Surf Ethics
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Posted by Photo CPL
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Posted by Photo CPL
When I left NZ Surfing Magazine in March I knew one of the biggest consequences would be missing out on doing road trips. I love roadys and adventuring AND if you’ve ever read one of my articles in NZSM from the last 15 years about such trips you’ll know that this is a recurring theme, the whole fact that New Zealand is so untapped and holds such huge potential for surf exploration. So while I’m running the risk of banging on again about us Kiwi surfers living in God’s own not really knowing how lucky we are-here I go- but slightly differently.
Scott Bell - PhotoCPL
A few years ago my bro Steve Fortune tuned me up about a cunning plan, but the deal was it had to be after I left the magazine. Steve is totally focussed on exploration and finding waves that will challenge his ability. He hates crowds too; you won’t often see the Piha resident in the water at Piha. He invests all his spare money, time and effort into getting away from the pack- it’s paying off.
Steve Fortune - PhotoCPL
For me, as a photographer and writer I’ve always been aware of the omnipresent pressure to sensationalise a break that’s never been shot before. Idealistically I think of it as the fodder that fuels our dreams, and motivates each us to do our own finding. Realistically and commercially it’s a great mag cover splash to have –‘NEW SPOT X EXPOSED!’- It truly does sell magazines. But of course this flies in the face of most surfers’ ethos and ethic. For a surfing surf-photog this has been one of the hardest lines to walk, you want to get the freshest and best shots. Just as you want to surf new and different waves, you get a huge stoke out of shooting them too. But the last thing I wanna do is be disrespectful to the locals or ruin the spot for the crews that have put in the hours there.
‘NEW SPOT X EXPOSED!’- It truly does sell magazines. But of course this flies in the face of most surfers’ ethos and ethic.
Surf-photogs often get vilified as the whistle blowers, the squealers and the Narks. While it’s a simplistic and moronic generalisation, it exists because it is based in fact. From time to time publications have relaxed and misjudged the need to adhere to the rules. I remember a few years ago an Aussie mag totally blew the lid on Bali’s Kerimas. For years previous the surf press and photogs in the know had simply not said or labelled the image Chungu. Even if it was the surfing world’s worst keep secret, why the heck be the lowlife to run an expose on the joint? Surely, for as many sales as you’d get in the short term, you’d loose loyal regular readers who had bought into the title’s creditability? Would not it be better to maintain the mystique, suspense and tease of the greater potential? AND should not the guilty magazine wear the heat, not the poor [and I do mean poor] Johnny-on-the-spot photog?
Cakes and Pies - PhotoCPL
In the past, my way around this was to train focus on the person surfing, rather than where the surfing was. But I’ve learnt that this doesn’t work either, if a pic gets published that looks like a different wave, this creates discussion and sure enough somewhere, someone will feel the need to show-off and gloat “Oh I know where that is, that’s…..” Or even uglier, feign outrageous indignation to all listening that ‘their’ spot is being ruined….ummm so who is the real whistle blower here?
Even the most hardened surf adventurer will readily admit to being catalysed and inspired by images in mags, posters and the web. And yet as they get older some choose to vilify that very same inspiration. These were some the things Steve and I talked about on our lil roady, and while this well could be falsely construed as a whinge or a vindication; it’s really meant more as an observation of our surfing ways. So what do you think, how should surf photogs approach their subject? What do you want to see? Is it our very on form of NIMBY-ism?
Blog out- CP
Also, check out CPL's NEW Book, OUT NOW - Full details at photocpl.co.nz
A few years ago my bro Steve Fortune tuned me up about a cunning plan, but the deal was it had to be after I left the magazine. Steve is totally focussed on exploration and finding waves that will challenge his ability. He hates crowds too; you won’t often see the Piha resident in the water at Piha. He invests all his spare money, time and effort into getting away from the pack- it’s paying off.
Steve Fortune - PhotoCPL
For me, as a photographer and writer I’ve always been aware of the omnipresent pressure to sensationalise a break that’s never been shot before. Idealistically I think of it as the fodder that fuels our dreams, and motivates each us to do our own finding. Realistically and commercially it’s a great mag cover splash to have –‘NEW SPOT X EXPOSED!’- It truly does sell magazines. But of course this flies in the face of most surfers’ ethos and ethic. For a surfing surf-photog this has been one of the hardest lines to walk, you want to get the freshest and best shots. Just as you want to surf new and different waves, you get a huge stoke out of shooting them too. But the last thing I wanna do is be disrespectful to the locals or ruin the spot for the crews that have put in the hours there.
‘NEW SPOT X EXPOSED!’- It truly does sell magazines. But of course this flies in the face of most surfers’ ethos and ethic.
Surf-photogs often get vilified as the whistle blowers, the squealers and the Narks. While it’s a simplistic and moronic generalisation, it exists because it is based in fact. From time to time publications have relaxed and misjudged the need to adhere to the rules. I remember a few years ago an Aussie mag totally blew the lid on Bali’s Kerimas. For years previous the surf press and photogs in the know had simply not said or labelled the image Chungu. Even if it was the surfing world’s worst keep secret, why the heck be the lowlife to run an expose on the joint? Surely, for as many sales as you’d get in the short term, you’d loose loyal regular readers who had bought into the title’s creditability? Would not it be better to maintain the mystique, suspense and tease of the greater potential? AND should not the guilty magazine wear the heat, not the poor [and I do mean poor] Johnny-on-the-spot photog?
Cakes and Pies - PhotoCPL
In the past, my way around this was to train focus on the person surfing, rather than where the surfing was. But I’ve learnt that this doesn’t work either, if a pic gets published that looks like a different wave, this creates discussion and sure enough somewhere, someone will feel the need to show-off and gloat “Oh I know where that is, that’s…..” Or even uglier, feign outrageous indignation to all listening that ‘their’ spot is being ruined….ummm so who is the real whistle blower here?
Even the most hardened surf adventurer will readily admit to being catalysed and inspired by images in mags, posters and the web. And yet as they get older some choose to vilify that very same inspiration. These were some the things Steve and I talked about on our lil roady, and while this well could be falsely construed as a whinge or a vindication; it’s really meant more as an observation of our surfing ways. So what do you think, how should surf photogs approach their subject? What do you want to see? Is it our very on form of NIMBY-ism?
Blog out- CP
Also, check out CPL's NEW Book, OUT NOW - Full details at photocpl.co.nz
1 comments so far...
1.
Nov 19,
2008
2008
01:25 pm
flip-side... when spots do get blown and crowds set in- it forces the surfer to look and search further for new waves.. which is the essence of surfing...
- Posted by pete
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Craig 'CPL' Levers is a talented photographer / journo based in Piha on the West Coast. He has given 15 years to surfing in this country while at the editorial helm of NZ Surfing Magazine. CPL is now pursuing his own exciting book and other print projects, be sure to check out his website and new book coming out soon here:www.photocpl.co.nz
