Summer Sunset - Magic Seaweed Editorial

By far one of the most perfect, classic days of big wave surfing in Cape Town in ages, enjoy:

http://magicseaweed.com/Sunset-Over-Summer-Content/3713/

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Offshore India - Carve Magazine Editorial

A beautiful selection of my Lakshadweep Islands photographs in the latest issue of Carve Magazine. Enjoy. Check out Carve on: www.carvemag.com/

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Canon unleashes the EOS 5D Mark III

Canon has announced the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the latest in its enthusiast full-frame 5D series and successor to the popular EOS 5D Mark II. Based around a 22MP full-frame sensor, it can shoot 6 frames per second and features a 61-point AF system much like the EOS-1D X. It can capture 1080p movies at 24, 25 or 30 fps and offers high quality intraframe (All-I) video compression amongst a host of movie-related improvements. It will be available from the end of March with an MSRP of $3499 / €3299 / £2999.99.

Incorporating feedback from photographers worldwide, the EOS 5D Mark III offers improved performance in virtually every area. A new 22.3 Megapixel (MP) full-frame sensor offers the ideal balance of resolution for stills and HD movies and up to 6 frames per second (fps) shooting, whilst a 61-point AF system and 63-zone metering provide greater speed, flexibility and accuracy. Powered by the latest DIGIC 5+ processing technology, the EOS 5D Mark III also features enhanced video functions, offering improved image quality alongside greater audio control – redefining creative possibilities for photographers and amateur videographers alike.

"The EOS 5D Mark III represents a big step forward for the EOS 5D series" said Kieran Magee, Marketing Director, Professional Imaging, Canon Europe. "The EOS 5D Mark II is an exceptional camera and we've listened carefully to feedback from its passionate community of users to improve performance in every area. This camera has been designed to meet virtually any creative challenge – it's faster, more responsive and features the tools to adapt to everything from studio photography to creative videography, while producing results of the highest quality."

Enhanced performance

With its comprehensively upgraded specification, the EOS 5D Mark III is the ideal tool for the growing number of photographers shooting both stills and movies. It incorporates a number of the features launched with Canon's revolutionary EOS-1D X,providing vastly improved performance, flexibility, handling and durability.

The camera's newly-developed 22.3MP full-frame sensor provides increased resolution and finer detail, enabling the capture of a wide range of scenes, from sweeping landscapes to beautiful portraits. Higher speed continuous shooting also offers expanded creative possibilities. With an increased 8-channel read out, the camera comfortably handles a maximum full resolution speed of up to 6fps in bursts of 18 RAW images or over 16,000 JPEGs1, without the need for additional accessories. Additionally, the sensor's advanced architecture offers a huge native ISO range of 100-25,600, expandable to 102,400, making it possible to capture clean, high quality pictures, even in extreme low-light conditions.

The EOS 5D Mark III utilises the same 61-point wide-area AF system as the flagship EOS-1D X, providing exceptional sensitivity, precision and speed. One of the most advanced AF systems currently available, it features an impressive 41 cross-type points and five dual cross-type points, providing unsurpassed accuracy across the frame. The customisable AF pre-sets introduced in the EOS-1D X are also available, helping the capture of traditionally challenging subjects, and providing additional reliability in situations where subject movement can be unpredictable.

Highly accurate exposures are provided by Canon's acclaimed iFCL metering system, which incorporates a 63-zone Dual-Layer sensor linked to each point of the AF system. Focus information gathered from the AF system is analysed alongside colour and luminance signals measured by the metering sensor itself, enabling the EOS 5D Mark III to deliver consistently accurate skin tones and excellent results in a wide range of shooting situations.

Professional build, easy operation

The EOS 5D Mark III has been built to offer photographers easy-handling and robust build quality. Its lightweight, high-grade magnesium body offers advanced weather proofing for protection against the elements, while the construction of the shutter has also been reinforced, with 150,000-cycle durability making it ideal for repeated, everyday use. An enhanced version of the Intelligent Viewfinder featured in the EOS 7D offers approximately 100% coverage, as well as an on-demand grid display via the builtin transparent LCD.
The same reinforced 8.11cm (3.2") Clear View II LCD screen as used by the EOS-1D X provides high quality framing and playback in all conditions. 1,040k-pixels provide the resolution to accurately check image sharpness and focus, while the gapless structure design introduced with the EOS-1D Mark IV prevents reflections and protects against dust or scratches. A headphone socket and locking mode dial have been included, while the inclusion of a UDMA 7-compatible CF card slot plus an SD card2 slot enables shooting to both cards simultaneously, auto switching when the one in use becomes full and the option to copy images from one card to the other in-camera.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III – Key features:

22.3 Megapixel full-frame sensor
61-point autofocus
Up to 6fps continuous shooting
Native ISO 100-25,600 sensitivity
Full HD video with manual control
14-bit DIGIC 5+ processor
Enhanced Weather sealing
8.11cm (3.2-inch) 1,040,000-dot screen
HDR mode with presets

Info and post from www.dpreview.com

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Offshore India - Fluir Brasil

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Free Wallpaper - March 2012

Enjoy!

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Madagascar - SUP The Mag

Ge t G o n e

"Last year, south africa’s grant “twiggy” baker led a group of talented surfers
on a feral mission into the heart of madagascar, searching for unnamed setups
and a surfing shangri-la. battling through typhoons, shark-infested waters
and a serious injury to one of their crew members who broke a femur in a boat
accident in heavy seas, they found what they were looking for: incredible
surf, incredible culture, and a more rugged experience than any of them could
have hoped for. aside from acting as a gurney during the rescue mission of
their friend, baker’s standup board was also an exemplary exploratory tool" - editorial text from SUP The Mag

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Friday's Foto Tip - How to capture an epic barrel shot

Shaun Payne right at home in a thick barrel at the Sumatran Pipeline. Photo: AvG

There are few things better in life than getting barrelled. Being encased inside a tube while the very ocean folds over you and sends you screaming towards the shoulder. It's the one photograph every surfer wants of themselves, and the first photograph every surf photographer strives to capture.

Although there are many angles from which to capture the barrel, this tip focusing on the prime view from the side when looking at a surfer inside the tube.

One of the best barrel shots I have in my library. Jarrad Howes in Cape Town mid-winter. Photo: AvG

Positioning and approach are the two most important foundations of any good barrel shot. I learnt this extremely valuable tip from Chris van Lennep years ago about the correct approach to any barreling wave, especially the heavy, powerful kind; "Always swim towards an on-coming wave". Not only will this put you in the prime position for the shot, but most importantly it gives you the momentum needed to penetrate through the wave, avoiding both a foamball for your surfer and an unpleasant over-the-falls situation for you and your housing.

Stanley Badger standing tall inside a rare Indonesian beach break barrel. Photo: AvG

After body position and approach, the extension of your shooting arm and the tilt of your hand and housing are the next crucial factors which will make the difference between an average and great photograph. The angle and position of your hand can also make a small wave look bigger, and visa versa. Make sure you extend your arm as straight as possible, giving you maximum reach when penetrating the wave, and always tilt the camera just slightly upward, maximising the view of the lip and size of the wave. For years I shot my barrels too horizontally, and lost out on the true beauty and power of the lip and what really makes a barrel. Thankfully years of seeing amazing water shots by other professionals cured me of that, and helped shaped my water shots to what I strive for today.

This shot of Stacey Guy in Indonesia is good, but it could have been that much better had I tilted the camera slightly up and to the right. Photo: AvG

On a technical note, if you have a camera and lens which you have control over, it is highly recommended that you shoot only on manual, giving you more accuracy and control over the end result, specifically your lens. Whatch the waves and conditions prior to swimming out, and "predict" how close you will be from the surfer majority of the time. If you are unsure of the exact setting on your lenses dial, do a quick distance test on the beach and set this by tapping it in place. You don't want the dial turning while you setup your housing, or when a big wave knocks you in the surf. Electric tape works best I find, just make sure it's not too long and gets picked up by your wide-angle.

Good luck, and lets see your results.

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