SURFING IN THE SHADOW OF CYCLONES

With Cyclone Oma causing havoc up and down the Southern Queensland coast this weekend there seemed no better time for my son and I to have a father and son weekend combining our love of surfing and of cameras.

Now when it comes to photography I’m pretty confident saying I know my stuff but when it comes to surfing, while I love both doing it and watching it, I have to be honest and say I’m pretty hopeless at it.

My little boy on the other hand is still learning his camera work but loves his surfing and after only a couple of lessons can go off and catch a wave and unlike his dad actually stay standing riding it to the end.

All that said the set after set of bumper waves crashing up and down the Gold and Sunshine Coasts were well beyond anything we could even pretend to go out in so we decided to stay on dry land, break out the cameras and have a great father and son weekend watching and capturing the action by surfers we can only dream about ever being as good as.

And what a pleasure it was to watch those men and women out among terrifyingly large crashing waves. Saturday was the most dramatic down at Kirra Point and Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast and then Sunday a quieter session up at the Spit at Noosa.

Though while I must say the surfing was impressive, and it is always fantastic to photograph people in their element, what was more impressive to me was my little boy using a big telephoto lens for the first time and shooting fast sports for the first time and nailing some absolutely amazing shots.

No random firing of the camera for him, but careful framing and timing his shots for the best drama. He has owned and been using cameras since he was three. Now at 11 he is becoming a really accomplished young photographer.

As a father there is no greater thing than sharing two of your favourite things with your child and also watching them develop realising with pride that they will, without doubt, one day surpass you at both of them.

So here are my pics….. and my son’s follow below…