My first wave shots

OK, so these aren't shots of surfers, but there were surfers out on the outer break. These are also the first wave photos I've ever taken!

I took them on Feb 14 and 15, 2008, on the North Shore of Oahu. The swell was supposed to be much larger, and the local guys seemed disappointed... but I was pretty happy.

Norbert Wu invited me out and even lent me his D200 with 500mm lens! What a guy.

Breaking waves at Waimea Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii

Breaking waves at Waimea Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii

Breaking waves at Waimea Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii

Breaking waves at Waimea Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii

I like it!

Todd

Eric takes a couple of photos of waves so now we have to endure surfer dudes on our web-site.

Just kidding, I think it's a great idea to try make Wetpixel more inclusive. I have met a couple of the surf photography guys over the years and those people have some skills.

Cool; these should make some nice prints.

How's it feel to be saddled with a lowly D200 Eric?

Hey, Larry. I think you'd get along with surfer dudes. You guys are so similar!

The D200 was fine, actually. It shot quickly, but I thought the autofocus was pretty crappy. Everything is relative, I guess!

Now we need Norb to come on here and post some of his surf stuff...

Eric I love the shots, especially the last one.

Ahhhhh, memories, are there still older, small wooden cottages, on the other side of the road, just slightly beyond (I'd guess you'd say slightly diagonally North - around the bend) from Wiamea? By the church tower? Or maybe you took these from the rocky area directly across the street? There also used to be a lone phone booth there - very surreal..........., I think they even used that phone booth, what was left of it - or planted one like it in the surf movie "In God's Hands"... (the part where the guy calls the surfer's parents to tell them of his death). Or at least I think someone remembered it was there and posed one like it somewhere else. Everyone used to use that "lonely" phone booth cause no one could afford a phone, wave action while calling collect, yea I remember..........

I used to live in those tiny wooden cottages across the street when I was 19 (which I won't reveal when that was for sure...... )

Used to hear big waves crashing every minute of every quiet and sometimes lonely night - all throughout the Winter wave season.........

But of course I don't have any photos - especially like that!!! Think I could afford a 500mm lens then? HA!

Thanks for the memories, Carol B) I'm thrilled we have a surf photography forum - well done guys - I'm Stoked!

Nice colour in the water Eric, looks as though the shutter speeds were quite high - higher then we are used to 'in the water' ?

Couple of the windsurfing guys here want me to take some shots of them, I was up for it until I heard the plan was to to airborne 180 deg flips over the top of me in the water!

At the moment I am holding out as my life insurance is not up to it - that and one of them was carted off the beach last week with smashed bones in the ankle.

These guys add a whole new dimension to the word 'crazy'

It's going to be fun to see if this part of the forum takes off - might even persuade me to get in the water with my local nutters.

Paul C

Very cool, Eric!

The wave forms are spectacular--thank you for sharing!

Mary Lynn

I was up for it until I heard the plan was to to airborne 180 deg flips over the top of me in the water!

I suggest wearing a crash helmet, I thought it was sissy stuff, but they insisted, Nice skeg mark on the helmet and one very flooded Stromm housing later I kinda apreciated their advise. Man when these guy's loose it and your in the way it hurts big time, wish I could do it again now with Digital... I guess pain is a fleeting feeling easily forgotten

Eric,

Thats one place I really wanna go to, no wish at all to dive in Hawaii, just go watch some wicked waves - dude!

I love surfing though can't do it, so I simply enjoy bodyboarding from time to time. If anyone wants to shoot some hot waves in Bali, drop me a line, I'll happily take ya. If ya wanna chill, get into surf vibe and eat some of Indonesia's best veggie food, even better! If I'm not around I'll arrange a great local driver and point you in the right place to get some wicked shots!

I believe Graham - he took me to Dreamland when I was in Bali and it was beautiful! The human scenery there is also quite nice :-)

Cheers

James

Hi James,

Sadly Dreamland has been heavily hit by those nasty money hungry property developers over here. The old Dreamland that you saw ain’t no dream anymore, I’ll try and post some photo’s of what they’ve done to it. Basically all the locals have been kicked off the beach, so no more chilled out places to eat, have a cold drink and relax, I'm sure there will be some high end places comign soon. They’ve cut away the side of the rock and are building like crazy. There is now a huge golf course and resort above Dreamland as well.

Not to worry though, there are other cool places. Dreamland was becoming a huge tourist trap anyway, with bus loads of group tourists going down to see it. If anyone wants to shoot waves and hang out over here let me know and, if at all possible take you down there myself.