Surf Photography Etiquette

[Lomax]

Hey dudes...

What is the etiquette to taking surfing photographs? I love to surf, but I also love to shoot surfing. I got a sweet water housing too, so I'm really looking forward to getting some great water shots. But as a surfer I don't want to be a problem for anyone.

Anybody have advice about this?

Are surfers generally cool with folks shooting them or is it an annoyance? I know I don't care, but I'm hardly good enough of a surfer that anybody would bother

[naniekso]

i don't think anyone would mind. i woudln't. it would be fun finding myself in a video or picture i didn't know about. but it the picture winds up in the magazine modern faggot or somthing, it would become bad situation. like we have a thread for babe of the day. these girls probably have no idea how many guys see their photos online, but whatever. GO FOR IT!

[jaffa1949]

I do quite a bit of water and land based surf photography. A lot of the good non pros don't have many shots of themselves. If your shots are good and you print on good media they are often cool on paying to cover costs, if you are shooting grommets then encourage them and give a few shots away , do a round of shooting at the local kids comps blow up and print good shots as prizes, get to know the parents they love to buy photos of their kids and so you don't get a reputation as a pervert.
Just don't become a navigation hazard in the line up, all credibility goes out the window when you do that.
If pros are about they often come with a pack of camera crew and they fight as much in the line up as the pros do! They can be a bad mannered lot as their meager money depend on their shots.
A pro alone and in most circumstances asking usually helps unless you are at a secret forbidden line up.
Then you need a secret service hidden camera and a high run away speed.

Good considerate question shows you are thinking, look forward to generating shots like this.
PS remember to duck

Coming at ya!

[esonscar]

Hey Lomax; I reckon 'go surfing on occasion with a view to tell the surfers in the line up or on the beach your name and that you will sometimes be in the water taking photographs of them surfing. If you let people know what you are going to be doing it takes the surprise factor away and they expect to see you. If you put a flag in the sand as an alert so they know you are in there somewhere they will likely actually perform for your lens should they notice you . . . I mean very few surfers have good pics of them doing manoeuvres. Also make small high quality pics available to view on screen on-line to win some local approvals and thus boost your reputation and potential customer base.

Best of luck with it.

[gotodrew]

Great thread. I just shot my first little surf video. It was real awkward at first...most people didn't mind, but I found any strange looks quickly went away as soon as I started talking to them. Esonscar is right....as soon as most people knew I was out there they were performing for me....although be careful. I was nearly impaled by a board.

[youtube]UHOfaK5n0QY&feature=g-upl[/youtube]

[surf patrol]

Hi gotodrew, welcome to Surfing Waves!

That board came at you pretty quickly, take care while you're shooting out there

[jaffa1949]

It's often a good call to wear a Gath or another surf helmet, red is best, so they can see who they are going to run over.
Head hits hurt, good luck

[Lomax]

Cool esonscar, good suggestions. I've been mostly landlocked while shooting, and on good days if I'm going in I'd rather surf. It's ideal for group outings though.

[clifton]

Looking very pretty, particularly the description make this forum more cute and interesting. I had also some photos but I am afraid how to post them here?
Any suggestion?