Image Focus

This guy is in trouble. He's about to be eaten by the wave.

The surfer must respond because that wave will close down, and when it does, it will be like being in a big, big washing machine. He is going to roll hard for about 40 seconds underwater. He'll take a deep breath that he will hold underwater, while he waits for a jet ski to come and pick him up. 

A friend told me the day before I shot this image about this surf spot called Dungeons, located in Cape Town. They knew the swell was coming and as waves this big are unusual in South Africa's summer, I knew this would be a great way to take some impressive shots – I never miss an opportunity to shoot surfing photos!

I didn't expect the surf to be as big as it was. Waves like the one in the photo are dangerous, even deadly. You have to know what you are doing and if you fall, you have to be prepared for what’s to come. But at the same time, that is why I love this moment. It is humans conquering nature, albeit for just a moment.

The image was shot from a boat with the Sony Alpha 7 III, using the Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS telephoto zoom lens. It is a very well-built lens that is sharp and versatile. I shot an entire sequence of the guy surfing – from when he starts to when the wave closes and you cannot see him anymore – and all the shots are superbly in focus. The Sony Alpha cameras are just so good at tracking subjects, particularly when they can lock on a subject’s face. It helps me a lot, particularly in my style of photography. 

I love the beauty of this scene. There is the power of nature, coupled with the excitement and courage of these big wave surfers. Surfers can wait for months for a wave like this. They don't sleep the night before because they are so excited, and there is a moment such as this where they hit a massive, beautiful wave. Then there is the scariest part, the closeout and for a fraction of a second, the surfer fills with both excitement and fear.

I love everything about this image and the story behind it even more so. It means a lot to me, and I'll never forget the people who helped me get back to taking photos and not forget about my photography. Because of this, it is the only one of my images that I have hanging on my wall.