Surfer Shooter Dynamics
OK, I shot some paddle out surfers this morning in Half Moon Bay CA., we had surf warnings.
I'd like to go further away for surfer shots, so I'm trying to get my head around what I should look for, when planning a day trip.
Some of my observations for C&C:
1. Outgoing tide has the waves breaking further away from beach, therefore surfers get further away from lens. Is high surf incoming tide better?
2. Older surfers are heavier, therefore they need larger swells, based on what i saw in HMB over 2 sessions. I was there for over an hour and some guys never took a swell.
3. Waiting for the perfect wave is boring to someone used to motor sports. Add that to the time it takes to paddle out - may mean there is a correlation.
4. I'm guessing Hawaii is a better place to photograph surfers. They don't have to wear black wetsuits to battle the cold (it was cold here this morning) or hats. I'm just saying the subjects are more interesting with waving hair & colored trunks.
Just trying to get the hang of it..
I'd like to go further away for surfer shots, so I'm trying to get my head around what I should look for, when planning a day trip.
Some of my observations for C&C:
1. Outgoing tide has the waves breaking further away from beach, therefore surfers get further away from lens. Is high surf incoming tide better?
2. Older surfers are heavier, therefore they need larger swells, based on what i saw in HMB over 2 sessions. I was there for over an hour and some guys never took a swell.
3. Waiting for the perfect wave is boring to someone used to motor sports. Add that to the time it takes to paddle out - may mean there is a correlation.
4. I'm guessing Hawaii is a better place to photograph surfers. They don't have to wear black wetsuits to battle the cold (it was cold here this morning) or hats. I'm just saying the subjects are more interesting with waving hair & colored trunks.
Just trying to get the hang of it..
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1. I prefer shooting at high tide for the same reason you state, the surfers are closer to the camera. My longest lens is 300mm which is really marginal for surf photography so the closer they are the better.
2. I'm not sure I've ever noticed this. I think the decision to take a swell or not is a personal decision for the surfer. Some might wait for the perfect wave which never comes. Others might wait for a wave more consistent with their skill levels. Others may just like laying out there in the ocean watching the action from that perspective. Who knows?
3. For me as a photographer, waiting for the next swell is extremely boring and I often lose patience and leave if the surf is too slow.
4. I agree. Unfortunately, California is not Hawaii, Australia, or Fiji where the water is warm, the surf high almost every day, and the surfers are always colorful. In California, I think, the surf is much better in the winter months so we're stuck with the black wet suits in the best surf. In the summer when the wet suits come off, the surf isn't usually that exciting so neither is surfer photography.
I usually wait for several conditions to be present before shooting surfers:
1. Obviously, there needs to be a decent surf with large enough waves at short intervals so my patience doesn't give out waiting too long between sets.
2. The water needs to be clean and clear.
3. The sky needs to be blue otherwise I'm shooting black wetsuits against gray skies and gray water. Not too exciting. B&W conversions may be interesting so maybe I'll experiment with that sometime.
4. The waves need to be breaking close enough to the beach so I can get a decent shot without having to zoom and crop too much in post.
If there's a pier in your area you might try shooting from that so you're closer to the action, and you can shoot from the surfer's side or even from the rear for some interesting perspectives.
But, when all is said and done, shooting surfers is an excellent excuse to be at the beach and sometime that's good enough for me.
Best wishes and happy shooting,
www.socalimages.com
Artistically & Creatively Challenged
Since I can't upload my surf pictures now (smugmug down for a bit), I thought I'd send a reply.
Just got back from hawaii. It is more fun taking pictures there, especially if it's sunny. They're still in bikini's there. Of course if it starts pouring rain, it's not as fun.
Here's what I've gleaned from surf picture taking. And you're pictures are good BTW, sharp.
Here's my gleaning from a couple years of taking surf pictures and I still suck.
1. Some breaks are easier to shoot from the beach. Depends on what's under the water. So some waves break close to shore, and some, are far.
2. high tide does make it easier for the camera, but sometimes if the water is too high, the swell dies down. A falling tide is supposedly better for surfing.
3. people on pointy boards do more fun stuff to take pictures of than those on long, roundy ended boards, in general. Unless they're nose-riding or doing a handstand. You want to catch them at a cricital point.
4. Piers and rock jetties are great for taking pictures from. though, you get a funny angle from a pier.
5. One thing I read in a surf magazine, is to try to get a sense of location in the photo. This is pretty hard from the beach. I suspect you have to get wet to see the background (beach, buildings, palm trees) in most surf pictures.
6. one thing a surfer told me, never cut off a man's spray. So I always crop pictures so all the spray from a turn shows.
Surf contests are fun since they send out a new crop of un-tired people for you to shoot every 15 to 20 minutes and they're all desperate to do something exciting just for you, and the judges. heh.
Land sports: http://scippix.smugmug.com/
Excellent point. Probably get some first class wipe outs too....
They seem a bit too tight for surfing shots..
surf shots tend to be pulled back a bit to show more of the wave..
as for high tide etc, the waves do break in closer to the beach but sometimes at low tide the waves are hollower, thus betterer..
but it depends on the break and swell etc...
cheers,
steve
Blog + Twitter
In trying to get my arms around surfing shots and so far, I think you have two subjects in a surf shot. I believe you have to allocate the image real estate to favor the surfer or the wave. The waves in pix above were not very big so the surfer was the subject. The waves below were the subject
Just my .02
Thanks for the comment mate
Gotta get on a boat, the Mav boat is too expensive $300 for 3 hrs.
I hope the waves are better than last years. A little sun in the morning would be nice (are you listening up there?)
Timing
As far as surfing is concerned, low tide is the best. Remember, waves are caused by the swell building up because the depth of water gets shallow. Low tide is when you will find the shallowest depth so the waves will be bigger, faster, and steeper. They will pitch out more so you will get more barrels or "tubes". High tide tends to shut-down a swell; the better surfers go home at this time.
Early morning and late afternoon (glass-off) is also the best time to surf. Typically there is less wind at those times and also those times coincide with low tide. It's nice that this is also the best time to photograph. Wind is not typically good for surf, although some spots will be sheltered and it can cause waves sizes to increase. Usually though, it chops the water and causes the surf to lose shape.
This is more technical but big surf is not always the best time to shoot. Sometimes on 4-5 foot days, you will get more action becuase it's easier to paddle out, less fatigue. Also, some swells have shorter intervals between waves, where other's have long intervals. The former is obviously better because you'll have more surfing and less bobbing. You can check for daily surf and weekly forecast here so you know when it's a better time to go: http://www.surfline.com/home/index.cfm
Places to Find Better Surfers
You want to find point or reef breaks. Or you sometimes find great surf spots near piers or jetties. For the most part, you want to avoid beach breaks... IOW, just open strands of beach. Next time you go, ask around... let the guys know you're photographing them and they will tune you into where to go. But make sure to let them know you will not advertise the spot... we get a little worried that this will bring the kooks out to our favorite spots. Kooks are guys that are learning, but more so that they have no ettiquette and are dangerous to themselves and others around them. We don't mind people that are learning, actually it's encourage. We just expect a little respect and to know your limits.
Vantage Point
The spots I mention above may facilitate taking pictures also since you can often walk out on the rocks or the jetty to get a closer vantage point. The only problem is that the waves will break away so you will get a lot of back facing shots. You really want to be to the side so the wave is breaking towards you. This is the best vantage point to getting the best "movement" in the picture.
Focus your attention on the surfers close to the line up... basically furthest out, closest to where the wave first begins to pitch out. It's a pecking order out there and this is where the top dogs will usually setup. The further you get away from this point, the less experience the surfer will probably have. Not always, as sometimes you just don't want to deal with the crowds and you sit inside and gobble up smaller waves.
I've never surfed Half Moon but I know you get some pretty good surfers out that way. Lots of long boarders though. You want action, follow the short boards. Don't assume Hawaii is better for surf photography. Some of the best guys come out of California. We do have the cold water, but towards the summer time when the water is really warm (70 degrees
Hope this stuff helps.
Alex
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Honestly though, I think they would love it and you can probably get them to ham it up a bit more.
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Hrumph!
Actually, paddling is just as demanding as any other part of surfing. I can't even count how many people I have taken out with me that want to "learn to surf". Typically, during the days before we go out, they ask me questions about how to stand up and what to do once they do stand up on a wave. I tell them not to worry so much about that stuff and just go out to have fun and that it will eventually fall into place.
The day reckoning then comes and I can't help but laugh when after only 20 minutes in the water, they call it quits and are laying in the sand or, if they actually make it out pass the break, they just lay across the board exhausted.
The one or two people that came out for a second try, I then take a bit more time to teach them some basics on paddling and how to get passed the breakwater.
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