Surf's Up
I didn’t think St Finian’s Bay could give me more than it already had.
A day earlier, I’d stood in almost the same position photographing heavy waves with the Skellig Islands sitting perfectly behind them. The images worked. The Sigma 150–600mm had finally allowed me to achieve the compression I had been chasing for years at this location. I left thinking I had completed the idea.
But I was staying nearby for a few days, and that changes your mindset. When you’re not racing sunset or driving three hours home, you allow yourself another attempt. Diarmuid had arrived, and we both knew the potential was there.
The difference this time was surfers.
They added something I hadn’t fully considered before: scale and narrative. Waves alone can look impressive, but a person inside them transforms the image. It becomes about timing and commitment rather than just motion.
I set up the Sigma at 600mm on the tripod and dialled in 1/2000 second at ISO 320 and f/6.3. At that focal length, focus accuracy is critical. There’s no margin for error. I wanted frozen spray and structure in the water. The test shots confirmed it was working.
The difficulty was alignment. At 600mm, tiny shifts matter. A surfer lifted by a wave can move out of position against the Skelligs instantly. We waited. We tracked. We missed a few. Then one wave built differently.
I saw it forming. The surfer turned, committed, stood, and dropped into the face. I followed and shot in controlled bursts. When I checked the sequence, I knew it had worked. Every stage was sharp. The islands sat cleanly behind him. It was the full idea realised. The Full sequence is below
I sent the drone up afterwards to see if I could extend the story. Several attempts failed as waves fizzled. Then timing aligned again. I captured him from above, completing a similar run. Matching stills and aerial footage wasn’t something I had planned, but it strengthened the overall result.
Rain ended the session. Walking back to the van, gear damp and hands cold, I felt something simple: gratitude for a second chance.
I thought the first visit had completed the location. I was wrong. It wasn’t the better conditions that made the difference. It was returning with more clarity, more patience, and a willingness to refine.
Some places are good. Some are worth going back to. Have a look at the sequence of images that I got of the surfer ( Karl was his name as I spoke to him afterwards)
St Finian’s Bay proved that again.
You can watch the entire amazing adventure unfold in the video linked below
