Feeling nostalgic

Sean Holmes post Billabong Pro R2 heat win

Today far away from any surf competition I feel a little nostalgic. Up till the beginning of July I'd been "unemployed" if you wish. The Mr Price Pro was my first event I'd worked in 3.5 months. From there I headed down to Jeffreys Bay for the Billabong Pro where I was forced to bail the event mid Round 2 for a family emergency. Family comes first! Down in Cape Town today Greg Emslie won the O'Neill CWC keeping all three South African surf event trophies in South Africa.

2010 - Mr Price Pro Ballito - Jordy Smith
2010 - Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay - Jordy Smith
2010 - O'Neill Cold Water Classic Cape Town - Greg Emslie

My next event now lies two months away in France.

Shooting the Moon

One day late of a full moon

Yesterday whilst sipping a beer on the uShaka Pier the moon stopped me mid sip. It was one of those "have I got enough time to race home 20kms grab my gear and race back 20kms in time" moments.

Today I went back to the pier and the moon wasn't there, strange but true. Departed after buying a bag of sweets for my sour sweet quest. Leaving my friends house I see this glowing orb above the trees. Guess what, the moons up.

First International Cover - Swell#23

Cover of Swell#23

Swell Magazine is a Belgian surf culture mag, the cover of Swell#23 features a photo of mine from the Hawaii 09/10 Winter season. It is also my first international cover.

Being the season it was of big swell after big swell I took to shooting Waimea from the channel for a change of scenery when I felt comfortable. The surfers are (left) Bart Willems and (right) James Taylor, both from South Africa were there chasing waves in the Norther Hempisphere.

Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay 2010

Jordy Smith and Sean Holmes

Morning pull back and Morning close-up

VIP aerial view and Boardwalk view

Jordy Smith - 2010 Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay Champion

As we all know along with the entire surfing world and mainstream media, Jordy Smith won the 2010 Billabong Pro in Jeffreys Bay. Not only did he win his first ASP World Tour event but the first South African to win a modern day World Tour event since Shaun Tomson in the 1980s and his victory coincided with Nelson Mandelas 92nd Birthday.

I had more pressing family issues to attend so I bailed JBay on the second day of competition but from Day 1 to Day 4 conditions were what you would hope and expect for a surfing event of professional level whose swell window spans 12 days.

Sean Holmes was the other South African standout where others faltered. In one day he demoted 12 ASP World Titles to the sidelines. First he upped his tally, Sean Holmes 3 Andy Irons 1 before finally having his chance against Kelly Slater. All in a days work with a sore back sending Slater back to the dry deck and giving Jordy a helping hand to number one in the world. This time saying Jordy is #1 is legit.

Next stop Tahiti.

Sean Holmes Wildcard of all Wildcards

Standard Jeffreys Bay Golden Morning

Two water views not many spectators see

Opening Ceremony Dancing

Oxymoron of the decade

"Enter our health facility and feel free to smoke"

Umhlanga Rocks Hospital Smoking Area. Biggest Oxymoron if ever there was.

Greg Ewing - SA Surf Photographer of the Year

Greg Ewing SA 2010 Surf POTY

An update regarding the 2010 South African Surf Photographer of the Year is long overdue and while I have some minutes available I'm getting it done.

As you can see Greg Ewing won the award, I didn't shed any tears or loose sleep over not winning. Greg fully deserved the recognition not for only the year gone by but for the many years gone by with the Sheriff doing his thing.

The legend Chris Van Lennep was on hand to congratulate Greg with a canvas print of one of his own photos.

** THIS PHOTO IS NOT MINE, I PINCHED IT FROM GREGS BLOG. PABLO PONZONE WAS THE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE NIGHT AND SO THE IMAGE IS HIS **

Mr Price Pro Ballito Jordy WINS

Taylor Knox won the event the year Jordy entered his first Mr Price Pro in 2000

Jordy helped make the call on the first day

A common sight when Jordy is surfing

Well the 2010 edition of the Mr Price Pro Ballito came to an end on Saturday with Jordy Smith being crowned the winner. Only the second South African to win the event in 32 years, the third in its history. Shaun Tompson and Ricky Basnett were the previous winners.

Jordy defeated South Coast Bruce Ironsish ripper Casey Grant. Casey supposedly could afford neither a cup of coffee or sandwich throughout the event, perhaps the literal hunger that drove him to the final. From Quarter Final to Semi Final to Final I was saying Casey is the only one who has what it takes to stop the reigning ASP #2 Jordy Smith. Were the ASP running its one tier system Jordy would be #1 in the World, a fact misquoted by the mass media now claiming he has overtaken Kelly Slater.

These are just a handful of images of Jordy through the event.

From the Magic Morning

He beat us but we will still carry him

Only the third South African in its history to win the event

Mr Price Pro Ballito Day 7

Greg "BIGfoot" Emslie

The 2010 Mr Price Pro Ballito had been trudging along till this morning. I say trudging as the waves were not the greatest, the photos I was producing were not the greatest and moods were certainly not the greatest. Yesterday hit trough bottom when I attempted a shortcut across the storm water drain slipped ended feet first knee second and gear bag third in water I would corner off with hazard tape. Only thing damaged being my pride and I quickly figured laugh it off and so I carried on walking back to my office laughing. Moral of the story, shortcuts don't always save time.

This morning we expected good waves, I didn't expect anything as beautiful as the conditions on offer. Barrelfest, sheet glass, aquatic gold, amazing. Just a few of the adjectives used. Happy is an understatement when describing the photos.

Greg Emslie needed an 8.50 to advance, he was awarded an 8.2something and he was eliminated. My opinion and that of many - Greg was robbed and deserved at least second place.

The Making of Page 8

Page 8 Underwater - Black & White

The Winter 2010 issue of theBOMBsurf Magazine has been delivered and readers are pouring over content from the past three months. One of the photographs, page 8, is an image stemming from a vision John and Iain had and asked for my help in creating.

The issue is full Black and White, something we think has never been done before and something John and Iain say they will never be doing again. So much was learnt about color management in the production of this magazine that they are looking forward to bringing brighter more vibrant issues in the future.

I have built a bracket that allows me to mount my HD Go Pro camera to my housing to capture high definition video at the same time I create stills. A simple contraption with wonderful results at times from which my plan of developing a series of videos called "Making of" which goes about explaining how a photograph was created. The title explains itself. At the moment my video skills are very limited. As I progress and the learning curve takes an uphill turn I will redo each video. Here is a link to watch the video for the "Making of Page 8".

I also prefer the color version of the image.

Page 8 Underwater - Color

Mr Price Pro Ballito Day 2

Davey Brand

Today, 3 July 2010, was Day 2 of the Mr Price Pro Ballito, of which I am the event photog, and the conditions last years edition was blessed with have failed to make a repeat show BUT that has not stopped the top South African junior surfers from showing they don't need perfect conditions to show a perfect repertoire. Morning conditions were more favorable than yesterday and a feast of airs, wafts, drops and flops were delivered.