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Catching Waves
Sachi Cunningham talks about surf photography
Courtesy of Sachi Cunningham, Emma Marie Chiang, and Jessica Christian.
How does Cunningham compose this photo of surfing icon Keala Kennelly riding a wave in Hawaii?
Scholastic Art: What is your job?
Sachi Cunningham
Sachi Cunningham: I’m a surf photographer and filmmaker. I specialize in big wave photography—where the water meets the sky and where waves are formed. I’m hoping to showcase the majesty of the wave and surfers’ most powerful moments on those waves.
SA: What is special about big waves and big wave surfers?
SC: Every wave is different. They’re like snowflakes. Big waves only come around a few times a year. When a big wave comes up and is in front of you, it takes your breath away and it stops time. It’s a magical place to be. Big wave surfers are passionate people. It’s like we’re superheroes, and for that one day, we come out with our capes and do our thing.
A waterproof housing protects Cunningham’s camera.
SA: Can you describe a day of shooting?
SC: When you have a day of big waves, you take advantage of the whole day from sunup to sundown. I put on gear and swim fins. I put a waterproof housing over my camera. You have to be very careful because you don’t want to get any water on that camera. I’ll get on a Jet Ski or a boat, and then we’ll drive from the harbor out to the waves. I shoot for most of the day from the Jet Ski or I’ll jump off and swim for a while.
SA: How do you get a great photo of a surfer on a big wave?
SC: Thanks to modern science, you have an idea that there’s going to be, say, waves that are 20 feet high, and there will be 20 seconds in between each crest of the waves. As the surfer is going down the wave, I’ll be kicking with my camera going up the wave. We try to intersect at this magic spot. For a good photo, you’re looking for three things. Light is everything in photography. Composition—how the image is framed. And content—what is the story that image is telling?
SA: What training did you receive?
SC: I took a lot of art classes. But the most important thing you have to learn for big wave photography is how to survive the waves. I was a lifeguard growing up. I’ve spent a lot of time in the ocean swimming and surfing, getting to know the dynamics of the ocean—where the currents are going, how the wave is going to break, and when it’s going to break. Sometimes that is not enough because the ocean is not something we can predict or control. I’ve also trained with a group called Performance Freediving International. Free diving is a sport where people go hundreds of feet down on a single breath. They have a course for big wave surfers. It’s about learning how to hold your breath and stay calm.
SA: Why did you pursue a career in surf photography?
SC: Part of why I started doing this was to capture women riding big waves. I think when people see a woman riding a wave beautifully, it changes the way they think about what women are capable of. Part of the big wave mentality is conquering impossible dreams and pushing your limits.
SA: What do you want people who see your work to walk away with?
SC: There’s a saying that we’re not divided by land, we’re connected by water. I want to share that beauty with people who aren’t able to be out there. I want people to feel that awe from the ocean and from Mother Nature. I hope that they will be inspired to protect it.
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