The photograph that caught the eye of the judges in our 2022 Carve Photo comp was this shot titled “Shoot the Pier” of a surfer riding through the New Brighton Pier in NZ at sunrise, stood out from the crowd taken by Swanseas Sean Pritchard.
Born and raised in Swansea, Wales, in the UK, Sean has travelled all over the world chasing his passion and even spent seven years as a resident in New Zealand.
“I am incredibly stoked to take out the 2022 competition with so many incredible photographers taking part,” said Sean. “New Brighton is an often-overlooked suburb of Christchurch, yet there is so much beauty there. Sunrise at the pier is always an incredible experience.”
“The standard of photography within surfing is high, and this is a true honour to be recognised in this way. Being from Wales and having lived in New Zealand for over seven years, I am especially proud to have showcased the incredible scenery and surf of both countries.”
Sean returned to Wales after the pandemic in summer 2022.
“Hiraeth is a Welsh word that has no direct English translation; however, it is likened to a homesickness and nostalgia for your homeland, tinged with grief and sadness over the lost or departed.
You can take the boy out of Wales, but you can’t take Wales out of the boy. I haven’t explored much of Wales, so I’m genuinely excited to travel and seek out surf breaks in my homeland.”
He added: “I only started properly pursuing surf photography as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was actually the first year I have entered the competition.”
“The most difficult thing for me was taking the initial step and putting myself out there. This is something I believe many creatives contend with. I struggled for years with notions like “Their photos are better than mine” or “They’ve been doing it for years”.
“It’s a sentiment we come across a lot and one we would like any budding surf photographers to overcome.’ said Carve editor Steve England The surf comp is favourite time of year and we have had some incredible photos sent in from Britain and Ireland’s best photographers and their photos. But the best part is seeing amazing shots from lesser known photographers. The thing is with photography is that you don’t have to be a pro, you don’t have to have the best gear, you just have to have an eye for the moment.”
If you would like to contribute to Carve see our guidelines here
Sean won a portfolio in the new issue out now (order here), plus over £700 of prizes outlined below.
The prize bundle:
Full interview with your portfolio in Carve issue 215
Rip Curl Anti series jacket RRP: £249.99
Rip Curl über warm and comfy socks RRP: £19.99
Rip Curl Beanie RRP: £19.99
Sunset Sessions Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle RRP: £28
Carve heavy-weight Sunset Sessions Organic Hoodie: £45
Carve Sunset Sessions Organic Tee RRP: £25
Amazing Waves book: £24.95
Wayward by Chris Burkhard RRP: £25
Breathtaking photographs and deeply personal stories from a leading surfing and nature photographer, conservation advocate Chris Burkhard.
Carve subscription: £39
A case of Offshore 12x330ml can and an Offshore neon sign RRP: £25.99
dryrobe® Advance Long Sleeve: The original, weatherproof, outdoor change robe. Stay protected from the elements by a durable waterproof outer and super-warm, fast drying inner. Made with 100% recycled fabrics. RRP: £160
The dryrobe® Compression Travel Bag: Easily pack your dryrobe® Advance for any flight or trip where space is limited. Made using 100% recycled nylon fabric. RRP: £30
+ More to come
Above: Money Trees, making it rain. Grajagan, Indonesia Photo: Myles McGuinness
T+C’s
Got to run these because law. – No cash alternatives to the prize. By entering you agree to allow Carve (Orca Publications) using your photo in the mag and online (You will be credited or tagged when we do). No one else will use your photo. We will contact those in the final selection directly. We can’t answer all messages or emails so bear with us.