Ron Stoner surf photographer

Ron Stoner portrait

Ron Stoner was the lost sole of the 60's surf scene the most talented surf photographer of his generation his images now not only document the 1960's surf cultures rise into popular culture but also the rise of the sexual revaluation which was taking place in America.


He really was a complete photographer being one of the first surf photographers to document the whole surf scene and the first surf photographer to use colour film to its full potential.


His simple scene setting images are now set in the traditions of of modern surf photography they set the mood for all his articles and really sum up the surfing lifestyle empty beautiful waves just waiting to be found and surfed.


His photography now is regraded as social documentary having great importance in surf culture, a great lose came to the surfing world Ron was lost in his battle with the effects of schizophrenia brought on by his excess use of LSD. No one knows what happened to him but he was declared missing in 1977 and in 1996 declared dead having not been seen since the early 70's.

Long Lens Cannon 600mm

There have been people that have influenced the image making of surf photographers today and the there is the inventions that have moved the medium forward. One of these is the now industry standard 600mm lens every surf photographer will have one of these in there bag of toys some being Cannon others depending on the photographers camera brand being a different maker.

These lenses bring the action closer and with the technical advancements they also now have auto focus and built in image stabilizers helping to produce clearer sharper images. This is in a way has taken the great skill out of producing crisp images where as in the early years the lense's were manual focus and the photographer had to rely on skill alone to get that magically crisp image.

Wipeouts

Wipeouts got to love them when they happen to other people not so great when they happen to you i took this photograph a few years back with my old Sony camera and 500mm lens still brings a smile to my face.

There part and parcel of being a surfer when your learning they happen a lot as you try to get used to the movement of water under you feet, then as you get better they happen more often as you push your limits to see how good you really are. If you don't have the odd big wipeout every time you get in the sea then your not pushing yourself in the water.

Such a bad day turned good

Some days you go out taking photographs and you get nothing use able today was different the light was bad but the action was insane as you can see from this Andy King big backloop.

Rider Portraits

1st surf related image portrait of a surfer

Sam Bosworth

Lee Harvey

Every professional rider needs them it helps people find out who they are there used on adverts and when they give magazine interviews. These images are of a social documentary background and give the rider a chance to see a personal side of the rider. I like the centred images with the profile shots i take plain and simple and sticks with traditions that have been built up with in photographic history. These images cross over within the pathways of the medium but when they come down to it they are all surf related images.

Long lens work

Lee Harvey

Ian Black
Russel Winter

As a surf photographer long lens work is part and parcel of my everyday work load I've crossed over from just being a surf only photographer to looking at kite and wind surfing as well. You can see how similar the sports are and how the techniques used with surfing just cross over into other surf related genres.

Setting the scene

The line up

Beach set up

Cheesy sunset looking at waves

All great surfing articles have a scene setting images here are some examples i have taken these are very much social documentary images and record the life style of a surfer. There used in magazines to help make people feel like there are at the beach with subjects. These type of images were part and parcel of early surf photography and the likes of Doc Ball and Ron Stoner were masters of setting the scene for the viewer.