Awesome shots of windsurfing are possible to get, without ever venturing into the water. But a sound understanding of windsurfing techniques and an understanding of environmental conditions such as wind direction can make the difference between an adequate photograph and a stunning image.
What is the Best Wind Direction For Photographing Stunning Windsurfing Images?
There is not necessarily a best wind direction for getting stunning images of windsurfing, but understanding the wind direction and its effect on the motion of the windsurfer, will enable the photographer to have a much better idea where the individual windsurfer will place their turns (gybes or tacks) and jumps.
Cross shore winds can be great as the windsurfer is likely to come close into shore to carve gybe before heading back off-shore again. On-shore winds can give great opportunities for panned images. Wind against tide or current will tend to give steeper-sided larger waves, which improves the chances of experienced windsurfers performing jumps.
What is the Best Time Of Day For Photographing Stunning Windsurfing Images?
As with most photography, the best time of day is usually the magic hours – the hours just after dawn and just before sunset. This often gives a wonderful golden colour to the light, and the long shadows are great for giving definition to the windsurfer. Although the worst time of day is often midday, sometimes this can give good results, with deep blue skies in the background.
What Techniques Are Required For Photographing Stunning Windsurfing Images?
A sound understanding of shutter speed and aperture priority will help the windsurfing photographer capture the image they were after, whether this is freezing the action, or intentionally blurring the motion. A sense of when the windsurfer is likely to perform an interesting action is also vital – whether this is just that they will continue at high speed past the photographer (good for panned shots with motion-blurred backgrounds) or that they will jump or gybe at a given point.
Capturing the emotion on their faces as they fall in the water, succeed at a difficult manoever, or manage to do their first waterstart is also a good technique for producing stunning windsurfing images. Follow-focus and predictive focus are also useful techniques for the windsurfing photographer to master, these will enable the photographer to gain sharper pictures of the action.
What Equipment Is Needed For Photographing Stunning Windsurfing Images?
Ideally the photographer needs an SLR camera (digital or, more rarely, film). A long lens (say up to 400mm) is very useful for capturing close-up images of the windsurfer coming into a gybe at speed, as this may enable the photographer to almost fill the frame with the windsurfer. A monopod can be of use for easing the weight of a long lens, though often this will be hand-held for better manoeverability. A waterproof covering may be of use on days where the wind is blowing towards the photographer.
Underwater housings are highly specialised (and expensive) and are likely only to be used by professionals (or photographers who are also divers) but can enable the camera to be taken safely into the water to capture close-up shots away from the shoreline.
Understanding the sport of windsurfing, including wind direction, windsurfing moves and how the wind and tide/current interact is key to taking stunning windsurfing images.
Chiz Dakin - A keen mountain walker, scrambler, cyclist and occasional climber and sea kayaker for several years, Chiz Dakin has carried a camera with ...
