speck on the horizon to crystal clear action in the massive barrels of Teahupoo. Guess which ones we are drawn to? Of course, its the full-framed action shots with color and clarity. Alas, we can’t always be in Tahiti during a killer swell. Instead, 90% of the time we are shooting at the local break with waves that are typically too small to fill the frame themselves. So what can we do to make those shots enticing?
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.
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