It’s only relatively recently that this kind of photography has really piqued my interest. A lot of the time, i’d be so focused on shooting tight water images that i’d never even carry a tripod. The way that fluidity in the ocean is conveyed through blurred motion is rather remarkable.
I made a facebook page. Type in Swimages on the book, or alternatively click here, all likes appreciated folks.
Looking back at two of the trips I did in the second half of this year, I couldn’t help but to be a little perplexed at the way things turn out. Firstly, we have New Zealand. An entirely unplanned trip, no significant swells on the horizon before departure and one lone rider taking to some of the most unpredictable and physically challenging ocean you’ll find this close to home ( 6 degree water )
On the other hand, you have Mexico. One of those places you see and hear about long before you go. Textbook beachbreak perfection, consistent swells and an abundance of sunny skies and warmth. Four of the best freesurfers going round, and a month to get productive. Sounds pretty dreamy right?
As luck would have it, in our week spent scouring the south island of NZ we found some incredible waves, not a soul to be seen for miles either mind you and above that consistently had luck going our way. The place is often regarded as one of the more difficult locations to get good surf, many have tried and failed. The fact that we managed to get waves that were epic by almost any standard on a completely nondescript forecast was really satisfying.
3 weeks after I got home from that trip, I landed in Mexico. Immense heat, the kind an Australian winter simply does not prepare you for. From the moment we arrived, things started going wrong. Housing issues, week long runs of tiny crowded surf and the crew splitting up and making it difficult to get anything done when the waves did turn on. Don’t get me wrong, hanging out in what could easily be described as paradise for a month wasn’t such a bad thing at all, it just goes to show that things aren’t necessarily all they’re cracked up to be, and sometimes just a little bit of luck can go a long way despite all else..
