Seal Beach Surfing

Its always fun and exciting to shoot something I don't get a chance to often and that's some surfing.  Its not that I can't, I just tend to like shooting wildlife more, that is when I'm not covering a game for the local paper.

El Nino is hit and miss thus far, but it has given us some bigger waves in So. Cal, which has made the surfing activity much better, if only I was a morning person I'd get out there more.

Please enjoy the shots.  Sorry they are a bit grainy.  It was a very overcast morning, which caused me to push that ISO up and to be honest their not the sharpest shots either, but I still liked them.

A day to be out and about - Seal Beach / Wetlands

This past Monday was a day to be out, although visually it didn't appear that way.

I was home enjoying my morning cup of coffee when my sugarbooger sent me a text saying she saw something on the news about high surf at Seal Beach, so I took a shower and got my gear together and headed out to Seal Beach, but before I left I brought my shoes and some socks so I could take a walk if the beach didn't turn out.

I'm glad I brought my shoes and socks as the beach did have some high surf but there was just wasn't much going on in the surfing aspect.  I did manage to take a couple of shots, but even with the lack of action it was a nice morning to watch the surf at Seal Beach.

After a couple of hours I packed up, put my shoes on, and headed to Signal Hill for a 3.5 mile walk, which felt great.

Later in the day and after my sugarbooger got home from work I talked her into going to the wetlands with me for the evening.  Added a couple more miles walking for the day as we enjoyed the evening and walk through the wetlands.  Below are a few shots I took during our walk

After leaving the wetlands my sugarbooger and I went out for a nice dinner before returning home to make dinner for the kids.  That's right, mom and dad had a nice evening out.  It was well deserved.

A day off :)

While sharing some recent sunset shots on facebook a few days ago it was suggested I take some sunrises, so yesterday I go up way to early and headed out to Huntington Beach for a sunrise, but while driving out there I really didn't see any cloud cover that would offer me a nice sunrise, so instead I drove to the Bolsa Chica Wetlands.  Thought I'd get some early bird photography in since I was already out.

 

While walking out to the middle of the wetlands prior to the sun rising I thought I'd do my sunset shot after all.  Its not what I started out to get, but it will have to do. 

 

 

After the sun came up and warmed me up a bit I took a few shots of a snowy white before heading out to Seal Beach to check on the surf.

 



 

Got to Seal Beach and the waves looked good with a lot of surfers out, so I hung out for awhile and took some shots.  It was a great morning and I was glad I woke up as early as I did to get out.  Normally I don't do mornings well, but this was perfect.

 



2014 Katin Surf Shop Seal Beach Surfing Championships

This past week I was asked by a photographer friend if I would be interested in covering the Katin Surf Shop Seal Beach Surfing Championships.  It was this Saturday and Sunday.  Well I was very interested, but knew I couldn't stay too long as my daughter's 21st birthday was Saturday.

 

So Saturday morning I headed out to Seal Beach in my shorts and t-shirt to shoot some surfing.  It was a great morning and beautiful day.  While I was shooting the action this little girl came right up to me, I think to take a look at my camera and lens.  She was a little cutie and after taking a look with me saying hi to her she did was kids normally do.  Starting running and playing in the sand.  How could I not take any shots.  I only wish I had a card on me so I could have gave it to the parents.  I would have loved to give them a few of the shots.

 

Any hoot, all though it was a great day there was definitely a slight haze / mist in the air between me and the surfers, which really took the sharpness out of my shots, because once I got home I just wasn't happy with what I had.  With that said, here are my favorites from the morning.

 

Either way, it was a great morning to be out.