A Surfing Photography Legend

Brian Bielmann

51-year-old Brian Bielmann has been photographing surfers for over three decades, and has quite an impressive portfolio.  Some of his greatest shots are featured today at the New York Times Lens, including one depicting other surf photogs diving for cover, which effectively communicates the strange, dangerous world these people work in.

From Daniel Slotnik’s article:

Getting the shot in surf photography is “all about reacting and having confidence, and not thinking too  much,” Mr. Bielmann said.  He’s had many close calls, and has drowned 10 cameras by his own count.

An episode at Pipeline, an infamous break off Oahu, stands out. Mr. Bielmann ran out of film and signaled for a water patrolman to tow him to shore on a boogie board behind a Jet Ski. It was the water patrolman’s first time pulling a photographer out of large waves. Instead of waiting for a break in the set, he charged forward into a head-high wall of whitewater. The Jet Ski hit the whitewater and went vertical, meaning it was perpendicular to the boogie board — and Mr. Bielmann.

Link to article |  Link to Brian’s website