ISLE OF WIGHT SURF PHOTOGRAPHY WITH SOUL
Welcome to the Isle of Wight Surf Photography blog and website of West Wight photographer Jason Swain. As well as occasional ramblings on all things surf related, the website is designed to be a showcase of my surf photography & promote the beauty of surfing the Isle of Wight and around the English coastline. The Majority of photos are from my local breaks of Freshwater Bay and Compton Bay. It’s also grown over the years to include a few product reviews (surf or photography related), some of my favourite surf related videos and also photos of Kitesurfing and SUP and other water-sports that take place on the IOW when we’re not surfing.
The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun
If in doubt, paddle out.
There is not one right way to ride a wave
“I am just going in for a surf and may be some time” Isle of Wight Surfer – Ian Pacey
Deliberate pun on the old "Scott of the Antarctic" quote here. This is my mate and Isle of Wight Surfer - Ian Pacey, going in for a surf at Compton Bay back in 2009. I always meant to post this shot the day he headed off on his travels (he went round the world surfing...
Mustang Sally – Lady Surfer
This shot was conceived as an idea to update one of my all time fave photos "Portrait of a Psychedelic Surfer" but this time with a female perspective and a lady surfer. Of course it has nothing like the same spark, as this was contrived where the original was a...
The Surf on the Isle of Wight is head high (if you squat right down)
To be honest, the Surf on the Isle of Wight is probably not even that big today, but i'm just daydreaming of summer days at the beach and found this old shot of longboarding a lovely little wave at Compton Bay from back in 2009. Real waves on their way though, there's...
Freshwater Bay Monday Blues
First day out with the camera in 2012 and it was a trip to my old stomping ground of Freshwater Bay to catch some winter waves. Bit of a paddle out if you fancied a surf on this particular day at Freshwater Bay! Not surprisingly there were no takers with the...
Porthcurno Beach – Waves and clouds are just like snowflakes
Waves and clouds are just like snowflakes... Every one is different. Continuing to raid the archives for my summer theme, on the wettest and wildest week of this winter so far. This morning its another little trip back in time to September 2010 and a glorious late...
Sunset Surfer
Sunset Surfer, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. little bit of texture fun with flypapers adds a bit of extra warmth to a summery surfing scene from Watergate Bay in Cornwall. (Click here to visit Flypaper Textures.) More Vertoramas to come this week as promised,...
I should have been there yesterday (The story of Isle of Wight surfing)
Isle of Wight Surfing. By Jason Swain. Returning to a familiar theme for this blog, and probably for most people who ever done a bit of Isle of Wight surfing too, the old 'you should have been here yesterday' routine. Over the last 20 years I've built my life next to...
The morning after the night before…
Sitting here today, on a miserable grey December day, looking out the window at howling on-shores blowing out any chance of getting any decent waves, and i'm looking back over a few pics from a surf session that i voluntarily missed out on a few weeks back. I wasn't...
When i’m not surfing…
When I'm not surfing, i'm taking pictures, here's a slideshow from a recent event i covered at the House of Commons for the good people at EcoIsland, and if you're living and surfing on the Isle of Wight, you might find it interesting to pop over to the...
Wonderful West Wight
Wonderful West Wight, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Finally got back to doing what i love best, and here's a dose of wonderful West Wight big sky goodness to brighten up your day, taken last weekend at Compton Bay with the sun shining and a decent swell coming...
November Wipeouts
Following on from yesterdays post, where the camera lied a bit and made it all look very good with beautiful backlit waves and no close-outs or drop-ins, here's the other side of the coin and a few wipeouts / bailouts and even one in the pouring rain! [gallery...
UK Surf photography with the Sigma 50-500mm
UK Surf photography By Jason Swain So i've finally had a chance to get out and shoot some surfing at Freshwater Bay on the Isle of Wight again. Finally a chance to test out the Sigma 50-500mm telephoto lens in action. I got the lens with UK Surf photography in mind...
Surf kit review: Wax buddy.
my boards are in need of a bit of attention, i’ve got a few dings to fix up, and both could do with a fresh coat of wax as the old stuff is half inch think and the colour of an old dog turd.
The Art of Flight (a surfer’s perspective)
The endless summer is over, hurricane swells are finally on the horizon, and it's time to get back in the water and do some surfing here on the Isle of Wight. But before I dive into the sea and finally wash away those months of calm sea summer blues, I'm blogging...
Dear Huey, thank you for the waves…
Dear Huey, thank you for the waves…, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. This swell has departed and It's all over now, but we've had a nice little run of surf in the sunshine, it's fixed my cold and left me with that good super-tired 'surfed out' feeling you get...
Salt Water Therapy
Salt Water Therapy, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Had to be a wave shot this morning, I couldn't really post anything else after yesterdays "kill or cure", seeing as it didn't kill me and i actually feel better. This one's from the archive in 2008, but they...
Kill or Cure
Kill or Cure, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Had a request for more surf photos yesterday, so here you go. Hoping i might find a wave myself later on too, i still got the cough, and its probably not what a doc would prescribe for me, but i'm gonna go anyway and...
Man-flu Bank Holiday Monday Blues
Man-flu Bank Holiday Monday Blues, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Similar to a few shot's i've posted before where a running surfer silhouetted against the sky was the focal point, this one was taken moments earlier and is all about the clouds and reflections...
How to find head-high waves in summertime on the Isle of Wight.
How to find head-high waves in summertime on the Isle of Wight., originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Endless summer at Compton Bay
Luminescent
Luminescent, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Digging real deep in the archives now, its way back to 2007 for this shot of a wave breaking at Freshwater Bay. ----------------------------------- ©2007 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved This image is not available for...
Surfing low tide at Freshwater Bay
Surfing low tide at Freshwater Bay, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Shot from the last good swell of the winter 2011
Blogged: COLONY
Blogged: COLONY, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Small toot on the PR trumpet as I got an email today to say that the good people at Colony had chosen to feature me in their "photo tuesday blog" You can check it out here if you so wish, lots of surf related stuff...
Surf Generations.
Surf Generations., originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Given the choice, this is what i'd be doing right now... Surfers head for the sea at Gwithian, Cornwall. ----------------------------------- ©2008 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved This image is not available for...
Wave Forms.
Wave Forms., originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Waves. Hypnotic in all their various shapes and sizes, Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight. ----------------------------------- ©2007 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved This image is not available for use on websites, blogs or...
Godrevy dreaming.
Godrevy dreaming. The not quite scraping the bottom of the barrel yet coastal archive event. upload #75, originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Autumn swells and Cumulus clouds at Godrevy, West Cornwall. ----------------------------------- ©2010 Jason Swain, All Rights...
Missing in Action. (OMG I cant believe its another multiple coastal posting. upload #72)
Missing in Action. (OMG I cant believe its another multiple coastal posting. upload #72), originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. It's like spot the ball, only with a surfer instead of a football. ----------------------------------- ©2008 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved...
Summer longboarding fun on the Isle of Wight. (Archive photo amnesty event – upload #39)
Summer longboarding fun on the Isle of Wight. (Archive photo amnesty event - upload #39), originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. a bit of classic longboard style on a lovely summers evening surfing at Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight. -----------------------------------...
Coastal landscape photo jailbreak event. upload #19 (Evening light & a micro-wave on the Solent)
Coastal landscape photo jailbreak event. upload #19 (Evening light & a micro-wave on the Solent), originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. A mini wave laps on the shore of Totland Bay, Isle of Wight. I'm doing it again, setting free lots of photos that have been...
Coastal landscape photo jailbreak event. upload #22 (Swell lines)
Coastal landscape photo jailbreak event. upload #22 (Swell lines), originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Swell lines gently rolling in at Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight. ----------------------------------- ©2011 Jason Swain, All Rights Reserved This image is not...
Coastal landscape photo jailbreak upload #3 (Godrevy Blur)
Coastal landscape photo jailbreak upload #3 (Godrevy Blur), originally uploaded by s0ulsurfing. Feels like i'm setting free lots of photos that have been falsely imprisoned in the archives 🙂 Another take on one of my favourite lighthouses (Godrevy in West Cornwall)...