I just got the latest September 2011 issue of PDN (Photo District News) in the mail today and my image from Waimea Bay (above) was a finalist in the 2011 PDN Great Outdoors Photography Competition. I am honored to be among the outstanding photographers whose images were selected for the winner’s gallery. This image was shot during one of the most amazing trips of my career on the morning of the 2009/2010 Quicksilver in memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surfing competition, which took place on December 8, 2009 in Waimea Bay on the north shore of Oahu. That day saw waves roll into Waimea Bay that had faces upwards of 50-feet tall. It was the biggest swell to hit he north shore of Oahu in over 40-years. This wave rolled into the bay just as the sun broke through the early morning clouds and I was lucky enough to be ready and shooting when it exploded about two hundred yards from the shore.
The judges in this years contest were Amy Berkley (Field & Stream), Nick Hamilton (TransWorld SNOWboarding), Amy Feitelberg (Outside), Elayna Rocha (Y&R Brands Irvine) and Grant Ellis (Surfer Magazine). My thanks to them and PDN for including my image among the finalists. If you would like to read more about my experiences shooting the Quicksilver in memory of Eddie Aikau please download my Spring 2010 Newsletter. You can also view a web gallery of images from that trip (including this image) on my website here.
Cool shot, did you take this from a ski?
Greg – it was shot from the shore with a 500mm f/4 Nikkor lens. I was pretty far away but the wave was also huge.
Hi Michael,
Great Shot. Fantastic colors. Wonderfull light!
Hubert