I was lucky enough to be asked on a Homegrown Maniacs photo shoot, thanks to Leith Holtzman, just a few photos from the session and as per usual most of the photos held back for postage stamps in up and coming publications….
David, has been flying helicopters since 1986 and has more than 10,000 hours helicopter experience conducting just about every form of helicopter operation possible.
Commencing flying in the United Kingdom before emigrating to Australia in 1995. Since then, David has flown commercially in several countries conducting mostly specialist aerial film services.
Highly experienced in low level aerial filming with a number of camera systems including gyro stabilized, fixed and still photography. Air to Air photography involving two or more aircraft is one such operation that David has many hours of expertise and lists as one of his favourites.
David has an impressive history of providing aerial services for the motor sport industry as well as television productions, documentaries, commercials and numerous other sporting events.
As a Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Delegate, David along with a handful of independent delegates throughout Australia conducts flight tests on behalf of CASA.
These tests include Commercial, Private, Night, Instrument and Instructor flight tests. As well as aircraft specific type endorsements such as low level, sling, floats, mustering, winching, formation, rappelling and check flights for various companies within Australia.
As an Aviation Safety Consultant, Offshore Operations Flight and Ground Instructor, David presents helicopter specific safety courses for Pilots, Aircrew the General Public and the Film Industry.
As such, David has achieved a proven reputation in the helicopter industry for implementing and maintaining high safety standards.
Festival duration is 2 hours including a 30 minute acoutic set at interval.
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The IMMERSION Journey
Have you ever thought how and where monsters are made and where they end up? Have you ever seen surfers in the barrel or the tube and wonder how it looks from the inside looking out?
Have you thought that riding a wave is a lot more than standing on a surfboard, where there are all sorts of ways that a person can glide on the crest of a wave? Have thought that over a hundred years we have been exposed to surfing photography which is one of the most passionate creative jobs in the world of to get the chance to see the worlds best all in one night?
What about why big wave surfers do what they do when they are only inches away from death.
All these questions and more will be shown in detail in our best Australian Surf Movie Festival ever.
– THE IMMERSION TOUR.
Stories and footage of mind blowing waves, the biggest swells and the world’s best surfers all on the big screen in 2012. ASMF is back in April/May for The Immersion Tour. Hailed as our best production to date, immersing surfers and people alike in the sport of surfing in a way that has never been seen or heard before on the big screen.
Celebrating ten years, Tim Bonython’s Australian Surf Movie Festival (ASMF) tour started from humble beginnings developing into sell out crowds throughout Australia’s coast and internationally.
This year you will be taken on an unforgettable kaleidoscopic journey into how the ocean has become such an addictive part of our lives.
The ASMF continues to combine epic surf films made by Tim with live music by presenting young up-and-coming music as part of the Australian Surf Movie Festival experience.
Over the past four years, surfing enthusiast and filmmaker Tim Bonython has spent every available moment doing what he loves – conducting interviews and filming images of breath-taking and death defying wave riding from all corners of the globe to create a 13-part series on his beloved sport of surfing. This series has now been re-created into a two-part live theatrical show - IMMERSION.
IMMERSION is not just big waves and boards as the film covers everything about the sport – from body surfing and bodyboarding, surf ski, kneeboarding, kite surfing, wind surfing and even the latest new phenomena, stand up paddle boarding.
IMMERSION is a sight and sound experience including a specially composed film score, where the sound track needs to compiliment be as powerful as the footage plus at times there is a live commentary from the director/filmer Tim Bonython and in the intermission there acoustic music performances from local up-and-coming artists Nick Saxon and Guy Brown from Mammals. Plus heaps of door prizes from the associated sponsors.
And that’s only part of it!! Immersed in sound & surf , it’s going to be uniquely AMAZING! IMMERSION is a “must see” event for surfing enthusiasts of all tastes, genres and generations.
TIM BONYTHON – Film maker, Photographer, Director
Tim Bonython’s association with surfing films began in 1978, when armed with a Super-8 camera, he set off to Hawaii’s infamous North Shore to capture the big waves and their riders. From that moment he became totally besotted with the sport, it participants and turning it into captivating, breath-taking and inspiring films.
Tim filmed the renown Rip Curl Pro event at Bells Beach in 1981 where competitors surfed waves in excess of twenty feet. With a projector & PA in the back of his car and and a 4 x 3 screen on the roof, Tim presented hot off the press, some of the most amazing surfing footage ever shot in Australia. He set off to pubs and clubs around Australia’s East Coast and the Australian Surf Movie Festival was born.
In 1998, on the advice of internationally renowned surf photographer Dan Merkel, Tim went off to document one of the biggest swells ever surfed at Jaws Maui, one of the world’s greatest big wave locations. The film from the hours of footage collected became one of the most respected surf documentaries created, called Biggest Wednesday. After touring this film throughout the country and overseas, it was sold on to VHS then to DVD and with over 130,000 units sold remains one of the biggest surf video sales of all time in Australia.
During that time Tim worked for Quiksilver International and also produced music videos for the Screaming Jets, Midnight Oil, The Angels & Frenzal Romb.
Over the last 12 years, Tim has made a home-away-from-home in Tahiti shooting at one of the world’s most notorious, big wave surfing locations – Teahupo’o. From footage shot here, Tim created the award -winning documentary Blackwater—The Story of a Place Called Teahupo’o. In May 2006 it won Best Surf Documentary in the International Surf Festival in St Jean De luz, France. He followed this with May Dayz showing the jaw-dropping feats of the big waves and the riders over two incredible days at the same location.
In just a few short years, Tim has grown the Australian Surf Movie Festival from its humble beginnings of out of the back of his car to having his films screen as part of the Big Day Out, to sell-out crowds at large pub and club venues and in selected independent cinemas throughout Australia and international locations. The Australian Surf Movie Festival into its 10th tour combines film with live music by presenting young-up-and-coming music as part of the ASMF experience.
There is so many elements that make up an amazing surf photo but I am not going into the technical jargon side of aspects here, basically just what I look for in my own surf photography and how that effects my judgement as a photo editor.
The first thing I see when I look at my own work is how basic the actual capture of the photo is, I cant stand my own photos when I know how basic it was to capture the moment, I know I have a job to do by portraying that split second of action, telling a visual story, but I cant help feeling like an imposter of actually calling my self a “surf photographer” when in reality I was on the sidelines pointing a camera, that is dead easy. Photographers all over the world shoot sports this way and do an amazing job highlighting the very moments and plays that dictate the game, they are called “sports photographers” not basketball or football photographers but sports photographers so why would I call myself a surf photographers if I am capturing a surf scene the same way? I personally and this has only been my focus/outlook for the last three or four years would rather miss every bit of action to take that one photo where I actually feel like a surf photographer and proud to say it, yes I miss the stickers for sponsors, magazine Editors wonder why I didn’t get the postage stamp for the next issue, surfers are dark on me for missing that wave, well I don’t give a rats ass anymore because I know what effort went into that one shot I may or may not have captured on any given day.
When I take this same approach to looking at others work as a photo editor its very difficult because most photos that come across the desk are the surfers magic moment, well captured for sure, tells a little story with some creative flair but in the end a basic photo, very rarely am I just blown away by a surf photo but when I am its just nice to admire the skill level involved, Pat Stacy Surfing Mag Cover of Timmy Reyes, Zac Noyle – Tahiti shot, Jon Frank / Stu Gibson – Shippies Photos, Spencer Hornby – Ritchie Vas photo at Ours just to name a few off the top of the head, all captured with complete skills.
To give you an example how I relate this approach through my own work: Justin Allport crazy slab, this photo is 10 out of 10 for impact to the viewer and so it should, its an incredible amount of water coming down on a surfer that has no escape route, personally for me as a photographer its only 1 out of 10 for capture, the 1 for being in the right place at the right time but other than it’s a basic shot.
Chris Ross stand up tube, this is by far the best photo I have captured on a personal skill level and has given me a greater sense of achievement because I know what went into this shot to be able to capture this moment, it may only be a 3 out of ten for impact to the viewer but personal skill level is right up there, I actually feel like a surf photographer and the feeling of that moment was incredible.
I have to learn to separate my photography and my role as a photo editor, be extremely critical on my photography experiences and on the other hand judge others work for the photo impact alone which is a little strange because I am disliking all my work with the exception of a few shots and excepting photos that I know are very easy to take.
The formula I have devised so I can be both photographer/photo ED: Skill level of capture + Impact of the photo. Ask yourself this next time while looking at a photo before passing judgement on your own and others work and the outlook may be far different, are you really a “surf photographer”.
Well what a day this was, we could barely find our way back to the coast the rain was that heavy and if it wasn’t for Twiggy Baker’s quick actions, Paul Paterson may still be floating out in the ocean with one of the worst wipe-outs I have ever seen. ( All the good photos and full story saved for publication).
I am pleased to announce the opening of the Warrahwillah Gallery located on the first floor 119 Bussell Highway Margaret River (cnr of Wilmott).
Tony Warrilow and Myself officially opened the gallery last Thursday night and we had a massive turn out – thanks for all of the support. (opening night photos, well to busy and to many wines for that – sorry).
+ high-res version
