You probably don’t think too much about the surf photos when you’re flicking through magazines or scrolling your Insty, yes they look nice, they can be inspirational and they make you want to go surf or travel but you rarely think about the actual photo and how it was achieved.
Because somewhere out there is a photographer who shot it, a photographer that has dedicated his life to his art, a photographer eating a lot more noodles than steak, a photographer that’s suffered not surfing the best waves he or she has ever seen just to take photos.
American photographer Jeff Divine once said, “Surf photography is starvation on the road to madness”. So you really should be thankful that this strange, often slightly eccentric, sometimes officially mental, noble breed are so obsessed with getting the shot that they keep doing so even though they could make more money slinging burgers in McDonald’s.
The current crop of UK shooters: Nunn, Sharpy, Smith, Lacey, Gartside et al are the product of nearly eighty years of progression. Nearly eight decades of creativity behind the lens from maverick geniuses that have pioneered techniques in and out of the water; it has been these guys out-of-the-box thinking that has got us to where we are today. Combine these creative minds with the ongoing technological revolution that has seen one hundred years of manual focus replaced by auto focusing and film emulsion replaced by zeros and ones and you get to the current stellar, mind-blowing level of photos you seen month in, month out in the magazines and online.
So where did it begin? Who was the first surf photographer? The first photo of somebody with a surfboard dates to 1890, who took it nobody knows (its part of the collection at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu), but it’s quite impressive considering photography was only just getting out its experimental early stages at that time.
The first actual surf photographer documenting surf culture as we know it was the hugely talented Tom Blake. A pioneer in every sense of the word, he revolutionised board construction, was the first man to put a fin on a surfboard and even invented the sailboard (otherwise known as windsurfer) but his main contribution -that sees him regarded as the father of modern surf photography- was his invention of the first water housing for shooting surfing from the water. It is this surfer’s eye view of the action that makes surf photography unique in the sports photography world and Tom Blake first did it in 1930. He got his first spread in the revered National Geographic magazine in 1935.
It was Blake’s early shots, in particular a watershot of Waikiki that appeared in the Los Angeles Times, that inspired the next great, the first dedicated surf photographer- ‘Doc’ Ball. To give him his full name: John Heath ‘Doc’ Ball first started playing about with cameras as a kid around the time of the First World War and started surfing at a time when there were perhaps twenty riders in the whole of California. He had just started taking a few photos of the burgeoning scene in 1929 with a Kodak Autographic given to him by his dentist father’s assistant but it was Blake’s spread in the L.A. Times that appeared in 1931 which made him dedicate his life to recording surfing and surf culture. Not just capturing the action, he recorded the parties, lifestyle, board makers and everything that goes with it. Like his father he qualified as a dentist and seeing as it was the time of the Great Depression money was tight for photographic gear, but this was a time when you made your own boards and shorts and everything was a bit more DIY. So he traded expensive gold dental work for a better camera with the L.A fire chief and in 1937 he built his first ‘water box’ for his new Graflex camera. It was literally a wooden box with a brass handle on the side, to take a photo he had to pop open a little door at the front and close it again before the water got in. Shooting on 3 x 4” film the results were impressive. He laid the foundations of modern surf photography by always exploring new angles and techniques. The Second World War put the brakes on the development of surfing in California as many great surfers went to war and never came back. Doc became a ship dentist in the Pacific theatre and kept himself sane by bodysurfing whenever he could with the new swim fins invented by Owen Churchill; the swim fins photographers use these days have hardly changed in over 60 years. After the war surfing and Doc’s photography picked up where they left off his photos appearing in newspapers, books and even the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Tragedy struck in 1964 when Doc’s house was hit by a flood and drowned his archive but thanks to the fact he gave copies of hundreds of photos away many of his timeless images survive.
The ‘60s were a great time of change as surfing and surf culture took off in the mainstream. The first surf magazines appeared and for the first time surf photographers had like-minded souls to talk to. Guys like Don James, John Severson (the man that founded Surfer mag), Ron Church, Endless Summer creator Bruce Brown and Leroy Grannis were freed up from the restrictions of heavy medium format cameras by the new lightweight 35mm SLR cameras from Canon and Nikon. Grannis in particular defines the early ‘60s shooting water shots at many of Hawaii’s most famous waves and documenting classic Californian swells.
The mid ’60s saw surfing explode into the world’s consciousness through films and music. The transition from the black and white to colour film mirrored the loosening of society’s attitudes from post-war conservatism to the drug-fuelled psychedelia that followed. This era is encapsulated by one of surf photography’s most tragic heroes: Ron Stoner. He didn’t pioneer colour surf photography but he was the first one to master it. From 1965-1967 he was ‘the man’ at Surfer Magazine, his sublime work blew the doors off the competition, his images were simply better than anyone else’s working at the time. He shot everything: action, water, line-ups, portraits and more. Proof if proof were needed: he had the cover shot of Surfer for six consecutive issues. His beautifully composed images and undeniable talent however had shaky foundations. Stoner was schizophrenic and like many at the time had drug problems. Electroshock therapy in the late ‘60s left him virtually catatonic; he’d given up shooting by 1971, was listed as a missing person in 1977 and declared dead in 1994. What happened to him is an enduring, tragic mystery.
Surfing grew through the ‘70s (as board lengths shortened) with big names like Art Brewer and Jeff Divine documenting the birth of professional surfing. The next pioneer came from a tangential source- skateboarding. Warren Bolster is widely regarded as the most influential skate photographer from the sports 1970s heyday. He was among the first to use fisheye lenses, motor drives and strobes to document the four-wheel culture. Inspiring through his work in Skateboarder magazine, amongst others, the young Tony Hawk. Bolster moved to Hawaii in 1978 where he quickly established himself as an accomplished surf photographer. The innovation he bought to skating continued as he pioneered shooting the North Shore surf from helicopters, developed remote-control board mounted cameras and later on shooting half in/half out water shots with extra large custom made domes. Like Stoner his creative genius came from a mind on the edge, and sadly he committed suicide with a shotgun in 2006.
The ’80s saw great leaps in camera technology and an event that fundamentally changed surf photography in the same way the introduction of the leash changed surfing.
Canon got a jump on the opposition in the late ‘70s introducing the A-1 the first SLR camera to feature one of the new fangled microprocessors; a fancy device that ushered in the era of auto-exposure. Previously photog’s used handheld light meters and crude in camera LED light meters to help them make their settings manually. Canon also debuted their manual focus 800mm lens in 1981, which became the surf photographers long lens of choice for the decade.
Big names of the era include the legendary aquanaut Don King. An Olympic standard water polo player credited with being the first heavy water wide-angle guy. Previously in Hawaii when the surf got solid photographers would shoot with a long lens from the relative safety of the channel. King used the new fisheye lenses to shoot big Pipe and Backdoor from spots previously considered suicidal. He leaves a lasting legacy that we’ll come to later. He’s still shooting now but tends to shoot moving pictures for Hollywood (Blue Crush, Castaway, Lost, etc). Another big name with a lasting influence was Larry Moore, otherwise known as Flame, as a photographer he documented the new high-performance surfing in California of kids like Christian Fletcher and as photo editor of Surfing magazine he instilled a professionalism and mentored younger shooters with a passion that still inspires today. He was also a pioneer of the pole cam, a water housing mounted on a minimum 3-foot pole that enabled a whole new perspective. Initially he created the system as a way to shoot back towards land on otherwise backlit Californian afternoons. The device came into its own as aerial surfing progressed through the 80s and 90s with Santa Cruz’s Tony Roberts defining a whole new look in fisheye action photography.
The history of surf photography has been entirely American so far so it’s time for a notable nod to the Australians… Being a professional surf photographer in the early ‘80s involved a high degree of skill. Manually focusing an 800mm lens on a fast-moving surfer was a skill worth its weight in gold. One of the leading proponents of long lens work was Sarge. Paul Sergeant earned good money shooting Formula One and surfing and was instrumental in the careers of many young surfers notably Occy. He was also the first gonzo surf photojournalist- filing contest reports, photos and stories as he circled the globe following the then extremely hedonistic pro tour. He wasn’t just a casual observer, in true gonzo tradition he was often seen leading the charge and like many photographers eventually had to admit he had a drink and drug problem and ended his career in utter disgrace.
The approaching tipping point in camera technology was the death knell for photographers of Sarge’s generation summed up in a word: autofocus.
Pentax brought in the first autofocus SLR 1981, but it was the arrival of Canon’s EOS system in 1987 that was the beginning of the end of the highly skilled surf photographer. With the arrival of their now industry standard 600mm lens in 1988 and the launch of the EOS1 pro camera body in 1989 pin sharp photos were achievable by anyone that could borrow $10,000 and could stomach the ongoing cost of purchasing and processing slide film. The era of the artisan was over and for the next 10-years surf photographers multiplied like flies and the previous high earnings and respect for the old guard disappeared…
The ’90s saw little in the way of technological advancement, the EOS1 eventually morphed into the EOS1V a camera capable of shooting 10 frames a second meaning you could shoot a whole role of 36 frames of slide film in 3.5 seconds and Nikon finally caught up with Canon in all fields beginning the arms race which continues to this day.
The ’90s was the decade of excess, the surf industry boomed and the top photographers made a good living, guys like Brian Bielmann, Hank, Ted Grambeau, Sean Davey and Chris Van Lennep defined our surfing world with many exotic trips opening up Tahiti, the Mentawais and many more destinations.
The big change of the ‘90s was happening in the background. An American student by the name of Thomas Knoll had been slowly coding an image manipulation program on his monochrome Mac. Which finally saw the light of day in 1990 as Photoshop v1.0. The boffins at the camera companies meanwhile were beavering away on digital technology leading to Kodak bringing out the first commercial digital camera in 1991 a 1.3 megapixel bastard son of a Nikon F3, priced at a cool $20,000US. Canon delivered the more realistically priced D30 at $3000US in 2000 at the time 3 megapixels was considered pretty cool. These days we scoff at that on a mobile phone.
The 21st century has seen another sea change in photography. Digital imaging at first was resisted strongly by the surf fraternity. In the same way that board-shaping machines took the soul out of the shaper’s craft photographers saw digital as eroding the last vestiges of their trade. Even with state-of-the-art light meters in the cameras surf photographers still relied on handheld light meters and simply ‘knowing’ what the light level was and setting their cameras accordingly; because even the most expensive camera in the world still gets confused by white-water. Slide film and processing was expensive and if you didn’t expose a slide correctly then it was ruined, there was no such thing as ‘fixing it’ in Photoshop then. Digital cameras removed the cost of film and stripped away and knowledge necessary to get correct exposures. Modern times see cameras that trained monkeys could take surf photos with. But all is not lost…
The digital age has also ushered in a new era of experimentation and democratisation. Photographers that learnt their trade in the era of film continue to prosper, as long as they’ve come up to speed with the computer geekery essential to being a photographer these days, and to get incredible shots all you need is a £300 GoPro so anyone can shoot. Along with the big lens, the camera and waterhousing the other modern essential is a laptop with as much horsepower under the hood as possible teamed with the latest incarnation of Photoshop.
Removing the cost of film means you’re not throwing 20p down the drain every time you take a duff frame.
Digital has opened up a whole new world, especially with flashes, flash has been used in the water for more than 20 years but inspired by skateboarding again guys like Tom Carey have pioneered using remote flashes (where an assistant swims with a flash unit in its own housing) to develop a whole new genre of surf photo, Dustin Humphrey and Dave Nelson also did sterling work to progress this field.
The other big change, inspired by legends like Don King and Chris Van Lennep, was in the field of heavy water photography. An area, at its peak, dominated by bodyboarders- Mickey Smith, Scott Aichner, Tim Jones, Jeff Flindt and Daniel Russo et al all regularly swam in what can only be termed as life-threatening surf to capture mind boggling fisheye images. Every season they pushed each other deeper and bigger at the three key heavy water photo studios- Pipeline, Puerto Escondido and Teahupoo. Where it will stop nobody knows and there’s now a whole new generation like Leroy Bellet and Zak Noyle getting crazy in the heavy salt.
So here we are in 2016, digital cameras and the arms race between the big two camera manufacturers has peaked, with Canon’s full frame cameras hitting 20MP at 14fps (EOS1DXII) which also shoots 60fps 4K. Nikon’s D4S hits 11fps at 16MP and Sony’s stunning mirrorless A7 range is disrupting established theories.
The tit-for-tat war will only continue incrementally and established surf photographers will moan for a bit and only upgrade when something crazy is added.
A technological plateau has been hit as there’s only so many megapixels we need, future models will be eventually hit 50MP and 4K filming capability is becoming standard. Frame rate wise once SLR cameras hit 24fps they are no longer stills cameras … they are movie cameras which is a whole different tax headache. The point where you can grab a mag spread from a video frame grab is already here with RED cams. In the future photographers will be filmers that are good at picking key frames from footage.
Is there anywhere left to go creatively? You’d think every angle had been exhausted. 80-years and hundreds of surf photography devotees later there is still plenty of room for shots that make you stop and draw breath, Laurent Pujol pioneered the ‘behind in the tube’ shot. Building on early deep swimming work by Billy Morris and others getting smashed getting behind surfers in the tube this evolved into surfers carrying housings themselves, and now GoPros, but the Pujol angle is a huge leap and young Aussie Leroy Bellet has taken it further adding flash to the mix. It’s the very definition of suffering for your art. Every shot end’s in an ass kicking.
Where we go from here is anyone’s guess, the only thing you can guarantee is the strange, charmed breed that label themselves surf photog’s will be out there suffering for their art. The money is awful but the office can’t be beat…
So. Eddie went. For the first time since 2009 the most famous big wave event in the world finally went down at the renowned Waimea Bay.
Pe’ahi has stolen the spotlight in recent years as the bay slumbered. Was the Eddie still relevant now paddle performance was hitting new heights on the neighbouring island of Maui and around the world? In a word: yes.
Waimea’s boil ridden ledge is a unique challenge and the waves from the #Brockswell, named in honour of recently departed legend Brock Little, were the perfect answer. Maxing Waimea, frequent close out sets. Best in 40-years according Eddie’s little bro Clyde who still donned a rashie at 66. It was riveting viewing. Waimea in fugly mood with the world’s best big wave riders keen to honour Eddie and Brock meant for some heroic moments and a good few wipeouts that had to be watched through the fingers. The highlights reel isn’t ready yet but there’s plenty on the WSL YouTube channel.
The early money was on Dorian with a side bet on John Florence and Kelly. But it was the old guard of Ross Clark Jones, still killing it at fifty something, that got an early start. In the end John, from just down the Kam Highway, took the honour. Kind of fitting, he is the new Hawaiian royalty. So the dust settles and we wait for next season. Or maybe another six years before the Eddie goes again…
Official WSL Press Release
John John Florence (HAW) brought a new style and a new generation to big wave surfing today by winning the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, a World Surf League Specialty Event, in waves of up to 60-feet. Florence won $75,000 – the biggest purse in Big Wave riding, with a 4-wave total of 301 out of 400 points.
“I was excited just to be part of the event,” said Florence. “I was so nervous, I thought, oh gosh, I just gotta get through this day and hopefully get a couple of waves!
“I was riding my bike down here this-morning in the dark and just the energy of how many people were parked all the way down the street. I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve never seen it like that. Walking down the beach, like Uncle Clyde was saying, people just screaming, and the energy was so crazy. I’ve never been a part of an event like this. It’s definitely the highlight of my life for sure.
“Biggest of all, I want to say thanks to the Aikau family and Quiksilver for putting on this amazing event. I’ve only seen it run a couple of times in my life so to be a part of it, to be surfing in it, and to actually win it is such a dream come true…against all these legends. These guys are my heroes since I’ve been growing up. And thanks to my mom and my family and all my good friends who are here.”
Florence, 23, edged out previous event winner Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS) with a late charge in his second round heat, posting his top two rides of the day during a flurry of gigantic waves. Better known for his year-round pursuits on the WSL Championship Tour, Florence is fast forging himself a place at the head of the big wave riding movement that is regarded a discipline all its own.
Third place today was Shane Dorian (HAW); fourth went to Jamie Mitchell (AUS); fifth was Kelly Slater (USA); and sixth was Makuakai Rothman (HAW).
A capacity crowd of 25,000 lined the headland-to-headland arena of Waimea Bay, witnessing eight hours of uninterrupted, mind-blowing entertainment. They roared and gasped as the 28-man field offered up fearless rides and more than a few horrific wipeouts from sun up to sun down.
Today’s conditions were the most epic ever for an “Eddie” and will surely go down as the greatest one-day Big Wave event in history. The emotions and energy were on overload with what surfers were calling “Brock’s Swell,” in honor of long-time Eddie invitee and Hawaii Big Wave rider Brock Little, who lost his battle with cancer just last week.
Those who rode today were nothing short of gladiators, armed with surfboards of up to 11-feet in length that were still dwarfed by the ocean’s tonnage. They pitted world-class skills along with their lives against the adrenaline-inducing display of Mother Nature.
The undeniable crowd favorite, drawing a standing ovation wave as he walked from Waimea Bay Beach Park to the shoreline, was 66-year-old Clyde Aikau – Eddie Aikau’s younger brother, who has contested all nine Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational events through 31 years, declaring this to be his last.
In all, 141 dramatic rides were logged today, including gutsy charges by Eddie Aikau rookies Koa Rothman (HAW) and Mason Ho (HAW); last minute Alternate starters Danilo Couto (BRZ) and Ben Wilkinson (AUS); and emotionally charged, seasoned rides by Slater and Dorian, in memory of close friend Brock Little.
The world famous Hawaiian Water Patrol were the bedrock of today’s event, without whose support the organizers would never have been able to call the day “on.” Their safety support and assistance in harrowing moments will see every surfer return home safe tonight.
At times it was as if there were two spectacular events going on at the same time as surfers dropped down feathering walls, and a fleet of rescue jet-skis gunned to outrun avalanches of water as they bolted towards beach or horizon.
Along with the Water Patrol support was the added layer of confidence athletes had with the Quiksilver x Aqua Lung Inflatable Vest – a technology that didn’t exist when The Eddie was last held in December of 2009. Only three of the 28 athletes today competed without a vest.
“It was actually nice to have it, to have the option,” said Ross Clarke-Jones. “Because if I don’t wear it, then I’m going to get hammered. I chose to wear it and I didn’t need it till the last wave. It was the last wave and I thought I’ll pull it anyway because I got pounded and it just came out like a breeze. It’s an incredible piece of equipment.”
Each surfer contested two rounds of 1-hour, 7-man heats, with their top four scoring rides at the end of the day producing their final event score. Each ride was scored out of a total of 100 points, with size of wave, critical nature of the take-off, and successful completion of a ride all factors.
Oahu’s Aaron Gold was awarded today with the The Quiksilver GO Challenge for a massive wave ridden at Pe’ahi a month ago that has been estimated at more than 70 feet. The special award was offered up to all Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Invitees and Alternates for the biggest, most critical wave ridden in the Hawaiian Islands during the holding period of this event up to today. Gold won $10,000 for his efforts.
The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau is the original one-day, Big Wave surfing event, started in memory of Hawaiian waterman, Waimea Bay lifeguard and Big Wave pioneer Eddie Aikau. What started 31 years ago to pay tribute to Aikau, has grown to become an almost mythic event whose elusiveness has only fueled its global appeal. The Eddie only runs when wave face heights reach a minimum of 40 feet at Waimea Bay… a day so rare it has only happened nine times in 31 years. Today was one of those days.
Highlights from the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau are available at WorldSurfLeague.com
The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Final Results:
1 – John John Florence (HAW) 301
2 – Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS) 278
3 – Jamie Mitchell (AUS) 249
4 – Kelly Slater (USA) 238
5 – Dave Wassel (HAW) 230
Thought his tale from Boydie’s Instagram was worth sharing as it’s got a serious and useful message for all. Photos by Mal Anderson.
To any of you who know this spot (which won’t be named on here), unless you are extremely familiar with the spot, an expert surfer and very strong paddler please do not EVER surfer here on an OUT-GOING tide and when you surf here don’t sit deep! If you are deeper than the guys who surf here regularly there is something wrong!
Yesterday, despite warnings from myself and Dave (on different instances) two guys who were very intermediate surfers (and should have never been out there in those conditions anyway) and also one more advanced surfer- were caught in what is renowned as being a very strong current- this happens all too often at this spot due to peoples lack of knowledge and/or not listening to advice from locals and usually people realise quick enough and paddle their hearts out to get out of it. Fortunately one of the intermediate guys struggled his way our of the rip and the more advanced surfer did too (he was caught in it earlier in the day and confessed not to having listened to my advice and was exhausted and scared after a half an hour gruelling paddle to safety). This left one of the intermediate surfers caught in the rip. I had kept an eye on him while I surfed to see his progress getting back and it was ruining my surf a little bit as I started to get concerned. I said to myself I’ll get a couple more waves then walk round to check on him. I estimate by the time I had walked round the guy may have been paddling hard out for around 40mins. On my way walking round I said to Mal to keep an eye on him (most people hadn’t noticed him) and to keep his phone handy in case the guy’s situation got worse. When I got there it looked like he was beginning to give up and was even sitting on his board waving for help- he was definitely panicking. The guy has been paddling AGAINST the rip the whole time (never paddle against a current) and was being dragged further and further out exhausted. I was really concerned at this point and I couldn’t go after him (then two of us would be in trouble). I started screaming and waving my board to get his attention- it took some time. When I finally got his attention…
I directed him in with my board and hand signals. He seemed to kind of listen and I felt relief. But then he changed his mind and continued again against the current and I could see him moving backwards again ???? [[ Further out to sea at this particular spot is one of the most dangerous stretches of water imaginable- the strength of the tide combined with the huge swell travelling against them causes standing waves the size of small houses – I don’t even know if a lifeboat could rescue you or even find you in amongst that (if you would even last long enough in that turbulence to be worth rescuing). ]] I screamed and screamed until I was losing my voice to make him listen to me ????. This was the point I almost ran back round the corner to ask a friend to call the lifeboat- I tried to weigh it up, as I didn’t want a false alarm for the lifeboats but yet had the situation worsened rapidly how could I live with myself being so close to making that decision but deciding to wait- I opted to give him literally 30 seconds more to listen to my instruction.
Finally again he was taking my instruction, at this point I was exhausted from the screaming and waving! But he was listening and making slow progress… I knew he was almost giving up so I was shouting and air paddling with him, trying to motivate him and give him rhythm to follow praying he wouldn’t give up or stop for even a second.
Then our prayers were answered! A medium set wave was approaching! (Some of the bomb set waves this day were 3x the size of me) ????????. This was a good thing! The wave would help push him onto the rocks and at this point ROCKS are you friend! Dry land! I was elated with relief????. I shouted and screamed and directed by waving and pointing my board for him to continue and catch the wave… But he ignored my instruction…turned around…scared of the wave…paddled back out to sea…back into the current…and back into danger! ????. Demonstrating his complete lack of knowledge of the sea. I was about in tears at this point screaming so hard hardly a sound was coming out sometimes ????????. I resumed directing and shouting, I think he realised my dismay at the decision he had made and resumed following my rhythm paddling. Again, he was making slow progress thankfully. He must have been knackered! He finally made it into shallow water, and eventually up onto the rocks between set waves.
I ran down to greet him, well, actually express my anger at him. Maybe I shouldn’t have been angry at him, he was probably in shock having been through that ordeal but my adrenaline was up high having felt responsible for his outcome and I although he had been panicked I’m not sure if he quite appreciated just how much danger he was in and how close he came to being lost at sea (or his fate being in the hands of the lifeboat crew in those waters). I was angry at him because a) he had ignored our warnings before had even went surfing b) he had ruined my surf being stressed out about the safety of these guys c) he ignored the instruction of someone more experienced than him repeatedly d) i don’t even think by his reaction on land he quite understood the severity of his situation, maybe he did, he said he appreciated my concern.
I hope he reads this… Stay safe guys, know your limits, listen to advice of those more experienced than you, learn about the sea if you intend to spend time in it.
I hope this post gets the message out about the dangers of this spot- otherwise it will only be a matter of time before a life is lost here.
To quote Bodhi from Point Break “twice a century the ocean let’s us know just how small we really are”.This, probably due to Climate Change, is more like 3 times a year but the albeit cheesy line really does resonate with me. There is nothing quite like capturing a storm unfolding in front of your eyes. You feel tiny and insignificant when you see Mother Nature at her most emphatic. Sixty-foot waves hurtling towards you often look like some kind of scene from a disaster movie but if you stay safe there’s no disaster, just the ultimate 5D experience.
Why do I shoot the storms?
It has become addictive if I am honest. I’m not saying that what I’m doing is some kind of extreme sport but it definitely gives you a massive adrenalin rush and getting the perfect shot is really satisfying. If the swell chart looks big it is almost impossible to resist getting out there in the thick of it with my camera. Searching for the spots that will look most dramatic is awesome fun and truly exhilarating.
How do I know where to get the best shots?
You need to know the area you are shooting well. I have lived in Cornwall just about all my life and there are still so many spots I’ve not seen. However, over the years I have learned which big wave spots look good on camera. This knowledge, combined with understanding swell and weather charts means I know where to be at what time.This doesn’t necessarily mean it all goes to plan though! There are so many factors that contribute or hinder when trying to get a good shot. Most recently, with storm Imogen I was lucky enough to have some amazing light to work with. Normally when a storm sweeps in it brings with it dark weather and more importantly heavy rain. There’s no doubt my equipment takes a battering which is hard to witness. Even with the sun during storm Imogen I had downpours of seawater drenching me on each big wave that smashed against the cliffs. At the time I just thought about getting the shot and not my poor camera!
Staying Safe
Staying safe is a massive part of “storm chasing”, a term coined for someone who proactively endeavors to watch the storms up close. It’s a term that is now becoming increasingly familiar throughout the country after three winters worth of dramatic weather. It is a horrible side to these storms, but you know that if one is in town there is most likely going to be severe damage to homes and businesses as well as the possibility of injury and loss of life. Storms aren’t good for everyone and I don’t forget that but just concentrate on the artistic side of things when snapping away.
Storm chasing does not need to be dangerous and it is pretty easy to stay safe if you follow what are mainly common sense guidelines. I don’t go anywhere close to waves that can wash you away in an instant; I get caught by sea spray but never a wave itself. There are often times during a high tide spell where a huge rogue wave can roll in and catch people off guard in a split second. You can be gone and pulled into the sea where your chances of getting out alive are slim. To put it simply I make sure I am a safe distance away from the real gnarly stuff! The problem with these storms becoming increasingly photographed and promoted via news and social media is that everyone (myself included) wants to out do each other. There is no point risking your life for a photo in my opinion so stay back and watch from high up, away from the ocean!
Equipment and Kit
My specific equipment requirements are imperative to a successful storm photography session. As I have already touched upon, my equipment does suffer from the elements. The expensive cameras these days can handle a fair bit of water from rain but sea salt and seawater find their way into everything and can cause problems. My lifesaver would you believe are tiny tissues that are lens friendly. With winds pushing 100mph your glass stays clear for maybe 5 seconds (if you’re lucky), so the need for something to clear that glass without scratching it is vital. Aside from that, plenty of waterproof clothing and more importantly a waterproof rain cover for the camera bag. I always have a change of clothes in the car as I am inevitably going to get soaked through. A warm hat doesn’t go a miss either!
In terms of what I shoot with, I am a Nikon boy and it hasn’t failed me yet (touch wood). The body I use is my D750, a lovely camera well equipped for darker times when the light is dropping. My favourite lens for storm shots has to be my 70-200mm beast. It produces some beautiful quality at weddings and does a fine job capturing wave lineups, surfers and storms too! Using a telephoto lens often helps really accentuate perspective. People have commented on my photos in the past saying they are ‘Photoshopped’ and I don’t blame them, as it sometimes does appear unreal. I never manipulate an image to trick the viewer and my photos always show what is really there but a telephoto lens can just help bring out that all-important perspective when shooting waves approaching buildings or landmarks.
What Next?
I am always on the look out for the next storm approaching as I am never 100% satisfied with the shots I get. The best thing about it is seeing the natural world so fierce and dramatic in quite beautiful settings. Sadly though we are facing worrying times in relation to Climate Change and these storms are likely to continue and get worse. Of course I love photographing them for personal purposes and my portfolio but I also vow to continue using my photography as a tool for change, raising awareness for our environment and the need to protect it.
The slumbering beast that is the Cribbar awoke today for a feisty little morning session. Newquay’s fickle, tricky and unpredictable big wave spot is never an easy option. That didn’t stop a grom crew of George Hudson, Seth Hughes, Kamron Matthews, Angus Scotney and Jack Powers taking it on for the first time under the watchful eye of Tom Butler (pic below).
The groms didn’t disappoint and have now all worn a bigger wave on the head than they could ever imagine. Trouble with the Cribbar is there are minimum two peaks and to sit on one where the medium size more consistent waves break you run the risk of being mown down by the rare big sets. Still. This was all about experience and getting to understand the playing field. We tip our hats to you grommets who to a man paddled into the abyss.
ps: How the heck is the plume on Tom’s wave at the 2.15 mark? Like a ruddy depth charge going off…
Whilst Buttsy took off one bomb he snapped his leash going under the two behind it which led to a long swim in. Didn’t faze the youth they carried on as he disappeared around the headland.
As Jack commented on Tom’s Insty: So sick being out there with you today Tom best experience I’ve had surfing so far, cheers.
The real drama happened after the session when two windsurfers got in a bit of bother and had to be rescued by the lifeboat and various other emergency services.
Angus
Kamron
Line up and note the two groms in a very uncomfortable place…
Friends, brethren, comrades … rejoice! The permanent grey blanket that’s enveloped the UK for months has gone for a laundry day. The sun is actually out and one of those frosty, bluebird winter days we dream of has finally happened. About time as there’s only so much gale force wind and monsoonal rain anyone can cope with in one winter. Sure it’s been the warmest, but also the wettest, so whilst the leccy bills aren’t too savage the flooding bill is. Blame El Nino, blame global warming, blame natural variation in an insanely complex weather machine … whatever the cause we don’t like it.
2015 was a record-breaking year. Global mean temperatures reached 1°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time pic.twitter.com/YWzmTfWCgv
It’s these crisp, offshore, bracing days that make being a British surfer in winter doable. The little blasts of vitamin D (and sea) staves off the winter blues and keeps us from living in the the pub sheltering from yet another storm.
So. Mama Nature. More of the same please. Just leave off with the frosty car windscreens eh? Ta.
Shots by Sharpy
Fistral moment v1
Fistral moment v2
Fistral moment v3
Fancy ass plane
Ben Skinner battling the offshore
Watergate walls
Pick your peak
