Let’s set the scene: its December. The water is cold. The sky is iron grey. The waves are clean, but small. What will the mood be? There’s only one way to find out…
Continue readingHappy Days In December
surfing
From Gloom to Glory: The Art of Surfing Under Variable Skies
May Grey is followed by June Gloom and the chance of securing good surf photos is cloudy at best. Every so often, however, the sun pops out in all its glory, lighting the scene and filling it with color. While hard to plan, it is those moments that I target for a surf photography session. Saturday was just one such case…
Continue readingThe Piers of San Diego
San Diego County is home to some of California’s most iconic ocean piers—each with its own personality, history, and coastal charm. These piers aren’t just for fishing or strolling; they offer front-row seats to the Pacific and a glimpse into Southern California lifestyle.
Continue readingSharing 25+ years of secrets to Surf Photography
Rarely does a week go by during the surf season where I’m not asked for help by other photographers who want to shoot better surf images. Equipment, settings, setup and especially editing are all on the list of questions I get. So….at your collective request, I have created an on-line course just for you.
Continue readingFaces of Surf
The past week has been a week of tragedy for our neighbors in Los Angeles. We all have friends and family that have lost houses and the situation is horrible. I’m going to take a break for a moment and share some happy shots just to change the mood…
Continue readingSurf Photography Using High ISO
Have you unlocked the full potential of your high end camera? If you are not actively using ISO as an integral tool, I would suggest you are leaving money on the table. Here’s why
Continue readingContest Surfing – When the Skills Shine
As summer gives way to fall, the number of surf contests in Southern California start to ramp up. The NSSA, WSA, SSS, West Coast Board Riders and others start their scheduled events before the first winter swells even grace our shores. Read on…
Continue readingThe Half and Half Story
Shooting in the water is at times super frustrating, but the rewards can be so worth the effort. I get a lot of questions on how this image came about so I invite you to click below to read the story behind this image.
Continue readingWhy Does Surfing Make Us Happy?
I spend a lot of time on the shore and in the water shooting surfers. With few exceptions, I find that we surfers are generally a super happy group. Why is that? My thoughts….
Continue readingShooting for Sponsors
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 readingA (Surf) Break From Tragedy
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 readingIs Surf Photography Art?
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 readingBodysurfing In The Big Stuff
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 readingBodyboarding The Winter Swell
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 readingBig ‘Ol Black’s
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 readingSurf Photography With No Blues or Greens
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 readingWhich Surf Spot Has the Best Vibe?
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 readingThe Importance of Backdrop
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 readingSurf Photography When there is no Sun
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 readingFighting to Keep our Beaches Clean
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…
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