Part of being an action sports photographer is getting as close as possible to the thrills happening right in front of your eyes. But how close is too close? Take a look at two famous surf photographers who recently risked almost losing everything in a tsunami of death.
The adrenaline rush you can get as a sports action photographer is almost unmatched with any other form of photography. Placing yourself meters or even centimeters away from an athlete or participant in action sports can really help get the blood flowing and the heart pumping. Whether you’re thousands of feet above a terrifyingly steep cliff face, dangling by some flimsy cables trying to catch free climbers, or darting out of the sky too fast, your cheek are tickling your ears as you try to photograph skydivers, the surge of energy is sure to beat working in a studio photographing uncooperative teenagers.
However, for all the thrills and hurdles, danger can sometimes come at a cost. During the recent giant boom in Tahiti, surfers at Teahupoo traded giant crates, gasping for breath as spectators and photographers backed the channel. It was everyone’s dream there, until a rogue mob hit and nearly swallowed a boat, tipping it upright as it struggled through the waves. Some photographers were not so lucky, and were thrown behind. See all opened here.
What’s the most dangerous situation you’ve ever encountered while out taking pictures?
