Surf Photography in San Diego and One of the Longest Sets I've Ever Seen
I met up with my friend Bre to photograph her surfing. Conditions were about as nice as you could ask for on a hot San Diego summer morning: clean 3–4 foot surf, warm water, and a bluebird sky. Even with a crowded lineup, she managed to find plenty of waves, navigating through the crowd and making the most of every opportunity.
From behind the camera, it's always rewarding photographing someone who knows how to read the ocean. Good positioning and patience often matter more than perfect conditions. Even when she paddles to exactly where she says she isn't going to...Bre…
After about an hour, the horizon changed.
A set started marching in.
And it just kept coming.
Wave after wave rolled through the lineup. They were all well overhead, and the set seemed almost endless. I stopped counting somewhere around thirty waves. I've never seen anything quite like it.
It lasted so long that some surfers managed to paddle back out and catch a second wave before the set had even finished. The lineup went from relaxed to complete chaos in a matter of minutes. A couple surfers scratched over the biggest waves, most got blown up, and a lucky handful found themselves dropping into some of the best waves of the day.
What even was that?!
We came away with a handful of photographs we're really happy with. The light was beautiful, the water had that clear blue summer look, and Bre scored some great rides despite the crowd.
Living in San Diego isn't too bad.
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