1.
Shooting in the water is my favorite thing to do, but it’s also frustrating. When I’m shooting Pete at this wave, I usually position myself high and tight to get his first section hit—but that causes me to miss the crazy air he’ll do on the inside. Or, I’ll swim further down to get a close-up of the end section and miss whatever he does up top. It can feel like the image I’m lining up in my mind just isn’t working. I remember showing Pete this photo and him saying, “Can you imagine if you were on the inside for that one?” I was like, “Dude? I’m trying.” Us water photographers and filmers always get the shit end of the stick.
2.
That’s Pete on the wave, and RJ, our boat captain during a trip up Tofino’s coast, in the foreground. I started this session by shooting on the boat’s roof, but it got too cold and windy, so I went inside. I asked RJ to open the window and try to keep the boat at this angle, which is actually very hard to do as it rocks up and down with the swells. It took a few attempts, but I finally nailed this image. It’s fun not to shoot safely. Yes, you’ll miss a lot of shots, but that’s just short-term pain. It’s totally worth it when the shot you’re envisioning comes together. Pete and I have a trusting relationship. He knows that I’m going to get him his shots, but I’m also going to push for something unique and rewarding to me. This photo is also special because it’s usually pissing rain here when the waves are good.
3.
The sunrise was incredible and the waves were fun this morning. Three or four other photographers were shooting from land. I initially wanted to shoot from land too, but didn’t want the same photos as everybody else. So, I swam out with the 50-millimeter lens and lined up this one with Pete. I’m always trying to do these half dips when shooting a fixed focal length.
4.
I’d been shooting all day at this spot—the wind was perfect, and the swell and tide were dropping together until it got small and gutless. Around dinnertime, everyone got out of the water and enjoyed celebratory beers. Out of nowhere, this beautiful wave came through. Everyone stopped talking and stared in silence as it peeled down the beach. We were like, “Holy shit! Let’s get back out there.” But it would’ve been dark by the time we got suited up. This place definitely keeps you on your toes. As a photographer, Tofino is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The waves aren’t good all the time, and you have to watch the forecast constantly. All the good spots are scenic, with trees and mountains, and are challenging hikes to reach. To me, that’s more interesting than just riding an e-bike to Lowers.
5.
Mathea Olin is probably 16 or 17 here. It took her a few trips to this slab to get comfortable with pulling into the barrel and coming out properly. But on this day, she finally did it. We were so psyched for her. Pete was out there, too, mentoring her. She’s almost 22 now, and it’s been inspiring watching her evolve from surfing for judges as a contest kid to going out and pulling into slabs for fun.
[For more of Paladino’s work, pick up a copy of TSJ 34.6.]
