Buy Pics of Yourself Surfing?

[Steve-O]

Any of you guys ever buy pics from hawaiianwatershots.com? What are everyones thoughts about this type of gig? Giving the people what dey want or whoring out surfing? Increasing crowds or no difference? Been watching this BB for a while and been motivated to post something after seeing so many so fast have popped up locally, anymore out there?

hawaiianwatershots.com
jimisphotos.com
gallery808.com
rippanics.com

[Kelly7873]

I rate surf photographers right up their with lawyers, there may be some nice ones but the world would be a much better place without them. If they stick to the major spots it wouldn't be much of a problem. I've never bought any from JB but I have bought some from Mark @ http://www.northshorepowerportfolios.com/ and Dave @ http://www.sickshots.com/.
I believe most people on this site will post their opinion against the these guys but the silent majority believe that they are performing a service. I know plenty guys who'll buy any shot they can of themselves.

[Jah]

I'm not sure if it's the photographer/photography or the internet that is the problem. People have been taking surf photos for years but now the internet enables mass people to check the photos and crowd the lineups hoping they can see their face on the internet somewhere. I personally believe the internet is the cause of the majority of controversy in several realms of surfing including: surf forecasts, surf reports, surf photography, crowds (due to easy surf reports/forecasts), spot names and locations, tips/tricks on swell direction and wind directions that work best at what spots, etc....

It has taken the challenge out knowing when and where to surf. Before there were opportunities to catch a swell as it was just filling in without mass crowds (in SD anyway) because people that were working or lived inland would need to make a commitment of driving to the surf and risk getting skunked. Now people can login to surfline.com and watch it live to know it's worth the drive/time commitment. Most people have a general idea of size/shape/consistency of the swell before they ever jump into their car to head to the beach, making it easier to find good surf. It used to pay to live a mile or two from the beach cause you could catch short windows of the swell that would produce uncrowded fun peaks, now everyone knows when and where it's happening. Just my opinion that the internet is more to blame than anything/anyone else.

[Bud]

Photogs on the beach or in the water has never influence my decision of where to surf, in fact more likely make me look elsewhere. But there's no question that I am a die hard photo slut, I love to see pics of mself surfing. In fact I admit if I had lotta cash laying around I could see myself paying for a private photo shoot with a couple friends. I bought a couple random shots that showed up on chunnsreef.net from JB a few years back and then a couple more last year, but his operation has exploded since then and he gave me pretty significant price breaks back then.-





But as far as the whole setup on the beach and take random pictures with the sole intent to sell 'em .... for me, the jury's still out on this one. So far i have not noticed any impact other than the usual hamming it up for the cameras.

The crowd out at Jocko's the past few years has me wondering though. Used to be, even 4-5 years ago, if Jox wasn't at least double-o and good direction, no one even gave it a second look. Nowadays, it's nutso out there. But there's good argument that the crowds have exploded everywhere, regardless of cameras

I'm guessing that at least some of these guys are making a few bucks? I mean, the camera equipment is super expensive - the pics for sale are not cheap either. I wonder how many more will spring up ...

[blahlah]

I have to admit too that I was pretty psyched to see some pics of me surfing.

But the reality of seeing myself versus what I would like to THINK I look like is pretty sobering.

So maybe it's better to just have fun without photos to remind me that I am a donkey.

To me, the biggest thing affecting crowds isn't the internet forecasting or the number of photogs, it's just that the number of surfers in the world are increasing exponentially. And there's nothing really that can be done about that.

[neosponge]

Gotta admit I enjoy getting photo'ed (esp since I'm usually the one taking pics). Have bought several photos from JB.

Interestingly, I'm planning on writing an article on this very issue for FreeSurf--discussed this with Latronic back in April. Hope you guys don't mind if I take down some of these opinions (totally unnamed of course).

[soloman]

wow, now this is a truly stimulating thread. incredible perspectives, so many differing points of view.

wot do i tink?

surf pictures make somebody out of nobody. it's true. i was told by one local female surfer, who was into the pro scene about 10+ years ago, that a bigtime photodude wanted to make her famous. and there's no doubt in my mind that he could've. however, she knew his ulterior motives, and thus declined the offer.

surf pictures have power, and the man behind the camera has the power to create stars. that's one of the downers about surfing.

if we lived in a perfect world, i'ld say there's no place for them. it's definitely all about vanity. but alas, the world we live in is bizzarro-land. everything is bass-ackwards. so, our ideals take a back seat to our personal vanity. we crumble that easily, with no thought of humility, or if the pursuit is truly uselfull. it serves no purpose other than to sensationalize, magnify, intensify, the intended subject. i see that as a distortion of reality. hype.

i talk too much, but this is a good subject for debate, no black and white here (no pun intended). to me, surfing went downhill with the advent of the frikkin' LEASH. this enabled a lot of people who have no business being in the water to enjoy the ocean with the true watermen...

[Guest]

If you want pictures of yourself surfing, then buy a camera.
I say we all go crazy and punch out the next camera guy for not asking permission to "shoot" your picture. Just like some of the movie stars have done.

[Bud]

I say we all go crazy and punch out the next camera guy for not asking permission to "shoot" your picture. Just like some of the movie stars have done.

I have thought about this angle before and wondered. For the most part, I don't think these guys are selling the pics without rider permission to magazines etc., for profit ... and ... somehow this 'single user' policy these guys have suddenly put up all over thier websites fits into this rigamorale too. I vaguely recall reading something about the basic legal aspects of the whole public picture taking thing. Along the lines of, if you're doing something in a public place, you open yourself up to being photographed ... but must have permission to use for commercial purposes...? any lawyers out there?

btw, was cruising the ERmag.com BB and saw a similar topic posted by another photo selling dude, add one mo to the list 'rebelshots.com'

[bammbamm808]

I might want a picture of myself surfing, but it would be all about the wave. If it was a really impressive wave, a huge perfect barrel or something maybe, but a picture focusing on ME? WANKERRRRR!!!!

I mostly go surfing to experience the waves, anyway, they're the stars, not the stupid humans who ride them.

[Bud]

yeah, I'm not a fan of the super tight surfer only shots. gotta see as much of the the wave as possible, to get a sense of the whole deal.

I'm curious still, how much of a demand there really is, are people paying the bucks for the pics, enough to break even, maybe make profit? I give JB credit for being among the first locally to go head first full abandon into it though, the money for cameras, equip & PC's .... time spent editing, posting and all. But I could think of few worse things than sitting on the beach or in the lineup taking surf photos, all day, then go surf it too.

[Steve-O]

Gotta admit I enjoy getting photo'ed (esp since I'm usually the one taking pics). Have bought several photos from JB.

Interestingly, I'm planning on writing an article on this very issue for FreeSurf--discussed this with Latronic back in April. Hope you guys don't mind if I take down some of these opinions (totally unnamed of course).

Hey sponge, I have enjoyed your website/articles & photos for long time. I am wondering if you plan to list all the surf-photo website URLs in your article? Any thoughts about any impact of adding to their exposure by doing so?

[neosponge]

Steve-O. Good question. Truly a double-edged sword, not unlike our dilemma about posting session pictures (esp with surf spot names). If I were to write about this (which I'm actually leaning towards), then yes I would put down a list of sites. Definitely wouldn't be emphasized in the article, but it would be there. News can sensationalize and popularize something, but it can also turn people off to it. In the end, I'd like to think surfing will take care of its own and itself.

[neosponge]

I might want a picture of myself surfing, but it would be all about the wave. If it was a really impressive wave, a huge perfect barrel or something maybe, but a picture focusing on ME? WANKERRRRR!!!!

Who's the wanker? The photographer or the "photographee"?

[LGREANZ]

I mostly go surfing to experience the waves, anyway, they're the stars, not the stupid humans who ride them.

what a great concept. the waves are the stars. so true.

wow neo is that you at age 15 after a big garden isle doobie ?