Marrying Surf to Snapshots

Who says you can’t have two passions?

Long Beach lends itself to both surfing and photography, and some locals have brought together their love of both activities to create some awe-inspiring images.

Perhaps while driving along East Park Avenue you’ve noticed the surfing action shots in the windows of Unsound Surf. The shop’s owner, Mike Nelson, took them. Nelson not only lives and breathes surfing, but when he’s not on a board he has a camera in hand to capture images of the surf and sand. It was a natural marriage of two hobbies.

“I was into photography and surfing, and it just kind of evolved from there,” Nelson said.

Over the past 13 years, Nelson’s hobby grew into a part-time profession, and his work has appeared in such magazines and publications as Surfer, Surfing, Eastern Surf, Surfers Journal and Surfline.

He primarily shoots in New York and New Jersey, and prefers shooing in the water than on the shore.

“I really like to shoot from the water because in some ways it still feels as though I’m surfing,” Nelson said. “Shooting from the beach, you are a bit disconnected from the action. In the water, you feel a part of the action.”

Inspired by Nelson’s aquatic work, Jonathan Spector, a full-time guidance counselor and part-time photographer, moved from the sand to the sea to capture photos of his friends in action. 

“I have taken wonderful shots from the beach, but I really thought it would be a fun challenge to take photos while in the water,” Spector said. “I was curious about how the wave would look up close when it was breaking.”

He took up photography in his early 20s and started to surf when he moved to Long Beach. He said he learned immediately that surf photography isn’t as easy as it appears, especially in rough surf.

“I found out the hard way when I kept hitting the reef because the water was shallow,” Spector said of a recent trip to Puerto Rico.

To take a photo from the water, Spector explained, he positions himself in shallow waters so that when his friends are taking the waves and approaching him, he has a good position to see their direction. Then he points and shoots, trying for the best possible shots.

“It's not easy though because of other waves that are coming through, and you also have to balance yourself when taking the photos,” he said.

Nelson said that one of the challenges of surf photography is staying safe and getting in the right spot at the right time.

“That can be very difficult when you are fighting a strong cross shore current,” he said.

While anyone can purchase a simple point-and-shoot camera, a $200 Canon just won’t do for these guys. Nelson estimates that he owns $20,000 worth of Canon photography equipment that he purchased over many years.

Spector’s camera of choice is a Canon Rebel XSi. Since cameras aren’t waterproof they need a special housing, the purchase of which set him back $1,400.

But the challenges and hefty expenses are offset by their love for what they do.  

“Surf photography is a lot harder than I thought, but I love it,” said Spector.

While Spector and Nelson both sell their work, neither called their surf photography a full-time profession.

“Do not do it for financial reasons,” Nelson advises aspiring surf photographers. “Do it because you love it. Pay rates in the industry are very low as compared to other photography-related fields.”