Surfing photography and videography is taking off almost as fast as the sport itself. In this hyper-mediated age this fact should come as no surprise. Everyone’s got a camera phone, smart phone or pocket digital camera to snap and film friends as well as world famous surfers. But the best surf photos aren’t likely to come from an iPhone, no matter how many cool apps you’ve installed.
Some of the best surf photos do come from unlikely photographers and locations, however. For example, a postman from Cornwall, who happens to be both an avid photographer and surfer (well, bodyboarder, cough) has taken some of the best surf photos from places as diverse as Scotland, Indonesia, Lanzarote and Yorkshire. OK, Scotland and Yorkshire may not sound that diverse from one another if you’re not from around the way, but you “get the picture”. Sorry.
This quote from shooting postman Martin Yelland (via This Is Cornwall) is obviously not about shooting in Indonesia:
It’s not glamorous; it’s cold and wet and there are a lot of things that can go against you getting the shot you want – someone might pull out of a wave, the wave might not do what you expect, it might be raining … and you might mess up the camera. And once it’s in the waterproof housing you can’t change it easily.
—Martin Yelland
Check out This Is Cornwall for a few samples of Martin’s best surf photos.
Now for the big leagues. ABC Australia has an article on three big wigs of surf photography Down Under: Peter ‘Joli’ Wilson, Russell Ord and John Witzig.
The Witzig Gallery in Maclean on the north coast of New South Wales is running a display entitled 3 Masters of Surf Photography until November 2014. Yes, that’s a long time but it’s one of the photographers’ own galleries, so he’s entitled!
Check out the ABC article for a slideshow preview. I’m sure you’ll agree the exhibit’s got some of the best surf photos out there.
Finally, check out Stupid Dope for some of John Witzig’s great vintage photos of the Australian surf scene during the 60s and 70s.
Pic: Tai Gray (Flickr CC)
