The bad news is the sheer amount of crap, the good news is that people are prepared to do something about it, so well done to all those that turned up on a cold and wet morning at Compton Fields on the Isle of Wight to give up a little of their time and get involved. This is not a one-off, beach cleans have been organised by the surf club, SAS, and eco-island already on the island this winter, and there’s more to come, which is good, because there’s no shortage of rubbish on our coast.

Paul Blackley got the ball rolling on this particular one a few weeks back by posting a few pics of the rubbish that had accumulated over the winter at Compton Fields,  and asking for volunteers to help clear it up, especially appealing to surfers and other local beach users to look after whats on their won doorstep. The Isle Of Wight surf club (in the shape of Matt and Olly) responded positively and chipped in and helped make a facebook event of it, as well as getting the National Trust and Biffa on board to donate resources (bags, gloves and bins).

So here’s a few pics of the beach earlier in the week on a sunnier day, and a few iphone shots from today showing some of the crap everyone collected.

And finally, here’s a shot of what it should look like without all that man made crap in the way!

©2012 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved
This and the other photos on the site are all ©Jason Swain with All Rights Reserved. The image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer. Please contact me via email photo@jasonswain.co.uk if you want to use it in any way or license it for your own project.

But it has a certain something that i like, the quirky englishness of the way she’s standing there in her stripy pink wellies! and the way the long shadow anchors her to the corner of the frame.

It was hastily arranged (in a few hours) with the first willing female i could find in reaction to a request from a potential client who was on a deadline, i don’t think it will come to fruition with that particular customer, but I thought it was worth giving the shot its moment in the spotlight here.

Massive thanks to Sally for being game to turn up at short notice and wade about in a very cold english channel (the boots came off a bit later) whilst i tried to figure out the best way to deal with shooting almost directly into about a billion megawatts of direct sunlight.

Mustang Sally – Lady Surfer, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing.

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©2012 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved
This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

This and the other photos on the site are all ©2012 Jason Swain with All Rights Reserved. The image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer. Please contact me via email photo@jasonswain.co.uk if you want to use it in any way or license it for your own project.

I missed this whole week of swell with the arrival of my son William, but its great to be able to experience it via this footage and some of the other great photos and videos that have been shared on wightsurfhistory.co.uk

Compton Sun 20-2-11 from Nigel Bulloch on Vimeo.

Another treasure found languishing in the archives, bringing back memories from a fun day at Porthcurno beach in Cornwall, without doubt one of my favourite places in the world.

Still no sign of the littlest soulsurfer yet, but we must be getting closer, if you don’t hear from me for a few days, i may just re-appear a little frazzled with a whole new subject for my shooting, although i’m not sure if baby shots are really my style, guess we might find out about that in the coming weeks.

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©2008 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved
This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

Dreaming of an Endless Summer, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing.

i’m just about to head out into a freezing fog looking for surf this morning, and my mind wandered back to my last trip to Cornwall and surfing under these beautiful skies at Gwithian. The idea of an Endless Summer really is just a dream for most of us surfing here in the UK.

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©2010 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved
This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

Hipsta Holidays, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing.

Finally remembered to upload some photos from my iphone, here’s a SOOC hipstamatic view of the lighthouse and beach at Godrevy with little fluffy clouds and surfers.
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©2010 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved
This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

I know pride comes before a fall, and i do try to keep a good sense of perspective on any ‘success’ i might have with my photos, but i will admit to being a bit ‘chuffed’ (thats english for happy for my global friends) when this popped through my letterbox at the weekend.

I’d been asked to be in the magazine quite a few weeks back, but had no idea what sort of size the image would be, so it was a really nice surprise to find a double page spread inside.

The mag itself is billed as a “digital lifestyle magazine” and looks like a pretty good mix of product review, how-to articles and interviews with photographers (i’m not on the payroll

Digital Photography Enthusiast Magazine

Empty wave at Porthcurno

©2010 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved
This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

Fragments from a beautiful day at Porthcurno.
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©2010 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved
This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

The perfect wave!, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing.

One for the surfers today….

OK, maybe its not THE perfect wave but its definitely a really nice one coming through at Godrevy, Cornwall.

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©2010 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved

This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

Godrevy Surf School Twist and Shout., originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing.

“Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
Cmon cmon, cmon, cmon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)”

Welcome to the weekend, have fun doing whatever you do.
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©2010 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved
This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.