Flickr a Day 99: ‘Surfer’

Sports photography should be more than the shooter with the longest lens capturing one good photo from many taken with continuous shutter. Today’s selection, captured by Terence Kearns on May 9, 2008, is atypical of surfing shots in the grandest ways. It’s artistry.

The perspective gives sense of being there in the water—visual impact punched by depth of field; the blurred foreground. Photo vitals tell another story: f/6.7, ISO 100, 1/60 sec, 200mm. The slow shutter speed surprises me but works effectively, giving surreal painted effect to water in motion. Meanwhile, composition and placement of the silhouetted surfer are superb.

Terence shot self-titled “Surfer” using Canon EOS 400D and EF 70-200L F/2.8 IS lens. I have used that Canon lens, which is magnificently balanced and delivers sharp renders across the focal range. He lives on Australia’s Gold Coast, where he started shooting professionally in 2007. Terence joined Flickr, where he is no longer regularly active, in March 2005. You also find him on Facebook or his photo site.

Photo Credit: Terence Kearns