To get the ball rolling...

To get the ball rolling here are some recent examples of some surf photographs I have taken...

Below each I have included information on the camera setting and lens used etc for those who may be interested and a couple of general points on the pictures.

Surf photographer and surfer Al Mackinnon: 1/8000 @ f5.6, ISO200, Nikon D2x, 500mm f2.8

The picture of Al Mackinnon was taken early in the morning and as you can see the sun was very low in the sky and almost coming directly into the lens, this can present a number of exposure problems if your not careful and it is very easy for the 'highlights' in a picture to get blown out.

I always shoot in manual exposure mode, allowing me to control both the shutter speed and the aperture, and as long as your aware of the potential problem it can be overcome or, in this case, used for effect. It becomes a trade off, in the picture here I have sacrificed details in the shadow areas in order to control the highlights as much as possible. The result is a nice 'contre-jour' (towards the sun) picture showing Al, almost in silhouette with nice 'specular highlights' on the face of the wave. Check out Al's work at http://www.almackinnon.com/

Unknown surfer, 1/180 @ f8, Nikon D2x, 14mm f2.8 lens, ISO 100

Photographed from a high vantage point on a very misty day on the beach in Saltburn, (I can name Saltburn beach in the photos as this can hardly be regarded as a secret spot!) as a lone surfer walks back from the water after a session. Don't disregard the chance to take surf pictures just because the weather might not be the typical definition of 'perfect' sometimes you can still get good atmospheric pictures without the action. And let's be honest, on the North Yorkshire coast your more likely to get crappy weather than good!

Surfer Robbie Hildreth, 1/6400 @ f5.6, Nikon D2x with 500mm f2.8, ISO 200

Similiar conditions to the shot of Al above, this time the picture is turned into a black and white version in photoshop, no other photoshop trickery here really, apart from a levels adjustment and probably a crop to tidy it up but that's about it, the key things with this picture, away from the technical issues are 1) The viewpoint, yes, it's shot from the 'beach', nothing special there but it's behind Robbie as he performs his move and gives a slightly different perspective than you would normally see and as a result makes it different, and 2) Timing is everything! As with any sport, if you actually 'see' the height of the action through your viewfinder then you have missed the shot, it's about anticipation and following the action and knowing when to press the button, there is only one way to get the hang of this - practice, practice, practice and take loads of surf photos. It's digital, it's free.

TOP TIP: One way to practice your surf action photography if there is no surf is to get your camera, lens and monopod (more on equipment later), stick your favourite surf movie on and sit on your couch and photograph the action as it happens on the screen in front of you, then review your images and see if your capturing the height of the action. You might feel like a bit of a prat and your mates will definately take the piss if they catch you but you get good practice and your 'hit rate' of good shots will improve! Trust me, been there.

Tom Davis, 1/3200 @ f5.6, Nikon D2x, 12mm f 2.8 lens, ISO 200

This was part of a series of pictures I did for local surfer and shaper Tom Davis (more on this in another post coming soon). The shot is a relatively simple silhouette. Taking silhouette's is technically pretty easy: In manual mode, expose for the sky (not the sun), compose and shoot. Job done, pretty much anyway, have a play with the exposure for different levels of effect and also consider your composition. In this picture I used the sun directly behind Tom to create a 'halo' effect, (It's the only way Tom's gonna get a halo!!) which helps to lift the picture.

To work well, a silhouette should be a subject that is quite dynamic and recognisable because the shape of the silhouette is where the strength lies within the picture.

Check out http://www.morning-glass.co.uk/ for Tom's shaping work.

Paul Ross, longboarder, 1/1000 @ f4, Nikon D2x and 500mm f2.8 lens, ISO 250

One of THE most important things in photography is, LIGHT, no surprises there really when you think about what photography actually is. It applies just as much to surf photography as anything else. Good light will lift a picture so much and will make your job easier and harder in equal amounts. Easier because the quality of the image is improved so much with good light, the 'depth' in the picture is more apparent instead of a 'flat' picture and this makes a big difference.

(A 'flat' picture example- imagine a photograph of a surfer, in a black wet suit, surfing on dark, grey waves, in the winter on a wet day off the North-East coast - Sounds like every day surfing in the North East!! - The final picture will be flat and lifeless. My advice then is to leave the camera in the car and go for a surf.

But good light is also a potential problem because you have to be aware of how the light is falling on your subject, in this case, Paul. The light here is falling onto his face as he rides towards the sun which improves the picture, but if he was surfing on a lefthander and was going away from the sun then his face would probably be in dark shadow which might spoil the effect. So be aware of where the light is while your photographing and consider the time of day.

So there you go, a few brief tips to be getting on with, any comments welcomed. Now get out there and take some pictures.

This blog

This blog is going to be about surf photography.

I will attempt to post new surf photos that I take as soon as possible so you can keep up to date with my current work. I will also try and post about techniques and equipment issues for those budding surf photographers out there.

Comments are welcomed - I'm thick skinned!

But remember what it says at the top for those photographers that may not know yet - Never name your secret spots, ever!

Protect the spots from overcrowding.

Protect the environment.

Enjoy your surf photography