Jay Watson Photography

Each day this week I have been posting images from the only summer swell that hit Northern California. This is the final post out of 5 total.

It brings me great sadness to let you know that I didn’t get to surf during this swell. That’s right man. Our Only Summer Swell came and went while I was busy working which explains why so many surfers ditch work when the waves are good. The ocean is fickle and good conditions in Northern California during the summer do not last very long. This brings up a lesson in life for surfers and non surfers. Live life while you can and don’t wait until tomorrow. If you miss an opportunity, don’t kick yourself. Grab your board and get ready for the next set of waves. There will always be more so enjoy your next ride!

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Summer Swell, Capitola, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, The Hook. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Capitola, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Capitola, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

“Surfing Sucks! Don’t Try It. You’ll Hate It.”

Each day this week I will be posting images from the only summer swell that hit Northern California. This is the 4th post out of 5 scheduled.

One of the more unique elements about skateboarding and surfing compared to any other sport is that you can be standing on the deck or sitting in the lineup right next to a pro. When the waves are good in Santa Cruz people come out of the woodwork who you have never seen before. They are like sleeping giants who wait for swells worthy of their arm strength. “Our Only Summer Swell” rolled in on Thursday July 23rd and by Saturday morning the heavies were already resting and drying out their wetsuits. By the time I was shooting there were still a few scrappers left in the water. At the tail end of the swell, parts of California’s northern coast were perfect for long boarding until early Wednesday July 29th. That gave the log riders 4 more extra days of stoke.

All of the images from this series show a diversity of surfers, a variety of boards, and each spot is within a short drive of each other. This makes Santa Cruz, CA a very special place on the US map.

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Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Each day this week I will be posting images from the only summer swell that hit Northern California. This is the third post out of 5 scheduled.

This entire group of images is from Steamer’s Lane in Santa Cruz, CA. This wave is a legendary point break gem that rises with a decent southern swell and holds when northern exposed spots close out. No matter how cold the water temperature is at Steamer’s, there is always some hothead out there who needs to be cooled off.  This day was no different. I saw a knucklehead in the lineup try to punch another surfer. The ocean responded and sent the knucklehead into a well deserved wipe out a few waves later. Bruce Brown would have made a nice voice over on that one.

Surfers avoid the long paddle out from the beach by jumping off a nearby cliff and paddling out to the lineup. The veterans take the easy access route by walking on the cliff that runs past the break. They slip past the barking seals, and then make the short free fall into the ocean. The younger groms must not like the longer walk. This cuts into their surf time. They practice their rock climbing skills with crab-like maneuvers, and use their grommet toes to scale the wall closest to the break.

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Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Each day this week I will be posting images from the only summer swell that hit Northern California. This is the second post out of 5 scheduled. People talked about this swell for days online. We heard it was coming and it sounded good by the time it hit Southern California. Unfortunately it was so good there was a death at the Wedge in Newport Beach, CA. You can get a sense of the size in this video clip here. Santa Cruz got the best of this swell up north, but the legendary longboard spot of Cowell’s remained dormant. Due to the swell direction, it missed Ocean Beach in San Francisco altogether, leaving one northern friend online to say “So much for this over hyped southern swell.”

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Summer Swell, Steamer’s Lane, CA. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Capitola, CA © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Capitola, CA © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, The Hook. © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Capitola, CA © Jay Watson Photography.

There was only one swell that hit Northern California this past summer. All the others were over hyped or they just passed right on through. A few magic days came to Santa Cruz starting on July 24th. The swell arrived on a Thursday evening and by Tuesday morning it was long gone. There were some other waves this past summer, but nothing like those special 4 days in July. I finally got a chance to go over my edits this weekend. Here are two gems from the last few mysterious hours of our only summer swell. “Forget it kid, they’re ghosts.”

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Summer Swell, Capitola, CA © Jay Watson Photography.

Summer Swell, Capitola, CA © Jay Watson Photography.

About the shoot: Fog causes noise. Embrace what you can not control.

Gary Maxworthy of the SF Food Bank. © Jay Watson Photography

It was Gary Maxworthy who single handedly brought fresh vegetables and fruit to the SF Food Bank and into the California Food Bank system. This one man is responsible for bringing fresh healthy food to over 600 community food programs. See the short interview for more info. Read the rest of this entry »

Covered: Porsche. San Carlos, CA © Jay Watson Photography

About the shoot: “Covered”

I have been working on a series titled “Covered.” I started seeing covered cars everywhere a few years ago and have been going out to find candidates a few times a month. It is a nice change from commercial work, but it has it’s frustrations. There are plenty of covered cars in California, and their popularity is something I find interesting. It says something about the lifestyle and culture of California. The biggest challenge is the locations. Often the cars are parked in driveways with distracting elements in the background. There almost always seems to be too much foliage, too many trees, too much house, not the right house, not enough profile, etc… This visual noise takes away from the form that is naturally created by the covering.

Technically these are very simple photos, but the hunting and gathering is where this project will succeed or fail. Time spent searching for locations and making final image selections is more important than the camera work. The image above might make the final cut, or it might hit the cutting room floor. I won’t know until I have more gems.

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© Jay Watson Photography

Well I wish it was me that is off to Hawaii for either a vacation or for a gig. Instead (2) prints have been sent to Kaneohe, Hawaii on Oahu in the hopes of raising money for the 8th Annual Habilitat Art Luau Benefit.

This is the 4th year that Jay Watson Photography has participated. Each year I have donated two prints to the event, and so far everything has been sold. Read the rest of this entry »

versatile – ver·sa·tile, adjective
from Webster’s dictionary:

1: changing or fluctuating readily : variable <a versatile disposition
2: embracing a variety of subjects, fields, or skills; also : turning with ease from one thing to another

@ Jay Watson Photography

Last week I shot a wedding. Yes a wedding. It does happen on occasion. I don’t go after this type of work, nor do I look down upon wedding photographers. In fact I feel it is the last great word of mouth business left in photography. Sometimes the chips fall and you have to ride the wave when something good falls in your lap. I got a call at the last minute from a young couple in New York who liked my work and asked me to shoot their wedding in Columbia, CA. These are the types of clients you want. Someone who respects your vision. Someone who really appreciates your efforts. Someone who pays on time (in advance). No need to chase down payment 60 days after the shoot. Easy gig.

Is it stressful? Not really. Read the rest of this entry »