Here’s the thing. If I could solely photograph surfers, I would be thrilled. I think I have it pretty good as it is, photographing women, families, kids, and pets. Yet surfers will always be my favorite. It’s probably because I too, love to catch a wave. Like a photograph, each wave is different. Like a photograph, you do your best to position yourself for success, time it right, and work with the conditions instead of against them. Then you enjoy the heck out of it, even if you fall on your face.
I haven’t been surfing in a month or so. If you know you know, and if you don’t I’ll tell you: summer in Maine is usually pretty flat. Hurricane season in the fall will bring cooler temps and larger swells (if we’re lucky!)
And then there’s the little factor of this being the sharkiest summer in my memory. There’s always those people who sarcastically comment that “yeah there’s sharks in the ocean, it’s their home”.
The difference is, the water is significantly warmer, which shifts their feeding grounds. Also this summer some scientists are chumming the waters, to draw sharks in, to study them. Also some protected species are naturally growing in number.
So how cool would it be to get a photograph of a shark and a surfer?! I’ve seen lots of drone footage from the local beaches. They’re RIGHT THERE chillin next to the surfers, 20 ft apart The water is clear and there aren’t schools of fish nearby, which significantly lowers the risk of an accidental attack. Most attacks are accidental by the way; meaning surfers are mistaken for a fish or seal in areas where shark prey is abundant. Yes, there’s always risk, but that can be said of anything in life. I won’t go into shark attack statistics.
And I won’t be paddling out to try to get the picture, either, so don’t worry Dad! I just think, hypothetically, it would be REALLY COOL.
