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Thank you Michael at Sigmon Taylor studios in Williamsburg for coming to my studio and doing this awesome shoot! wow! Your work is amazing and I am truly humbled to be a subject of one of your projects!
One of many that Michael took in my studio.
https://www.sigmontaylor.com
My friend and fellow artist Myke Irving redid my logo that was originally designed by Steven Kiss, my nephew. It will make for a nice focal point in my outdoor art show booth. Kind of nice to give a visual clue about my passions for painting and photography.
Yep, it’s pretty wild and that’s pretty much the idea. When you are 1 to 2 feet away from your subject in moving water, crowded surf conditions and raging rip currents, you need to be seen. It’s pretty much up to me to figure out where they will go before they get there but stuff happens so highly visible attire as well as function help a lot. Loving my custom Billabong 4/3 graphene suit and my DMC fins (they float and that’s a huge upgrade!).
4/3 Billabong custom suit w/DMC fins, Aquatech Reflex housing for the canon 5D Mark IV, 70-200mm canon lens. Thanks so much to my dear friend and fellow photographer Kevin Hedgecock for the shot!
Large for when using wetsuit boots…
Medium for bare feet and different colored so I can remember the difference. This shit happens when you approach the ripe old age of 70!
My new 16-35mm f/2.8 L III with the aquatech dome port for super wide close up shots two to four feet away.
Just completed this 36” x 60” original acrylic painting based on one of my Christmas Day shots. It was truly the swell of the year in 2020!
Jetty Grinder © 04/04/2021, $3,000.00…prints available in 20” x 30” and 11” x 14”
“Jetty Grinder” December 2020 © edobermeyer.com
1/2500 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 800, 264mm,
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM +1.4 x III
Currently in inventory:
24” x 36” on metal, $350.00
16” x 20” on paper matted, $55
11” x 14” on paper matted $30
8” x 10 on paper matted $20
This was the shot that inspired my latest painting.
This month’s juried show at the Artists Gallery/Virginia Beach Arts Center was 757. The works chose were to depict the concept of what 757 is all about and of course, my interpretation was we are all about the ocean.
I was so stoked to finally get an award at a juried exhibition this year but even more so because the “Best Of Show” award was for one of my photographs! After all of these grueling hours in the freezing winter waters dodging boards, barrels, and challenging conditions, I got the recognition for one of those very cool shots. It takes a great many failures before you finally get “the shot” but this one made the cut. The juror selected “Green Slot”.
“Green Slot”, November 2020, Virginia Beach Jetty
1/2500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 320, 63mm EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Currently in inventory:
24” x 36” print on metal, $350.00
20” x 30” print on metal, $260.00
11” x 14” print on metal, $85.00
16” x 20” print on paper matted, $55.00
11” x 14” print on paper matted, $30.00
8” x 10” print on paper matted, $20.00
Was so happy that Avery and Eric in Sydney got the two 24” x 36” originals I sent them. They just got married and these are going to look so awesome in their new home! It’s always so scary shipping International. You never know if they will make the journey safely but these definitely did. The shipping costs were absurd but so worth it for the peace of mind.
True Blue ©06/23/2019
SOLD
In the collection of Eric Choi and Avery Sohee Park
24” X 36”, acrylic on canvas
$1,100.00
Based on a photo I took in the water this winter at the first street jetty with my Canon 7D Mark II in a CMT Waterhousing using a 50mm prime lens at 1/1000 sec. at f/8, ISO 400.
Humberto Blaster ©11/09/2019 SOLD
In the collection of Eric Choi and Avery Sohee Park
24” x 36”, acrylic on canvas
$1,100.00
Based on a photo taken during Hurricane Humberto from the water this fall using my canon 7D Mark II in the CMT Water Housing, 1/2000 sec@f/10, ISO 400, EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
I am very honored that the CEO of the Jordan Young Institute has commissioned me to install several of my original surf photos on metal in their building. I’m also one of their patients and they have done an amazing job keeping me fit through physical therapy, diet, and exercise so I can put off or delay rotator cuff surgery. So far so good! This is the first install of several to come. Thanks so much for your support. They are clearly one of the best Sports Medicine facilities around.
First install in the lobby.
Was very honored to receive the Award Of Excellence recently at the Frank Stick Memorial Juried Exhibition at the Dare County Arts Council in Manteo, NC!
Glass Ceiling © 02/29/2020
36” X 48”, Acrylic on canvas
$2,500.00
Inspired by an image I took at the Va.Bch. Jetty Jan. 26, 2020 from the water using a Canon 7D Mark II and a 24-70mm f/2.8L II lens.
Looking forward to a much better year than 2020! So far it has been amazing with the new 70-200mm f/4L IS II lens and the Reflex Housing from Aquatech! Total game changer. We have also had some nice swells in our frigid mid-Atlantic Ocean but the colors have been incredible.
My fellow photographers have been capturing me in the water a lot! Thanks you guys! Kevin Hedgecock.
This was January 2, 2021 at the VB Jetty. Not a bad way to start the new year!
Another capture by Kevin Hedgecock of me in my office.
Christmas Day swell!
Nancy Salter flying on Christmas day!
The art shows are starting to show up on line so I’m hoping that I will have a few on my list! I actually had better sales last year without any shows and spent a whole lot more time in the water too!
Finally upgrading to a Canon 5D Mark IV camera and the Reflex housing from Aquatech. Looking forward to much sharper images and the ergonomics of the buttons are so much better on the new housing, as is the added handle on both sides as well as the pistol grip. the back plate is hinged and only has two clips instead of 4 which is a huge improvement!
Back view closed…
Back View open.
Close up of the inside. The mounting plate for the camera is the black thing in the center with the screw. It screws into the tripod mount of the bottom of your camera.
Working with my new Aquatech Elite II housing in my office…
Inside the new edobermeyer.com 2021 Surf Photography calendar! $20.00 on sale now. Send email for delivery or shipment please!
January through April
May through August…
September through December…
Cover!
Wow! All I can say is wow! Whether shooting birds, butterflies, and florals or on the beach capturing action sequences of surfing this lens is just beyond all expectations, especially with the extender on the Canon 5D Mark IV.
Here it is fully mounted and ready to go. FYI, the Manfroto tripod makes it even better!
The settings on the barrel took some getting used to but I found that leaving the top switch on FULL, Set to AF, Stabilizer on, and Stabilizer mode to 2 was ideal for fast moving subjects like birds and surfers.
The EF Extender 1.4XIII made for some great captures and the clarity was surprising zoomed way out to over 600mm!
Noah Schweizer, the winner of the mens pro captured at the ECSC.
I was able to capture so many hummingbird pics with this lens and the bokeh was phenomenal.
Blayr ripping backside carve at the ECSC
One of the many groms shredding.
If you’re looking for an amazing lens to capture action sports or birds in flight, this is a very good option. When it’s a bit darker you may want to bump up 1-2 stops since getting light into the barrel is an issue. I use Auto ISO so that I can maintain Aperature Priority. Usually 1/2500 or higher. Definitely very pleased with this beauty.
Just arrived! Can’t wait for Monday’s swell to get here even though it will be small, the equipment will be large and in charge. I love my CMT but making contact with them lately has been complicated so I decided to get a backup so I won’t ever be without a housing.
The back plate has virtually every control on the camera, something my other housing did not have but could have. Access to the “Q” button is everything since it gives me complete access to the entire menu.
Not for the faint of wallet and certainly significantly heavier than my other housing but wow! It’s a formidable beast of fine art.
Multiple ports for all of my lenses including the 24-70 f/2.8L II, the trumpet port, a port for the 100mm and the 50mm prime lenses as well.
I especially love the zoom gear and how it functions so easily as well as the metal rails that attach to the camera mount inside the housing so there is zero slippage of the camera. Tight fit ensures accurate access to all the buttons.
Such a wonderful review from my friend and fellow artist in Australia!
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Pretty cool pic taken this winter by George Hernandez.
Canon 7D Mark II in a CMT Housing with trumpet port and a 24-70mm f/2.8L II lens
I’ve been getting a lot of queries lately from others who want to do what I do. I would highly advise you do some research on YOUR OWN FIRST! I spent an incredible number of hours failing at what I do before I began to have even minimal success. What you need to do first is research on line every article you can on surf photography. After doing your homework and failing in the water, then it is time to ask the pros for assistance and tell them what you did and what went wrong. If you approach them before doing any work yourself that’s just totally wrong and disrespectful.
Camera settings are complicated and easy at the same time. It all depends on what you want to achieve. Some of the pros are totally manual and others utilize the cameras modes. I prefer shutter priority mode and use a shutter speed of 1/2000 to 1/3000. I normally shoot around f/8-f/11 most days and my ISO is usually 400, sometimes 300 depending on the light. AI SERVO is a must! One shot is for stills kids. You will have to experiment with the various focus settings on your camera but I tend to utilize the ones that focus on moving subjects in the frame.
Lenses: My go to lens is a 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM. Not for the faint of wallet but truly, if you want the great shots, you gotta get a good lens. Prime lenses work the best for sure. My 50mm f/1.4 and my 100mm f/2 are superb for what they are. The zoom lens lets me get close to the subject or a bit farther out but you still have to be close and it has a much better depth of field than my primes.
Ports: Flat or dome? I prefer the flat ports unless you have a fisheye lens or very wide angle lens, that’s where the domes come into play.
Water drops: Clarify works ok as does human spit every few minutes on the lens. I spit on it and rub it around and wait five minutes before hitting the water.
My current set up.
Safety Gear: Buy the best and it ain’t cheap! Gath Helmet! Totally needed. It’s not a matter of if you will get hit, rather, when. I’ve been surfing over 50 years and had lots of accidents. They happen. It’s hard enough to see other surfers on boards, it’s nearly impossible for them to see you in the water. You will need to know where they are going before they do and duck dive under them at the right time. Keep yer head on a swivel! You will also need to get an impact vest. Billabong makes some great ones as does Patagonia.
Fins: You totally need the right fins. If you have fat arthritic feet like me, you need some that will accommodate wet suit boots. The only ones that work for me are the FORCE FINS that have an open toe. I also have some DaFinn and some Tech II’s made of silicon for the summer.
Pre Check: Always lube up your O rings prior to entering the water, and check all of your equipment thoroughly. You can’t rush through this. One error could cost you thousands of dollars. Take your time. Make sure your settings are good, the seals are tight, the locking mechanisms secure and you are good to go. Nothing worse than getting into the water and looking through the view finder only to find that your lens cap is still on or you forgot to tighten one of the nuts on the back of the housing as water seeps in.
Before going into the water, always study the lineup. I spend about 30 minutes just watching and talking to surfers coming out about the current that day, the lineup, etc. I love to utilize the rip currents to take me out. I have tried using a boogie board to shoot from and it’s just a total pain. Just another thing to get in your way and get tangled up in. You will be using both hands to maintain the camera and the last thing you want is another object to deal with especially with surfers coming at you full speed. Swim! that’s the only way. Good luck out there and happy shooting!
Photo by Matt Haddaway.
Working on “Blinding Light, Camp Pendleton from this winters frigid shoot February 2, 2020
I have been spending time experimenting with my painting and instead of utilizing a tonal background on my black canvases I am now returning to linear colored backgrounds for enhanced texture and realism as well as a return to my original style using patterns, liners, scrollers, and other types of pin stripe brushes.
My photo reference from Feb. 2, 2020, 1/2000 sec@f/20 ; 41mm; ISO 400; EF 24-70 f/2.8L II USM
The initial start where I started with the lights first.
Building up the lighter areas…
The completed 12” x 16” “Blinding Light, Pendleton, February 2, 2020”©05/18/2020
Yea, it finally happened big time. The Jetty was packed April 24, 2020 and I was in the thick of it. Head on a swivel 24/7 watching it all go off when suddenly at the end of my session this big set came up, several guys on the same peak, shoulder to shoulder and there I was as usual, in the impact zone. Nowhere to go so I duck dived but it was too shallow and then bam! The guy hit me on the had and split my “not for the faint of wallet” Gath helmet in half. I’ve only had this one a few months since the USPS in CA held it for over a month in customs from Australia for whatever reason, but after waiting two months to get it I was finally in possession of the beast. This gear totally saved my life.
If you are even remotely interested in doing surf photography for a hobby or a living, please spend the money or go into debt to get the proper safety equipment. Get a really good helmet from GATH Australia. The Gedi or the SFC works terrific as does the Surf Hat. Fortunately I had two so I just ordered another back up. Also purchase a really good “IMPACT VEST” so you can protect your kidneys, ribs, and other precious body parts for WHEN you get HIT! It’s not a matter of if and I don’t care how good you are at surfing, swimming, lifeguarding, etc. It’s dangerous out there and I am constantly on the lookout for the eventual impact. As they taught me in the military, observe the five P’s, Prior Planning, Prevents, Poor Performance. In this case it clearly paid off.
Ouch!
split in half!
Had that been my head,I would have either died or been permanently disabled. Pretty good investment for a life.
Knocking on heaven’s door…
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Gearing up…
CMT Housing, Canon 7D Mark II, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II, trumpet port, GoPro8 on top of housing.
Setting the functions…
Brr…
Pretty much sums up my life…
Paddle out using the rip current on the rocks, drift down about a 1/4 mile, take off fins, walk back, repeat a lot of times…
Just call me bob…