Merry Christmas
So this is going to be a different type of post, I gave out a bunch of business cards today and told everyone I would post their picture. My gift to everyone…
Email me if you want the sequence
Started off at rocky lefts
This guy was ripping, he was dress partly as Santa, said he couldn’t surf in the jacket. 3rd picture is him getting clipped by the lip. Dude came right back out for more. It’s my pleasure to shoot people who go for broke
Heres Todd…
Here is a bunch of shots from Gas-Chambers, some big sets and heavy drops
A funky session
I don’t think anyone likes to get skunked but it happens. I got a few shots but I’ll let you be the judge if they are quality. No excuses play like a champion 🙂
I like this kid (I think his name is Rico?) he always goes for broke
The low tide @ Rocky Point has been super shallow this week, this guy is over like 2 feet of water
Why old guys don’t do airs
Stephanie Who?
So in reality we all come to the North Shore to get seen. Stephanie is some North Shore homeless women that sells Lemonade at the Beach at Pipeline. She spends all day at the beach with the biggest smile on her face and is open to coming up to anybody. Came up to me today at the beach and I had the pleasure of talking to her. Told her that she had become a north shore celebrity just by being in the right spot at the right time.
She told me she got punched in the face yesterday by a local girl because kids where harassing her for being on surfline.com and she was telling them to get away. The lady weights maybe 90lbs and is super sweet, couldn’t see her harming a fly. It just goes to show, that everyone is fighting to get scene here and it doesn’t end in the water.
Stephanie best of: Winter 2011 Click here to see the 2011 surfline.com north shore yearbook
And her Video on turkeymelt.com (she shows up half way playing with Alex Grey and Timmy Reyes
Drying out
It’s unlike me not to post for a few days but I’m honestly happy to be drying out for a few days. I’m giving my wounds, cuts and bruises time to heal. If you have never been to Hawaii the surf breaks are over a very hard and sharp reefs. It hurts a lot when you get smashed into them. I will be exploring Maui for the next few months so I promise to post a bunch of new and exciting locations soon…
here are a few pictures I liked that I didn’t have room to post in the last few weeks
Here is Myles Padaca during the break for the final at sunset, He was a caddy and got the place to himself for 40 minutes
Here a guy getting burnt at pipe and the other guy getting an epic barrel, happens a lot at pipe, kind of suck but it’s reality
And Jamie O’Brian home at pipe
Don’t be hating
I was off today, couldn’t figure out what to do with my self. Got suited up, camera ready, walked down to Pipe…… and sat on the sand watching it for at least 3o minutes. Wasn’t a point to get wet, pipe was a gnarly drop into a Mush Burger. It bothered me that I didn’t want to get in but to get any type of shot I would have got blasted over and over.
I was Hating all day, worked out for two hours then just walked back and forth to the beach over and over again….. Same story. It drives me crazy, cause there was waves but nothing I wanted to shoot or surf.
Around 2pm I lost it, grab my camera and hiking gear and climb the Ko’olau Mountain Range behind sunset. I know, I’ve been told repeatedly not to climb there, It’s either private land or military. But I don’t listen well…
Towards VLand
Towards Sunset/Rocky Point
The whole North Shore
Found these glasses on the street at the beginning of my hike, so I gave my best “better not be hating look”
Good Morning Pipeline
Got up early to get out at pipe before the glorious sun ascended over the Koʻolau Mountain Range which frames the North Shore. I was feeling artistic from the moment I left my house, the air was crisp and I was good spirits. I’m really grateful for my time here and I want to make the best of it. I hope my images warm your heart wherever you may live…
And here is a barrel shot because it is Pipe 🙂
Backdoor BARRELS!
Swam out to Backdoor today, Pipe was firing too, I just liked the shape of Backdoor today more. (for people that don’t know they are the same wave, Backdoor is the right, pipe is the left).
No more talking, you say the word Barrel and nothing else matters
Kamalei Alexander getting shacked
Ok I’m not hatting here but I had to post this. I don’t know if Benji Weatherly gave up or literally fell asleep during this backdoor wave. The wave was not a closeout and pealed down the line with Benji so I know he didn’t fall but I have no clue what was going on during the wave.
I can’t end a post with Benji and his narcolepsy so here is Dylan Goodale about to get shacked
Rocky Point is Home
So I live across Kam Hwy from Rocky Point Surf Break (probably the most photographed beach this season due to the lack of Pipe swells) so there is always talent at my beck and call. I could live here forever but I wouldn’t want to be any where else right now.
It’s impressive to see a 13 year punt an air this high and land it. Names Rico 
If you have ever surfed Rocky Point you have seen this guy, his name is Rasta, nice guy just don’t take off on his wave
We are both starring at the same thing, the lip 
Wanted to show the change of color from the rights to the lefts, both these pictures were taking within 10 minutes
I don’t post blurry pictures too often but I literally get hundreds a day, Water is a hard medium to shoot in and if you haven’t noticed to sticks to everything. This u shape blur actually worked as it blur out the back of the surfer and the sun refection on the wave. Picture was taken at 5:30 right before sunset
O yeah and it’s Holly Beck, you might have heard of her!
Velzyland Afternoon Session
The crowds were out in full force today, I wanted to get away and have a fun session, no better place to find smiles then at Velzyland. Meet a bunch of happy people today, gave out a few business cards, so lets see if any of them go home and check out the site. I’m not trying to make money on small day like today, just go out and have a good time. Mahalo for checking it out
So I don’t usually post pictures of bodyboards but these guys where mad cool and actually funny
Few good ones rolled thru
I got a bunch of pictures of this Young scrappy kid, reminded me of my self. He would paddle his brains out to get into every wave. Kept going the whole time I was out there, gave him a card hopes he checks it out.
WaterProof Long Exposure
So when I first got my water housing I wanted to see how far I could push the limitations. If have you never seen a water housing it has very limited controls (more access, more points that could potentially leak). So a lot of planning needs to takes place before you start trying a long exposure in the ocean. It’s not like you can just stop and readjust, water is bad for cameras. Here is the first attempt ( Click here for first attempt), I went out a little earlier this time to get the sun as it was setting. Turned out OK but I still have a lot of conceptualization before next time.
An underwater sunset, the blue strip down the middle is actually a channel thru the Reef, there is a sand path and since its lighter it picks up the reflection of the water better then the reef (HOW COOL IS THAT!!!)
I tried to Un-Focus here to make the illusion of standing in clouds, the shore waves weren’t that strong so it picked up the refection, otherwise it would have looked like vapor.
Add a light to this one to show the color of the water as a contrast against the red sky (it’s been raining the sky has a reddish purple hue) 
And here is just a picture of the house on Rocky Point, I use it everyday as a reference point while surfing and shooting so I’m always thinking about it. (reference point: positioning point on land so you can line yourself up in the water to be in the best spot for the wave)
Pipe Master Finals
Today was the finals of the Pipe Masters and the Triple Crown of surfing. I stayed out shooting all day. It was a great ending to an amazing contest season for me and couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it. Kieren Perrow took home the win and John Florence the Triple Crown.
Kieren Perrow in the final 
from the semi
Since Slater sells heres a shot of him from the Quarters, went backdoor every wave so not too many shots of him 
Really wanted to see Evan Valire in the finals he was amazing to watch out there.
Michel was one heat away from the Triple Crown Title you could hear him in the water, he was really pissed off that he didn’t make it, there is no second place in the triple crown.
Relaxing back stage and just stoked he was wearing a $10,000 watch, haha
Going surfing
Hey I should totally be shooting the contest today but I’m going surfing. I surfed second reef Puena (east of the Haleiwa Harbor). Since it’s been a slow winter and there aren’t too many more days in the near forecast that are going to break Second Reef, I had to get a big day for myself. I love to shoot but Contest photography is for the struggling photographers that have to shoot for the Magazine. I’m blessed enough to be doing alright for myself and I need to remind myself that I love surfing and that shooting needs to be fun, not work. I’ll be out all day tomorrow for the Finals
Pipe Masters
So it was kind of a dream come true today, being out at pipeline with only 4 guys in the water. Pipe is a scary place for photographers too, we may be sitting in the channel but rouge sets and inexperienced surfers will kill you. All seriousness, I don’t recommend going in the water at pipe and anybody that respects the place says the same thing. I didn’t stay out long but after you see up-close John John get a perfect 10 it’s not going to get better. (Perfect example the next heat Aamion Goodwin beat Taylor Knox with a combination of two waves for a total of a 2.20)
My favorite wave of the day was John Florence 10 point ride. You can see him here stalling with both hands to get in the perfect position. Awesome
Kai Barger was in the same heat as John John but he didn’t have a chance, had some great waves 
Evan Valiere not only picked the perfect waves but was super deep and under scored in my book
And Ian Walsh Talking off on this monster, look at this thing throwing!!!
This is the biggest crowd I’ve seen on the North Shore so far this season, went on like this for about half a mile, impressive they way they handled it, even if there was a crazy line for the bathroom
Where I should be
If this was my career I should be at Pipe or OTW today, being seen and making a name for myself. But the waves were better at Rocky Point today hands down. And I love Rocky’s cause it weeds out the weak photog’s, it’s not a sprint like Pipe, it’s a straight up marathon. A current runs across the point and if you’re not a strong swimmer you’ll either be in the impact zone or down the beach in 5 minutes. Not saying I’m superman, I just know how to handle the break. (took a lot of beatings to find out)
Gavin Gillette was on fire today, either that or he was just everywhere I was
Here is what you have to take off on to make the wave, not a day for beginners
My favorite Surfer of all time Mark Occhilupo, I tried to get a picture of him on a back side wave, I must have shadowed him for 20 minutes (in the impact zone) getting pounded but he only took lefts. Still stoked haha
I really enjoy shooting with the guys from Japan, they are very respectful and humble in the water and on land. Plus they SHRED, so I’m compiling a bunch to send over to the Japan Mag’s at the end of the season.
I was shooting from underneath with a fisheye which makes this wave look a lot smaller then it really was, after this ride I was caught inside and instead of trying to get back out thru a football size field of white water, I saved my energy and went it.
Ok and Sterling Spencer cause the dude makes me laugh (the shots kind of grey but so his humor so it’s all good)
First good Pipe Day
Pipe was on today and everyone was on it. Not crazy crowded, but if you didn’t know what you were doing you had no place being there and the line up got thinned out pretty quickly. Weirdly enough I think there are a lot of people out there surfing that don’t even try to take waves, they just want to say they were surfing pipe on a big day. 40-50 guys out and the 3 hours I was there maybe 20 different guys caught waves.
Kelly Slater got out there and within 10 minutes took this inside bomb right at me, Kind of wish on shots like this I was shooting with my Fisheye
Freddy P showing us what not to do on a wave, he dropped into a huge set wave after this but my shot was blurry so the falling picture is going to have to do.
Empty one and a few unknown rippers
Turtle Bay Resort
So the waves are very small, so I deiced to go on down to Turtle Bay Resort and take pictures of Tourist. I figured I could make a few bucks or just have fun watching people learning how to surf. Trust me it takes years to gain style and everyone (myself included) looks like a kook when they first start. I had a blast and so was everyone in the water. It’s on the North Shore but there aren’t any local here that want to beat you up. People are just happy to be in the water. I meet Josh Kerr today surfing with his daughter, really sweet girl that wanted to know what I was doing, Josh told her I was talking her photo. He thought I worked for the hotel, I guess all the photographers he knows wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like that hahaha. But I got his information and I told him I’d get him the photos and NO I WILL NOT CHARGE JOSH KERR FOR PHOTOS, HAHA (if you don’t know who Josh Kerr is check out his website http://www.kerr-azy.com/)(I think he’s currently ranked 6th in the world)
Kind of funny to see Josh on a long Board 
And there was a cool turtle that was hanging out in the line up. I didn’t want to bother him to much but I came close enough to snap a photo
New Business card tomorrow!
So I people kept coming up to me in the water and asking my website or tried giving me an email address, or asking my name so they could find me on Facebook. I decided to make this easier for everyone and just get business cards made. Plastic so I can take it in the water and I was thinking about turning the top into a wax comb, the only thing that is going to suck about that idea is that I will be the one cutting all tops. I need an Intern haha. Here is the basic Idea, all the white area will be clear. I thought it would look cooler see thru. I guess we will find out tomorrow.
Here is the Proof the company sent me.
Comfortably Close
I can focus with my fisheye up to about 4 inches away from my camera and I find my self closer then that some times. Once the top surfers trust you in the water the rest try to get used to the comfort of having a camera in their face. I don’t discriminate, if you can rip I will pull the trigger and take the shot. Today on top of getting used to being inches away from a surfer on a wave, I tried to take some shot that other surf photographers uses as illusion shot. By tilting your fisheye lens you can make a surfer look deeper in a wave or a wave look bigger then it really is. Check it out and if you have any questions I’ll be happy to answer.
to get this shot I was literally underneath his board 
Got this shot by sticking my arm thru the wave as he raced by, I would say he was about a foot away
If you watched the Van World cup of surfing you will know the name Olamana Eleogram the only perfect ten of the competition, He was really comfortable with me up in his grill
The Next two are trick shots, the first I turned the lens sideways and gave the wave a circular shape (I over did it here) and the second shot is the tilt down making the wave bigger then it really was
Waimea Bay and More Eddie shots
I spent all day at Waimea Bay on the 1ST, the Eddie Ceremony wasn’t until 3pm and I had never swam out to the break before on a large day (it was 8-12 feet) so I had to know I could make it out there and back by myself before the Eddie Paddle out. It wasn’t really harder then any other spot I was just being cautious and safe. It did take 15 minutes non stop to get out and 20 to get back thought, so it wasn’t exactly fun, but great exercise.
First few are just some locals getting on the break before it got crowded, Waimea is a known “share wave” meaning that no one has priority and any body can take off at any time. You’ll see what I mean in a second.
I was surprised to see my buddy get a wave all to him self, This guy charges so he can make waves that most don’t take off on I guess.
The rest are from the Eddie, I wanted a picture of the guys Paddling out to the break, here is Mark Healy, Makua Rothman and Danny Fuller
This was just another great angle that didn’t fit in my first post
And this last one is a picture of all the guys taking the strings out of the Flower Leis so they wouldn’t be littering. I really love this picture but without context it’s wouldn’t make sense
Going to be hard to top
I had a great last few days, great picture, good memories and a lot of wonderful people. Not to say everyday here isn’t amazing I was just really in the grove the last few. Woke up early hit up Rocky Point, then Back Door then a quick spin at Off the Wall till my battery died. I told my friend Paula that I’d get here a Jack Johnson picture, but I don’t want to bother the dude walking his kids to school in the morning, plus thats really not my style. So I caught him pumping in to a nice workable right today at Rocky rights, dude has got nice flow. I kind of miss stylish surfing.
Here is my only good shot at Backdoor and honestly this guys “wave of his life”, he was so jazzed to come out
Not sure who this is but this green wall of water is what I think about when I think Off the Wall 
And Nat Young Doing What he does best
Final Day of the Van World Cup
Today was the final day of the Van World Cup, big up to John John for not only winning but comboing everyone else in the final. Was a day full of barrels and smiles! And for me a lot of swimming, current on the inside literally sucked. Got a lot of good shots and had a good time and honestly I’m glad next time I go out to Sunset I don’t have to sit in the channel any more.
These first two shot were from the Round of 32 Heat 4, Olamana Eleogram and Kieren Perrow
These last two are from the final. I was super close to Michel Bourez so instead of duck diving this wave, I stuck my arm thru the wave and hoped I caught the action, and really hoped I didn’t get sucked over with it…. I didn’t 
Brotherhood, Respect, Unity
It was hard to try to document the paddle out without feeling emotional about the importance of the Eddie. It’s more then just a contest, it’s a brotherhood of men and the community they represent. I wanted to show how much respect and honor this day meant to everyone, not just the participant. The North Shore is a small friendly country town, despite the circus that arrives every winter. If you treat it with respect and try to represent “aloha” while you are here, it will embrace you.
These aren’t your typical photo journalistic shots, I wanted to find the Aloha I saw today and share it with you. Mahalo for taking the time to see it
Eddie Paddle Out Ceremony
I was just in the middle of the Eddie Aikau Paddle Out Ceremony. I still have goosebumps thinking about it. Words cannot describe the love, emotions, brotherhood feeling within that circle, it was truly magical. They had the ceremony at Waimea Bay on the North shore. The day goes a followed, they come together, get inducted into the competition, say a prayer and then go paddle out to the bay for a blessing and to show respect to Eddie. The public does not paddle out as a sign of respect but they allow a few photographers to document the paddle, I was one of those lucky few. I’m truly honored by this experience, I have so much respect for these men and the waves they ride. The Aikau O’hana and the Hawaiian culture is such a loving respectful part of this surfing community and I want to thank them for all the Aloha they have shown me.
There were waves in the bay so all the guys went and had a little surf session 
Kelly Slater 11 time world champion and former Eddie Winner
Tom Carroll
Danny Fuller and John John 
I love the fact that Tom Carroll paddled back out to catch another wave, he was also one of the last people to show up to the ceremony cause he was out surfing Waimea, 50 years old and full of stoke. I have so much respect for this man. 
My 3rd session Yesterday
So I must of shot for a total of 6-7 hours yesterday, about 1500 frames. By the end of the day yesterday when I got in from my last session around 6 I was done with editing. I went to Turtle Bay Resort to watch Marky Healy talk about his surfing/free diving/spear fishing/stunt man (he’s done it all) experiences in this Talk series thats going on during the Triple Crown. Really cool stuff, that dude is seriously balls to the wall and an amazing waterman. (sorry no I didn’t bring my camera, if you want that type of stuff check out US weekly, I showcase talent and art)
I like how the surfer changes color from the first frame to the last. I don’t shoot on P, I like full control of my camera. I have to choose weather or not I want the first frames drowned out by the sun and the surfer lit up or first frames clear and the surfer dark in the barrel. can’t have it all
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Flynn Novak makes my life so easy, always throws moves in the best part of the wave and always goes big. Thanks Flynn (haha like he reads my blog)
If I want to stay in this industry I have to start learning the sponsored Groms (under 12). Meet
BARRON MAMIYA
He rips
thesurfingphotog.com 