The Reef

You may be thinking; 'That bloody CP, he's always out in his Troopy scoring sick waves. Yep another post, fricken hell, he's living the dream!'

It's all lies.

Well, it's an assumption; what is really going on is that having image capturing devices at hand, any surf mish ends up being documented and then shared. The truth of it is the last three months have been intensive days of book wrangling and keyboard warrioring. The ol' back is pretty caned from it. But the next book project is now in the hands of the printers. It was time for the annual birthday mission with the bro, Kent.

About the right distance for a selfie I reckon.

I'm not a fan of birthdays, don't like the fuss, at sometime, somehow it was navigated that the week around THAT time would most firmly be out of the AK. And doing what I wanted to do, predictably, just being where the waves are good. And really what does any salty dog want; what's the best present you could get.

Spot the lone surfer

It is pretty obvious from the photos where the chosen venue was this round. It was a quick trip, amble into position the day before, sleep, amble around the reef, surf, eat, refresh, surf, sleep. Then drift home the next day.

It was a treat of a surf day. First surf a little hectic, with maybe 7 out and slow sets. Second surf, just Baz McCulloch, Kent and I sharing sets and calling each other into the bombs.

66 year old Bazzy reckons he caught 75 waves in three days, I reckon he caught more

Baz on his Anderson 6'4 twin fin

Happy local having a solid four hour session.

How good!

It wasn't the biggest, but it wasn't grovelly either. The wind and sand were near on perfect. That last surf will stay lodged in the stoke bank; an all too rare session into the sunset with pulsing sets. On the drive home I lamented with Kent I should've swum out with the camera for the last session, the waves and light were so perfect. His answer back, 'Nah bro, this was a surf trip!'

FROM THE BEACHES GALLERY

Something a bit different...Takapuna Hues; shot on the mighty 617 Pano camera for the now out of print Big Little Beach book. You can still get a big as print though!  HERE

Hanging With Ella And Janine

Ella Williams hung at Piha last week. Well, she wasn't hanging out. The Olympian surfer is on a mission, as you'd expect. She was on a pretty hefty training programme prior to being confirmed. Now her Olympic spot is confirmed she's gone to a whole new level. It's all the stuff you want to hear and see, an athlete leaving no stone unturned; sport phycology, gym training, breathing training... training then more training.

Piha's very own and unique Dave Wood was tasked with assisting Ella with Iron Sand Training, Mindset and Breathing. Woody is a guru, his passion for well being and health has lead to his young business Woody's Movement Workshop firing. He's working with our elite surfers, tri athletes and UFC fighters...guys like Israel Adesanya.

I've known the Williams family for a long time, I don't even wanna say how long... but this gives you an idea.

It's a trip to think a somewhat random photo opp from the '90's now has a different weight on it. Who could've foretold that cheeky 7 year old at Ruapuke would be representing New Zealand for surfing in the Olympics.

Back to last week. Woody put Ella through her paces, in fact prior he'd stated he was going to push her past her limits. Half way through he recanted; 'She's a machine man! She's got the fire inside for sure.'

Any involvement from me was the fun stuff, surfing and shooting together. Remincing with Ella and her Mum Janine over caffeine fixes and solving the world's problems. Sexism, addiction, fallen friends and real estate, you know, just casual conversation.

FROM THE BEACHES GALLERY

arhhhhh the serenity! Piha layers upon layers of sunlit glory. You like? Well it's available for viewing and even purchase HERE

The Dither

The dither. It's not that uncommon to be honest, but this one is a good one. This past week has enjoyed an exceptional East Coast swell.

Sunday: The day of days, everyone got to surf their favourite East novelity spots. And then gloat about it on social media.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... varying degrees and moments, with shades of Sunday.

Thursday another pulse in the swell, a re-boot. This was the window that could be seized upon. Que The Clash, 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go' ...more dithering, but not the aforementioned dither. After dozens of affirming texts and phone calls, trigger pulled, GO!

Yesterday, Thursday, was not epic by any means. These photos lie. That said the East Coast Shuffle, for me anyway, did not happen. In rare form, the venue was chosen and the key stayed out of the ignition for the next 6 hours.

The breeze would fluff between cross and off shore. This created a very convivial and social car park scene. The tribe was assembled, but on hold. Some would over-froth, breaking rank to become the lab rats. Us beachside would actively indulge in critiques. The paddle out method, the waves just missed, or hoot for the rides completed. The fails, the victories celebrated. Of equal importance; the korero with old mates. The cast revolved as some couldn't contain their amp. Somewhere up or down the coast must be better right? It wasn't.

Wait. The hardest thing, just stay put.

Ever-grom-frother The Champ Billy Stairmand.

14 year old Duke Land whipped into a death pit by his dad Matt. How good!

A switch didn't get pulled. Slowly the cross shore became more off shore. There was a war with the setting sun that could never be won. Imagine how many beautiful waves peaked and tapered in the dark.

One of the Mud Bay contingent

Surfer/Shaper Luke Hughes between catch ups

Jarrod 'Chopper' Blewit compressed and about to spring

Sean Peggs dealing very well with the cross fluff

Best photo of the session? Hell yes!

Rungi Ormand beast slaying

A session for the big boards for sure

Rungi... perfection

Luke Hughes’s version of pretty and perfect

The best way to bookend a session... Cam McKeg heading in for a deserved brew

The real dither. Back at the keyboard. And the realisation that there is now a large folder holding beautiful images from yesterday. It comes with a burden. By sharing the images am I another Instagram hero showing off? Am I another chiming in with a 'ya should've been here yesterday?' Is this an ego stroke? Am I blowing a beloved stretch of sand for the next swell? Has the real intent been perverted?

The hope is to share the stoke of the swell window. To record a great moment in time. To stoke out the surfers that surfed. To share the love of surfing. Corny and verbose as that may be. I wonder in this digital world if noble intent becomes lost in cynicism. The search for viral glory. The prophetic 1988 pop song by The Bros 'When Will I Be Famous' haunts.

From The Waves Gallery

This was taken nowhere near the session above, Piha Bar in fine vintage form. You like? You can view it bigger and even buy it HERE 

The Piha Super 16

The plan is to shoot surfing forever. When I can't walk down the beach, I'll have a mobility scooter with a tripod mount, sand tyres and a chillibin on the back. Bloody hell, I want that now! The point is there's an enduring passion for capturing that critical millisecond.

Linden Kennings, Dune's dad...not quite a mobility scooter...but not far off! On his new 50cc Chinese beach hack. As always, ahead of the curve aye Diddy!

Don't ask how fun it is at the end of the last day of a comp. Even so, getting the shots, fulfilling the brief and delivery, being in the mix is a rush. Endurance has its rewards too, 30 years into this lark, I'm shooting the sons and daughters of the surfers I started shooting.

Last weekend was the round up event of the Surfing New Zealand 2021 Contest season. The Super 16, held here at Piha. It's a quick fire, sort of grand slam styled event. As the name indicates; the top 16 rated surfers of the season have one last go at clutching valuable points.

But this isn't a contest round up, you can read that on the SNZ website HERE.

Nah, it was clear Sunday morning there was going to be a great free surf session go down before heats started. And just like the finely tuned aforementioned athletes, I was shoreside for the early. And these are my pictures....

Dawn banter with Larry Fisher, Levi Stewart, Sean Peggs and Dean Hishon

Which one is better? Taranaki's Daniel Farr, proper upside down

NZ's first Olympian surfer, Billy Stairmand was a shock semi final dismissal

Pablo Moretti flaring into the flats

Good to see you too Pablo!

Sean Peggs, current NZ Senior Champ getting the back trucks over the coping

...and wisely ejecting

Sorry Tom Emmerson! Couldn't not share bro :)

Dune post warm up

Dune, and the sort of move that will win you contests...oh wait.. it did!

Zania Hutchieson in the southern corner where the Bar sometimes is

About the best wave the Bar has to offer currently

The Naki's Natasha Gouldsbury warming up

Keyhole out in force to support the champ Dune Kennings... things got rowdy!

Pablo found the loopy ones pre heats

and during found the connectors

Whitianga's Jay Piper-Healion... just like Buffalo Beach aye

Christchurch's Ava Henderson was laid low with a gastric bug on Friday night, didn't stop her from clinching the Circuit Championship

Oakura's Ariana Shewry

Ella Williams took out the Women's division with two text book backhand rides

Levi Stewart was in fine form

The local hero, our boy! Dune dominated from the outset of the day, he rolled through his heats smoothly, knowing what waves he was looking for

Chaired up the beach by his best mates, Kai, Dion and EPR, doesn't get much better than that. How good is Jemarl's phone shot!

From The Waves Gallery

Sure wasn't quite the weekend or now for that matter, Piha Bar in fine vintage form. You like? You can view it bigger and even buy it HERE

Going Big

Things are pretty full on around these parts. Last week's post was totally missed, it's book production time. The head space needed to be elsewhere, subbing up a cheeky 30 interviews into some sort of cohesive mess. But that's a story for another time, like when the book comes out.
In the meantime there have been some other big goings on. As you read this the final touches are being done on the new CT room in Auckland's Hospital's Oncology Department. Anyone who has had anything to do with the Oncology Dept will know only too well, it's not a place that good news normally comes from.

All the staff, orderlies, nurses, doctors, receptionists, heck, the cleaners at Oncology do an incredible job. Hourly, they are there for patients who are highly stressed, who are likely to have or had the worst possible news. They are everyday heroes.

Deep in the bowels of Auckland Oncology is a windowless room, it houses the CT scanner. As a patient, this would be one of the least funnest places in the world. It's a bad news room. Traditionally these rooms are austere white, as clinical as you can get.

Klein Arcihecture's Jeff King is determined to change these places. Son of a terminal cancer patient, he knows only too well how distressing these rooms can be. Jeff has championed the installation of two full wall super graphics with Auckland DHB. The most recent CT one and this one in the EP Lab in 2019. The EP Lab install highlighted how much the staff also enjoyed the super graphic.

There was quite a process in place to get the CT image over the line. Jeff collated and sourced the images which have to fit a demanding criteria . Firstly they have to be shot on the highest possible resolution with the best possible equipment. The images had to be shot at ground level and have no running water in them. There were 6 images short listed from professional landscape photographers. Then the sourced images where put to a hospital staff vote. And here's where I get to claim, I got first, second and fourth...comb's for days!

Auckland Hospital's EP Lab

The EP lab one was bigger, but the CT room means more. The chosen image of Karekare was made using a nodal head rig my late father Lance made for me. Actually both images were made using the Lancey Special. Lance was a master tool maker, a professional tinkerer. I explained to him what a nodal head does. It moves the sensor of the camera off the tripod's axis to the nodal point. It then rotates the camera smoothly around that nodal point. Thus making distortion free frames that will stitch seamlessly together. It's a lot more complicated than that.

But Lance got it, surpassed the brief by a country mile and made this in his garage workshop. It works beyond perfectly.

He'd been a patient at Auckland Oncology. Been dealt the worst possible news. I wish he could see the new CT Scan room, I wish I could be touring the room with him saying 'See Lancey, see what you made.' He would have been chuffed, maybe even uttered one of his Tim The Tool Man grunts.

From The Elements Gallery

Here's another massive pano that I love, love so much it's now loaded into the Elements Gallery for you to view and perhaps get printed! It's from the Putangirua Pinnacles, Cape Palliser . You can check it out better HERE

Curved Brine

Thank you for all the positive feedback about the last few posts and the big South trip those were about. From the outset the 3 weeks South was about exploring and even overlanding a bit, any surf was a bonus. There was an expectation that there would still be more surfing, more swimming out with the water housing and camera. But, I think, when a roady isn't a surf trip, especially in NZ, surfing gets hard to fit in. I came back from the South, stoked about the surfs had, but extra amped to surf and swim with the camera.

It's been a challenging summer and autumn for waves anyway. The west coast of Auckland has had it's moments but it has not been one of those summers where there are banks up and down the beaches- regular go to's. This day was a good day. Almost too big for the coast, but one in every set would have form. These are my favourite swims. The days of wanting to swim out in 10 foot are probably past. But there's kind of a loathing of small paper thin lipped wave studies.

As the act of surfing is therapy so is swimming. Ducking and diving clean up sets, repositioning to be in the impact zone...being NEAR harm's way. The fun of the calculation, getting it wrong and sometimes getting it right. The swirl of invigorating negative ions, even a little dose of adrenaline. Of being in the moment.

Perhaps this is way too introspective for a hump day web log... maybe all that should be written is 'Went for a swim, it was pretty solid, had fun here's the results.

....And In Other News

Red Bull have released free for view their epic production Kehu Butler: Made in Aotearoa. Allocate 36 minutes, it's so worth it. This is the best short surf film to be made in NZ in a very long time. The link is HERE

From The Elements Gallery

Here's a massive pano that I love, love so much it's now loaded into the Elements Gallery for you to view and perhaps get printed! It's from the Putangirua Pinnacles, Cape Palliser . You can check it out better HERE

Igor and the Tabulators

The surf mag article about the second time I went to the Wairarapa for a surf shoot went like this. 'The Sun Igor...the Sun' screamed back seat tabulator Pipi Ngaia as Igor hung the combat vehicle out on every metal corner enroute to to our destination. Rooster tails of gravel fanned out from the tyres to the tune of Chris Cornell wailing through Spoonman.

What a start to a surf story! And absolutely true. We were heading to the Second's Deer Stalker hut for a week. As the driver, I did not want to tackle the old 4wd track from the Spit side to the Seconds side in the dark. Not loaded up with precious cargo like Pipi, newly crowned National Champ Brett Hutchison and my editor and chief Chris Berge. We did make it in time. We had 5 glorious days of Second's rights with fellow tabulators Glenn Carkeek, Vaughn Baucke and Nick Ngau Chun.

It was a defining week for me as a photographer. I was getting my water photography dialled in. And as a magazine team Chris and I were hitting our straps. But that was a mere 26 years ago. The hut is gone, access to Seconds is harder. The Tabulators are scattered to the corners of NZ and in fact the world.

I've returned to the Wairarapa many times since. In part because it holds so many warm memories of past surf missions. Mainly 'cos it's so goddam ruggedly beautiful. And I get to be Igor again.

This Pano was what we came for, and this is pretty much exactly what I had hoped to make. So stoked, so stoked in fact it's now featuring in the Elements Gallery on PhotoCPL.co.nz HERE  

No Seconds this time, I think it may have been really good too, although the wind had quite a bit of north in it. This time we just leisured around Ngawi and it's epic tractors. Checked the now famous Lord of the Rings Pinnacles to make some panos. And then finally some surf. In fact pretty pumping surf at the Gap.

Our good mates Trinity and Dean ...and Nom nom the husky hung out at Castle Point...we need more camping trips guys!!! 

Actually pretty pumping! 

We wanted to stay longer, but also didn't. We'd scored epic weather on our three week roadie, we'd seen some sights that is for sure. The Troopy, the new combat vehicle, hadn't missed a beat. Igor was happy, although he noted there were some streams and deserts that desperately needed to be crossed next time.

From The Elements Gallery

Back home and into the massive photo edit! Keyboard jockey supreme, Igor would not like. Anyway, here's a massive pano that I love, love so much it's now loaded into the Elements Gallery for you to view and perhaps get printed! It's from the Sedgemere Lakes, Molesworth Station. You can check it out better HERE

West Coast-ing

A week late... last week's post was missed altogether. That happens when you're on the road. Seems the way we do things is always to have a few days at the end doing some serious miles to get back home. No amble home, more a sprint to the finish line. 

How good! A drone pano of Mokihinui from the Gentle Annie's side looking south 

The next destination after the Rainbow Road was always going to be the West Coast. The plan was to kind of cruise, but I think we get too excited about all that can be seen and done. 

We did stay at Gentle Annie's for a day. Gentle Annie's Campground has a well deserved reputation as being a beautiful location, eco friendly and pretty esoteric. It is all of those things, but we only kind of liked it. The waves weren't happening, I had ants in our pants for what could be up the road a ways. 

This was what was up the road a ways...

Good waves, sociable vibes with the local crew, and the excitement of surfing somewhere completely new. 

We went caving! Well, the tourist version of it anyway. We saw 10,000 year old Moa bones. Did some cool short walks. Marvelled at the tannin, tea coloured streams. 

Spotted the occasional Nikau grove 

All in all the North west coast of the Southy turned it on for an all too brief week of wandering rapidly. As with every leg of our mission, never a Been there, done that, more of a Next time we are here. 

From The Beach Gallery 

The world famous Punikaiki Pancake rocks, shot for the Big Little Beach Book on the 617 film Pano camera. While the Big Little Beach book has now sold through its 2nd print you can still get this as a print...go on, you know you want to... you can check it out HERE

Over the Rainbow

I’m not sure which came first; the desire to drive some of NZ’s great roads, or the Troopy. Which ever way it was, ever since we took over the custodianship of the Troopy the Rainbow Road has been firmly on the bucket list…no wait… more pressing than that; it’s been on the DO NOW list. 

Covid has stuffed up a lot of things, for us the Rainbow Road was a big one. First lockdown; couldn’t get the materials to do the Troopy refit. Second lockdown, got the gear, did the refit. Ready. Then another lockdown and then more. Last year got away, then this season of the Rainbow being open was fast evaporating. Ange and I were very literally packed and ready to go when the last lockdown struck. We opted to sit it out, it wasn’t so bad, the surf was good at home. 

The Rainbow Road is a 115 km 4wd road over the Rainbow Station and the Molesworth Station. It’s only open late Spring until late March. The road snakes and climbs along the Nelson and Marlborough border into the backcountry highlands. From St Arnaud in the northeast, to Hamner in the southwest. Not a stretch of it is boring. It is, in the true sense of the word, epic.  

You can easily do it in a day, most people choose to overnight at one of the DoC campsites. We opted to stay on the road for 3 nights; two at the Sedgemere Lakes campsite and one very windy one at Lake Tennyson. When we got out at Hamner, we wanted back in again. 

The DoC webpage about it is HERE

And here are [some] of my pictures ….

From The Galleries

Piha Bar Barrel, this is getting a nice instal into a commercial space in Rosebank Road, I think at 2.4 metre high x 3.2 metres wide; bloody amped to see it that big!!!
Wanna see it bigger or even having adorning your home wall? Check it outHERE

Craigie Don't Surf

You probably signed up to the PhotoCPL E-bomb to get tons of watery wave images sent to your inbox. This week…and the next few are going to be a tremendous disappointment for you. Sorry, but honestly, not really. 

Me and the Missus are off on a big Southy mission. It was planned for last year, and then earlier this. 3 of the lockdowns literally coincided with the times blocked out for this mission. We were starting to think we could control lockdowns by squiggling on the year planner. 

The boards are strapped to the side of the Troopy, wetties in the lockbox and water-housing stowed inside. But these things are hopeful sidebars. The main purpose is going inland and doing some overlanding. We do have a Troopy after all and isn’t that what they are made for. We aren’t going hardcore, in fact probably the softest overland trip in NZ; the Rainbow Road to Hamner, just to get a taste. I can’t wait to get there. [This web log is being done on the Interislander] 

Instead of boosting down the North Island to the ferry, we hurried slowly, two blissful days in Wakapapa. What? Ruapehu in autumn with no snow, are you mental? Well actually, it was pretty damn cool, exploring some of the walks, going up the Skywaka, High Tea at the Chateau.  

…next week’s photos, who knows! But it sure AF won’t be surf.

From The Galleries

Piha Bar Barrel, this is getting a nice instal into a commercial space in Rosebank Road, I think at 2.4 metre high x 3.2 metres wide; bloody amped to see it that big!!!
Wanna see it bigger or even having adorning your home wall? Check it outHERE

It Was On Before It Wasn't

The Billabong Grom Series finale at Piha last weekend was off to a perfect start....

The forecast looked great, even a nice little supporting bump in the swell on the Sunday. The groms were frothing, in fact the lil' tackers were in danger of surfing themselves out prior to their heats. Surfing NZ staff and organisers were stoking, finally a comp with really decent waves. I was on camera duties and pretty much the contest machine was running smooth as, the judges were happy, the competitors were happy. Saturday was a great day... and then Auckland went into lockdown at 6 am on Sunday morning.

The Piha fun park was open

Sunday was pretty weird. The comp postponed, whattyado!? Supposed to be working, now not. It's like you're locked and loaded and nowhere to go. The surf was pumping, the whole west coast of Auckland turned on. Out of towners were allowed to drift back home over the Sunday so many took advantage of the pristine day. I did too, surfed me ring out. Here's some pic's of the free surfing on the Saturday morning at the Hass'.

Local surfer Liv Brown-Hysom, text book base work

Liv, same wave but different section

Alice Westerkamp sending buckets

Leia Millar ripping as ever

Pretty sure this is Jack Hinton, please let me know if I'm wrong

How fun is that little bowl of a wave!

Tiarua's Zali Wyper ...all style...and had probably been surfing for 4 hours already

Hopefully we get to get back on the sand at Piha again to finish what was started

...and then where the big boys got to play ...

And Over on Recreational Society

 Pretty damn stoked to have interviewed Tyler Anderson and his mint Troopy! Check it out HERE

And totally related...Piha Bar Barrel, this is getting a nice instal into a commercial space in Rosebank Road this week, I think at 2.4 metre high x 3.2 metres wide; bloody amped to see it that big!!!
Wanna see it bigger or even having adorning your home wall? Check it out HERE

Covid City Refugees

Comp co-organiser Cale Tolley, definitely walking the talk

It was a weird old week. The AK was on lockdown. Me and the missus were already in Whanga post the Billabong Grom Comp, do we stay in Whanga and side step another lockdown? Do we go home to Piha and risk not being able to shoot the inaugural Verticus Ramp Jam in the Mount...and even if Lockdown continues will the Verticus be allowed to run? We did what anybody would do...nothing. We opted to stay put and daily assess the deal. There also happened to be pretty decent waves on offer at Whanga. By the time Lockdown was over, there was only a day difference from when I'd have to drive to the Mount anyway, besides it was offshore.

Remus Henare warming up on Friday evening

The Mount Ramp at Blake Park is the big daddy. It's wider and higher than any other NZ public ramp. It even scares the most seasoned vert skaters. It's the Pipeline, the Teahupoo of ramps. The organisers Cale Tolley and Gav Bisman shrewdly created the event around a somewhat freestyle jam format over 4 hours- 4-8pm so that the light, heat and wind would be at their best. Over 500 spectators filled Blake Park. All the competitors in every division fed off the crowd and went large. My job was made easy; just shoot NZ's creme d la creme doing their best.

The Palmy crew, foil hats ON!

Skating royalty Morri and Scott Woolston; always watching, always judging

Welly's Chris Wood

Josh Wilson on his way to the podium

The gurls going for glory

!4 year old Niwa Shewry has now won 3 back to back vert events

Zedyn Fellows took out best trick and highest air

...and this is why..he landed this Mc Twist

How stoked is he

Takuma and Z with the video evidence

Mount legend Ants McCloud cruised the event but threw down a couply to show the groms how it is done

Cale giving Z a run for best trick and winning the Masters on the way

Miles Ratima and Cale on the live broadcast

The groms between heats

Hamish Stewart gave Cale a good run in the Masters

As ever Steve Nikolls put on a technical show

Nik Clegg with his trademark Backside tail bone

An epic evening, shot too much, got fried in the sun and can't wait until next year's! In the meantime check out more coverage of the Verticus Ramp Jam 2021 HERE

And Deeeen ....

Meanwhile home is on the pump

How stoked is Ratty! As a side bar that board is a single fin triple stinger that Ratty shaped and he absolutely rips on it

Today is a bit big for around these parts, and this weekend we have the final of the Billabong Grom Series here at South Piha. The forecast looks sick!- See ya on the sand.

And Over on Recreational Society

Pretty damn stoked to have interviewed Tyler Anderson and his mint Troopy this week!

Check it out HERE

From The Gallery

And totally related...Classic Whanga Bar, shot on film, way back in the day. Wanna see it bigger or even having adorning your home wall? Check it out HERE

Grom Jam

It Seems Like a Long Time Ago Now...

14 year old Niwa Shewry on his way to winning the Open...yes OPEN at the Mangawhai Bowl Jam

All the other press releases and tales of the 10th Annual Mangawhai Bowl Jam have been broadcast. Brutally, it's yesterday's news. But I went too, this year I opted not to be in the photographer's pit, literally poolside. I wanted to be a spectator, just enjoy the rides, the event. Of course I couldn't bloody help myself, I still ended up viewing the skating through a camera. I shot 5 rolls of Kodak Extar medium format film. I loved it, manual exposure reading, manual focus, manual film wind, not sequences, just make every frame count.

Mikey Bancroft, always a crowd pleaser

Shooting film, meant getting the rolls developed and scanned. This took 5 days. Honestly it stressed me out, which is funny. It's old school, we never used to need everything right now. Hell, skate and surf mags used to only come out every second month.

Jesse Peters, Bowl Jam instigator, with Morri

Uncle Mozza on his way to winning another Master's Title

Bowman Hansen 2nd in the Open

Andrew Morrison, deadset legend

Part of me wishes digital cameras were never evolved, you don't need to take 2000 frames to tell a story. It makes hard to value the process that lies behind an image. But then the other part of me wants to be back in the photographer's pit, getting the sequence coping side, being a part of the media melee getting the shots out fast.

Dave Read, founder of Manual Magazine right on point getting the shot

And At The Other End.... 

The 2021 Billabong Grom Series Whangamata, presented by Oceanbridge [which is an epic tale in itself]

Nav Malone free surf shredding on the Saturday morning

I worked the Whanga Billy Grom comp last weekend. Defo not a job for film. This is all about getting images of as many different competitors delivered to the SNZ Media officer twice a day, fast, not too many, and just the right ones that support the media releases. And gawd help you if you miss helicopter parent's precious pup's best wave.... nah, it's not that bad, well, I'll just let that sentence stay here. It's a repetitive theme of the PhotoCPL E-bombs slash web logs; I love shooting surf comps. Don't ask me that at 5pm after shooting in the sun on the sand since 8am. But I do, love catching up with old friends, love witnessing the evolvement of NZ's surfing culture, love seeing the next generation coming through. So here's a sample of some favourite images from the weekend.

Chloe Groube

Tava Santorik

Ava Henderson

Tom Robinson

Kauai Rahui

Jos Kennings… a slighter older grom

Finn Vette

...and yes, quite aptly bookending this week's post that would be the U18 Women's Whanga Grom Champ and Niwa Shewry's older sister Ariana

And totally related...Classic Whanga Bar, shot on film, way back in the day. Wanna see it bigger or even having adorning your home wall? Check it out HERE

Dates To Remember

So, what are you up to this weekend? Or for that matter the rest of summer. 

Uncle Moz last year at the Jam

There’s gonna be offshores for the west coast and by the looks of it all next week. BUT there also happens to be the 10th Annual Mangawhai Bowl Jam on Saturday. If you have ever been before, then you’re probably going, or a least you know what you are missing out on. But if you haven’t experienced the Bowl Jam before…just come. It is nothing short of spectacular. 

Event starts at 10.30 am  and runs through until the Open Final at 2.30… go surfing on Sunday, unless you’re too f_cked up from the always epic after party.  

… and deeeeen…

If you liked that, you’ll love the inaugural Mount Maunganui Verticus. 

This is organised and hosted by Cale Tolley in association with Hyper Ride on February 20 at the Mount Vert ramp. The plan with this is an evening jam style starting at 4pm and running until dark…after which of course there is an afterparty. 

Cale a couple of sessions back on the Mount ramp

Piha Billabong Grom Comp

Piha Local Leia Millar will be flaring

Surfboard riding more your thing, wanna see the best grommets in the country battle it out for series finals honours? Then I’ll be seeing you on the sand at South Piha last weekend of February. 

 Wrongboarding

The 8th instalment of the Mangawhai Loggerheads is looming large; April 17th. The single day long boarding event is ideally held at Mangawhai Heads, hence the clever name, but it is mobile conditional on waves. It’s part of a loose circuit of traditional long boarding events which include The Ohope West End Wiggle [6-7 March] …probably should’ve written that first aye! And the always dope as f*ck Single Mingle in Summer, ChCh which is getting to be quite a large festival of everything singular, it’s running 8-11 April. 

Daryn McBryde styling as ever last year at the 'Pu

2017's line up

2021 Aotearoa Surf Film Festival

…and if your dance card is not full enough after all that, then the Aotearoa Surf Film Festival is confirmed and touring the nation. You may know I’ve had the absolute honour to have been a founding judge of the Surf Film Fest, man I tell you we have waded through some crap over the years so you don’t have to. But there’s always some shinning lights of creativity and talent. This year’s selection is exceptional, seriously, the feature films and shorts are fricken sick. 

Check out the ASFF website HERE for dates.

Not related and altogether a different place and coast from anything mentioned above; this image is available on PhotoCPL.co.nz HERE

Northern Surfari

Gidday! And before we get into this too much further, as a disclaimer, this was firmly a surf trip not a photo trip. So the images here aren't the most composed, shot at the best time. We were surfing then.

I'd promised Will Bailey's eldest son Maddox a surf trip, a lad's trip years ago. I knew it would happen, but life does get in the way. The promise was made a long time ago, from Maddox's point of view nearly half a lifetime ago. I really think he thought it had become a 'Yeah right' thing. He's 15, this chat had been going on since he was 10. Will made the call; he was off work, Maddy was on school holidays, the swell was predicted to be big. That's resounding YES from me, let's go!

Go wets young man

Cheezel's bank in full fire

Normally I side step swell events like last week's. It was clear the current would be hideous, the crowd would be similar. But this was about fulfilling a promise...and why not. It's summer, it'll be an adventure. We had so much fun. It's so easy to get jaded, sit back and pick holes in the weather report and find reasons not to go. 

Maddox and Will amping on the next tread mill session in the rip 

ahhhh Te Troopy in its natural environment

Wait what! Seeing double... that's Tairua family The Wyper's Troop Carrier

It was crowded, the snakes and drop ins were rampant, but in amongst it all were good rides, long rides, catch ups with old mates. Moments of pumping-ness shared with new mates. Goodtimes! 

Shanksy on his birthday surf mission...and revealing in the glow of getting the best wave of a day on the big day

Paul Shanks and Les Fraser, two deadset legends

Best Reef whip EVER

The day after the peak of swell, still fun as 

Games of Speed between surfs 

Piha locals Issac and Zack Becroft Peaking 

Trying to make lefts into rights 

Days drenched in surfing, in talking surf, living surf. Camping...well glamping in the Troopy.

From The Galleries

Not related and altogether a different place and coast, next lad's trip Maddox?

This image is available on PhotoCPL.co.nz HERE

The Lucky House

Bill, and probably the turn that got him number 8

Leana and Billy Stairmand, Sean Peggs, the Gorgeous Ange and some dodgey old fart. 

I love the Nationals being at Piha. It’s a tough call, there is a part of me that groans…not again, all the shredders taking our waves. But the overwhelming thing is that it is a chance to shoot a bunch of different surfers in the backyard. It’s also a time to catch up with old mates, talk shit and just have some fun. Our house gets filled with a semi regular cast of hopefuls. Love hosting. 

Billy

Peggsy

I didn’t get the contract to be the official photographer this time around. While I do love that role normally, this time round I was very happy not to. There was a plan in place; shoot the free surfs around the day in, day out heats. 

Peggsy

Bilbo

Our house has a reputation, it’s the lucky house. It’s a bit of a running joke, but the fact remains every Nationals we seem to claim at least one National Title. It helps that 8x Open National Champion Billy Stairmand is always one of our temporary flatmates. Last week we walked away with a full house of champs. Both Billy and Sean Peggs won a National Title, Sean winning the Seniors, the Over 30’s. 

First day paddle outs

Local Liv Brown Hysom revelling in dawn

Peggsy loving having a week off driving his Mac

The Keyhole Krew out in support for Dune Kennings during his Semi final, unfortunately he missed out on a 0.5 decision

Dune

There was a quite a strict [voluntary] daily regime in place. Caffeinated and smoothies by 6am, down the beach by 6.30. Surf, shoot. Check the comp site. Surf or compete again. Cruise back at the house. Surf. Dinner, good food, bed by 9.30 pm. Repeat.  Long gone are the trips into Auckland’s nightclubs over the hill. This is serious stuff. Clearly the routine of clean living works. 

Ava Henderson, U16 and U 18 Champ and Open finalist... watch out NZ

ahhh I couldn't help myself aye, ended up shooting the finals day all day. Great to see Dan Procter win another Longboard Title

Our new queen, Gizzy's Saffi Vette took down the big names to clench her first open title 

Her bro Finn took out the Juniors too!

Mini Hutch aka Taylor Hutchinson, made the Open Finals, but you'd kind of expect him to

Kehu Butler gave Billy a real run for his 8th Open Title...like REAL RUN. It was close, but Bill linked more big turns per wave, just edging out Kehu

It was cool to have both Ella Williams and Paige Hareb competing in the Nats again, both made the final and went hard

The house is filled with laughter. I love that. When it’s all over there’s a few days of separation anxiety…where have the buddies gone!? Back to normality. Or in this case off on a surf trip, more about that next week. 

Generally... GOOD!

It has been a good week, not super productive on the photo front, or adventuring high and far. But good just the same.

The gorgeous Ange and I spent three days in Whangamata. There where no waves, but we went anyway. We'd had so many false starts on getting away in the newly fitted out Troopy, we finally had to put the blinkers on and just go. Go anywhere, get gone.

Onemana swims, pohutukawas out

We stayed at the Whanga Motorcamp, the one right in town, wedged perfectly between the beach and the shops. Sadly it has been sold to property developers. Of course it's a prime piece of real estate, but it's sad the generations of happy campers are losing their bolt holes. A bit of Kiwiana has once again gone under the hammer.

I'm not a fan of micro waves... but hell, what else is there!

We went for swims and caught up with old mates, did some work from the road, but more importantly generally meandered. Good times..hashtag camplife.

Back into though, there's a winner winner chicken dinner! This print from last week's subscriber only comp is now winging it's way to sunny Otago. Cheers to all of you that entered the draw ... more draws to come soon, so stay tuned.

Pre Chrissy print sales are going well, I'm kind of thinking, if you want a PhotoCPL print this side of X-mas you better rattle your dags.

Here's my favourite commission from the week that was... once again a terribly hacked phone pic... you'd think I'd know how to use a phone's camera aye.

Ok, the silly season is upon us, enjoy, get crazy, just leave the company photocopier alone, that glass isn't load bearing!

From The Beach Gallery 

Still frothing on this pano!!!! It's loaded up to PhotoCPL.co.nz now and you can view [and buy] West From Taitomo HERE

'Tis The Season To Be Printing

No surprises; now is the time of year orders ramp up for prints, and I'm slack at taking a pic of every order that goes through. There's been some bangers this last week though... 

Piha Layers got printed at 900mm wide, then matted and 40mm natural timber frame, the brief was that the overall size had to be 1200mm wide to fit the space the clients had.

You can view Piha Layers HERE

Then...

And probably the worst photo of a framed piece ever taken; Graveyards the next level up at 1200mm print size, same treatment of matting and 40mm timber box framing making the final piece a whooping 1500mm wide. Different client.

You can view Graveyards HERE rambling on, it was fricken pumping this day, the crew had already had 3 surfing through the tides and were done, we just chilled back in the grass and watched set after set roll through, content with the day. This images was also used as a feature double page spread in The South Seas Book and in UK's Carve Magazine.

Craig MacDonald holding the prize! [He didn't win it this time] My good old mate and cripple Gazza Sawyer sent through this image over the weekend ... since the event was held late Feb in Dunedin, I have no idea why Craig's holding the board in Opunake in November :) But it does show how images can be glassed on a board...even a knee-lo.

Give Away Time

And why not? If you are already a subscriber, you know what to do; you're in the draw to win this 40x30 print of Lion Walkway The draw will also be open to new subscribers and you can SUBSCRIBE HERE this’ll be drawn Tuesday 8 December 5pm NZT.

From The Beach Gallery 

Still frothing on this pano made a fortnight ago! It's loaded up to PhotoCPL.co.nz now and you can view [and buy] West From Taitomo HERE

Possessed To Skate

It's been mentioned before; the very first board sport shots I ever did were skateboarding. I was thirteen and a regular at New Lynn Bowl. My dad loaned me his Instamatic camera for the day. I horrified him by chewing through a full roll of film shooting Tony Hallam and Mark Robinson. I grew up on Skateboarder and Thrasher Magazines, heavily influenced by photographers like Mofo, G.E.Freidman and Grant Brittain. Google them.

The legend...Dave Crab on the ramp he built 20 years ago for the Kerikeri community

The weekend's chauffeur..and O40's 2020 Champ! Cale Tolley...higher than a drone.

Cale with his son Jackson and Mozza

How good! Morri and Dave donated their reissued signature decks for the open champ Niwa.

14 year old Naki native Niwa Shewry

Niwa's favourite shot from the weekend

Wanaka's Zedyn Fellows; both Niwa and Z opted NOT to go in their age division to contest the Open...that's rad!

Z... just gnarly good

I didn't set out to apply their influences to surf photography, but I'd hope it shows through. As an example; DNL's [did not land] are a cardinal sin in skateboarding...I applied to surf. You're not s'possed to shot portraits with wide angle lens, G.E.Freidman specialised in this. I copied, because a ultra telephoto action shot flattens and compresses the view. To juxapose that compression on a magazine page with a wide portrait works, it shows/gives connection with the subject.

Ramon Thackwell, the Prez of Skateboarding NZ

Uncle Moz

Dave Crab

Squeak, a welcome return from injury

Nick Clegg, also back on the road from a heavy spinal injury

I don't skate anymore, I was never any good anyway. But I still love it and appreciate it. I love skating's culture of inclusiveness and support. There are no kooks in skateboarding. Vert is the Pipeline or Teahupoo of skating. It's gnarly, it's consequential when something goes wrong.

Taupo's Remus Henare U16 2020 Champ

Remus

The Vert scene in NZ is small and a tight knit group, but it's on the rise again. If you've never been to a Bowl or Ramp jam, go. You'll be thoroughly stoked out and impressed.

Wellington's Chris Wood

Last weekend, legend of the lifestyle Dave Crab, once again hosted the Kerikeri Vert Jam. Once again the numbers have grown, as has the talent. Put it this way; 13 year old Zedyn Fellows landed back to back 540's.... and still didn't win the Open, 14 year old Niwa Shrewy took top honours with a variation of huge airs and rail work.

If you are in Wellington this weekend, Chris Wood is hosting The Welly Ramp Riot at Ian Galloway Park [Nov 28]. The Mounties are planing a Vert Jam for next year and of course the Mangawhai Bowl Jam is confirmed for again for 6th Febuary 2021.

New Beach Gallery Addition

Super stoked to add last week's pano to the prints now available on PhotoCPL.co.nz You can view [and buy] West From Taitomo HERE

Gearing Up For Summer

Last night's mini mission

Where's Wally? Thanks Trino for the portrait...defo my best angle

Last week, I did not clutter up your inbox with a web log. I reckon if I haven't got something to write or add, then I'm just wasting your time...I'm probably doing that anyway right! Admin week, surfing week, not shooting week. But this week... I got busy and did a mini mission I've been planning for ages. There's a lot of over cooking and over thought that goes into these mini missions. Time and tides are planned, scouts and re scouts, then wait for the skies.

I'm going through a sky phase, for panoramics at least. I want light, but also detail and a bit a drama in the sky. Added to the over thinking was the amp of really giving the new Canon Eos R5 camera a decent trial of making a big meg Pano. It passed with flying colours...even though I was scrambling through the menus to to get the setting overrides needed...but that's user error.

This is what I wanted to make...

.... and it bloody well did it.

It sucks that you can't see the sharpness and the fine detail on your screen. But this one's definitely going straight to the pool room [well, the Beaches Gallery of PhotoCPL.co.nz] In fact it’s now added HERE

In Other Camera Geek News

Thanks Matt at Salty Surf Housings for getting the R5 housing here so fast... ready for summer! The irony of it arriving exactly on cue as the surf turns to mush is not lost. But the froth levels are high... 45 meg files at 20 frames a second... oh yes. On a more serious note, swapping over to Salty from SPL water housings for me was a big move, I have been loyal to SPL for 12 years; there's nothing wrong with them and service provided. BUT I really like the tech Matt puts into Saltys and he is in New South Wales, not California. Can't wait to share the first swim results!

Printing!

There's been quite a few print sales going through over the last weeks, Stoked guys- thanks! If you want to get a print before Christmas, now is the time to start thinking about it. Check out the PhotoCPL Galleries HERE