Picture this… the waves are pumping, the wind is light, the sun is shining – it is a perfect day. And as your friends suit up and start waxing their boards, you watch them enviously, because, on one of the best days of the year, you have left your surfboard at home. Sounds like a nightmare, right? Believe it or not this is the sadistic situation that I recommend to the hordes of aspiring surf photographers who email us asking about what cameras, lenses and water-housings they should buy to become the next Tim Nunn.
“In such situations, no matter who you are, my advice to you is always the same… smile”
Wait for a perfect day, leave your board at home and swim out to watch your friends surf. If you end up full of regret, hating your friends and deciding that you’d much rather be a surfer than a surf photographer, then don’t be too hard on yourself as this is a perfectly healthy reaction. lf, however, you see potential cover shots and start declaring that you’re stoked just to see other people ride waves, then you, my friend, are cursed and are ready to get yourself into a lot of debt. Now, if it happens to be your friend sacrificing a perfect day to show their commitment to the art, take my advice and encourage them every step of the way, because their affliction is your ticket to having a wall covered in shots of you surfing.
Such surfer/photographer relationships can even end up taking you places. Photographer Tim Nunn and surfer Ian Battrick now have a book full of epic photos from some of the coldest waves in the world (p.30). Filmmaker Tim Davies and surfer Alan Stokes have spent the last three years hunting perfection for their videos (p.48). Photographer Dave Muir and surfer James Parry are inspiring a new generation with stylish logging shots (p.26). Filmmaker Chris McOlean and surfer Gabe Davies are taking core British surfing to the masses (p.42). Photographer Mark Thompson and surfer Scott Dennis have been shooting gold in-between their day jobs (p.70). And filmmaker Kai Neville and surfer Dane Reynolds win awards whenever they do photo trips (p.56). We go behind the scenes with all of them to find out how they work together. Of course, if all of this sounds a little serious and expensive for you, Tim Nunn‘s Behind the Shot this issue is one that can be taken with almost any camera – even a phone – by almost any photographer – even an idiot. I know this because I’m the idiot that took it (p.68).
We also have a new columnist starting this issue; a landlocked, middle aged, single mother who has a year to get from trying to stand up on a surfboard to surfing the heavy, hollow reefs on the north east coast of England. As it happens, she is also a photographer, although unfortunately l don’t think that’s going to help her in this situation (p.24). Even if photography is not your bag, in these days when everyone has cameras, chances are you are going to come face to face with one or two in your surfing life. Whether you are on an exotic photo shoot or just making the most of an average day at your local beach. Whether you are a weekend warrior or the best surfer in the world; you never know when one of these strange surf photographers will aim a lens in your direction. In such situations, no matter who you are, my advice to you is always the same… smile. After all, you’re the one surfing, you’re not the one with the curse.
Greg Martin
Editor (and happy chap)