A Quick and Dirty Launch
The best way to learn
I realized early on in this pursuit that I would need to learn a few things if I really wanted to make a genuine effort as a surf photographer. Now I was not trying to make this a job or even a side hustle. I just felt really called to give it a really good try. So for photography I did know a few things. All images on this website (except for the homepage header images) are my own images. While I never officially studied photography, I learned the best way I knew how- pick up a camera and just get started. Through trial and error and some devoted online reading, I managed to learn enough to create a style I was (am) pleased with (for now). So at least in that regard, I had one part down.
But how was one supposed to swim in the water with a camera? What kind of camera protection would I need? What kind of water gear would I need? How in the world do I even do this? And I remembered again that I am not a good ocean swimmer (yet). The questions (and realities) were piling up.
But being optimistic to a fault, I was determined I would find a way. Or at the very least, learn what I would need once I got out there. But geez-this new quest had an ever increasing price tag. Once I started looking into water housings and saw the price, I was a bit discouraged. So I figured it was best to find something cheap and sufficient on Amazon while I tested the waters. It’s sort of like learning to surf- start with a cheap foam board before you invest in an expensive one because you may not even know if you’ll like the sport long enough to want to keep going. So I found a super cheap water housing for my old-ass DSLR camera and decided this would be my launchpad. And if I liked it enough, I would treat myself to a proper waterhousing.
The first day I went out was glassy. The mediterranean was a lake, so grabbing shots in the water seemed like a breeze. “Oh man I can totally do this!” I said to myself. Wrong.
That flat water day was nothing compared to my second attempt of going out when there were actual waves. My camera seemed as heavy as a bowling ball, it felt like whatever swimming ability I had just didn’t show up that day, I lost a fin and any ounce of confidence that put me in the water in the first place. I was trying to film a surf school with actual students. The teacher said I could join them and grab shots of his students but still- I didn’t want to be a nuisance and wanted to look like I sort of knew what I was doing. I ended up looking like a Barney. (For those of you who don’t know what a Barney is, I’ve found a description: in surfing slang, a "barney" is a derogatory term for an inexperienced, untalented, or uncool surfer who often lacks proper etiquette or skills).
Talk about embarrassing and discouraging. Luckily, I have a long history of being the most awkward learner in class so I guess I’ve exercised that muscle enough to know how to put on a happy face and keep showing up. “Every master was once a disaster”- my best friend still reminds me to this day when I tell her about yet another embarrassing physical pursuit I’ve put myself in.
And so a lot was learned that day. Mostly how to stay positive and focused. Something about the challenge of it all had me eager to keep going. And so here we are…
More to come!
