Swings and Misses / November 8, 2023 by craig levers

A bunch of good bastards L to R, Daniel Kereopa, Chrissy Malone, Deano Morrison, Tama, John John Florence, Eric Knuston, Tai, Tana Clapham and in the foreground Ikey Morrison, Koro; Miha Graham and Kahu Graham.

It's not too often that a surf trip is a fail. More to the point, the fails aren't talked about. The worst kept secret in the country was that John John Florence was in town. He wasn't here to do a promo trip or a photoshoot. Any surfing was a bonus.
I did have an inside track, an invite to join, but knowing it wasn't s'possed to be a photoshoot put me at odds. I didn't want to be the hanger-on, I wasn't commissioned by a media outlet to chase. There was the internal debate- let's be honest- the very external debate. Should I go at all? The last thing I wanna do is be some sort of weird 50-something groupie. My mates said go, why not?

Raglan was abuzz with JJF, Dean Morrison and Tai Buddha being in town. The surf wasn't great, but the carparks were full. It was very, very clear not all the carloads were there to surf themselves. There were tales of John John swamped in the carpark for selfies, that he had been humble and accommodating. That also some the fans hadn't been that cool and had expected the selfies. From all accounts Mr Florence, Dean and Tai had been more than gracious.

On cue the day sea-breeze set in. The lads shifted from surfing the points to foiling. I gently suggested that they save some energy for the low tide at Manu Bay, with the evening glass off. Agreed, Phewww. I waited at Manu, hung out with the usual suspects, catching up on gossip...creating more. They foiled for a long time, too long.

As the puffs of offshores started to groom the long walls of Manu, the entourage left for a BBQ. They'd been on boards all day, fair enough. This is not a photoshoot. We organised a dawnie on the jet-skis. I stayed at Manu and shot till dark, it got pretty good. It wasn't pumping, there were moments for sure.

John John left that evening to baton down the hatches, literally.

Pretty good huh! In truth one of a very few

The rest of us met at the boat ramp at 6am, as feared the swell had halved. But we gave it a go anyway. By 8am the northeast had kicked up too much. A couple of swings and couple of misses.

Tai and Dean... time for bacon, eggs and the rugger world cup final

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

These are becoming very popular! Stoked. The new print set of 10 NZ line ups and waves is a great wee stocking filler at $35.00 ... and free postage nationwide. Start sowing the seeds fellas! You need this for Christmas. Check them out in more detail HERE

The Maori Nats Are Doing It Right / November 1, 2023 by craig levers

The Aotearoa Maori Nationals is the best competition in New Zealand.

Ok, ok, clearly that’s an incendiary statement aimed at ramping up the clicks, but it’s not that far off the mark. And here’s why.

We all know that surf competitions have lost their gloss. In the good old days, the 1990’s and early double zeros, national surf competitions were hectic. There’d be full draws and you couldn’t get a park at the beach to watch. Perhaps the heady height was the Manu Bay Billabong WQS’s where buses had to be contracted to shuttle spectators from Raglan to the Point, an estimated 50,000 spectators attended. Perhaps NZ Surfing’s version of Woodstock, crazy- but true. Ratso’s Hot Buttered Easter Comp, a nationally rated event, used to pack out the black sands of Piha every year with spectators. One year even finished with a good old fashioned riot, with police breaking up the post-match function after a car got rolled and set on fire.

How’d the gloss get knocked off? Maybe, just maybe, it is an accidental disconnection from the grass roots. You see, back in the dark ages, before the inter-web, participants would mail in their entry fee cheques in weeks before the event, but they’d also have to show up for the Friday night’s registration and the heat draw. It couldn’t be posted on-line, you had to be there. These rego evenings became catch ups with old mates, the friendly rivalry banter would start… to be honest sometimes it wasn’t so friendly! But there was connection and korero.

Comps were held on long weekends, so you had Monday to meander home after the Presso night on Sunday. Presso night! All competitors were encouraged to hang about for the Presso, no one knew 100% who won what until the Presso. Often included in the registration pack given on Friday night was a meal and/or drink voucher for the Presso night. There’d be the formalities, but then there’d be a knees up with a couple of good bands, in fact, surf comps were regarded by up and coming bands as a good gig to land.

Then surf comps got streamlined, went online for registration and the heat draw. The Friday night meet-up became redundant. The Presso was reduced to a quick how’s your father in front of the sponsors’ banners behind the offical’s tent. The spirit, the wairua, got incrementally eroded from mainstream national competition. The competitors stopped going, draws were halved in size. The spectators stopped attending. Surf comps got so streamlined that they just weren’t fun anymore.

You’ve got the formula now right; a fun evening prior, where everyone catches up, eyes each other up, even maybe creates a few hazy heads for the days ahead of heats, then the whole time you know there’s gonna be a fun time at the end, a finale… the weekend has become a celebration, an event of mini events.

Here’s what happens at the Maori Nationals;

It’s held on Labour weekend, you have Monday to get home safely.

You are encouraged to attend the opening Pōwhiri on the Friday evening, in this case EVERYONE is warmly welcomed onto the Roma Marae, yes there are some traditional formalities to sit through. But the elders keep it light, and quite frankly they are awesome speakers, not shy of a quick jibe or six. You will be laughing. Once you are welcomed onto the Marae you are part of the Marae. EVERYONE is invited to share a meal, and it’s fricken delicious kai…with dessert to boot. For those that wish to, the Marae is theirs to stay on, catch-ups, korero; who is here, who didn’t make it back, who is new/ it’s a good time.

Competition: It’s an adventure, it’s mobile, you wake up on Saturday morning never quite knowing where you may end up. But you know your Te Rarawa Kaiwhare hosts are trying their darnedest to get the best possible surf in the Far North, west or east. And perhaps because of this, there is little temptation to leave the contest venue, most crew stay, hang out, chat … well that and Te Rarawa Kaiwhare cater lunch. There’s no reason to leave.

Then there’s a Presso back at the marae, the winners are celebrated, the behind scenes string pullers are acknowledged and EVERYONE is served hangi…and dessert. You stay, you korero, you kata, you have new hoa.

The Lads!!! Waitara contingent deep on korero with Charles Kauwhata, contest organiser and master of ceremonies

Te Rarawa decendant and former WCT surfer Dean Morrison during the finals of the O35's

Fellow international Maori Tai Buddha [also Te Rarawa] came back to experience the Aotearoa Maori Nationals

Tai and his son Kahu, Deano and his son Ikey with cousin Asher loving the Far North vibes …and there’s a Feature on Surfline **HERE** all about that.

Elin Tawharu, your 2023 Maori Nationals Wahine Champion

Harrison Biddle your 2023 U16 Maori National Champion

Tai Murphy, free surfing prior to winning the U18 division

Nav Malone, won the U18's last year and was in the Open final last year too. This year he clinched the Open title, from Tai Murphy and his pop Chrissy

Speaking of... there he is, Chris Malone, so many titles! This year he had to settle for O35's and a proud dad moment

2023 marked the 30th year of the Aotearoa Maori Nationals, first spearheaded by Waitara in 1993. Of note members of Waitara Bar Board Riders Club who were there in 1993, Ed Martin and Chip Andrews made the journey north with the WBBRC crew [Marty, Jm, Pip, Dada...where were ya!!!] . Chip entered the Longboard and the SUP, finaling in both and winning the SUP. Chris Malone and Steve Ria [both Mahaki] have also attended almost every single one.

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

Yess back in its third print. The Big Little Beach Book is available again, it is slowly getting into books stores and surf shops over the next few weeks. You can buy The Big Little Beach Book through the PhotoCPL Website HEREnow, if you want it now.

Octoberfest / October 18, 2023 by craig levers

Makorori pumped for the National Scholastics

Last post I mansplained how, ironically, when things get too busy it looks like there's no work being done. ie no web log, too busy creating and curating content. And it happened again; 3 weeks lost, although one of those was to an actual vacation... the first for Ange and I since the covid years.

I had the privilege of being the Surfing NZ photographer for the National Scholastics. Held this year in Gizzy, it's a jammed packed 7 days of heats. Technically it is two competitions; 2 days of the Primary Schools, then 5 of the Secondary. You can check out all the photo edit on Surfing New Zealand's Facebook page HERE

I also did a feature for Surfline that...I reckon anyways, came up really well. Few words from me and lots of words from the players- the way it should be. It's HERE

There was some crazy free surfing around the arena as well, Ric Christie and one of those, are you fricken kidding me, moments

Flynn McGregor, Gizzy Team member, between heats

And then a big change in climate, from puffy jackets to jandals ....well, maybe not a great analogy cos jandals are year 'round right ... you get the idea. We went to Noosa!!! The home of family holiday packages and blue rinsed retirees, it was actually better than great. Warm swims, whales, more swims, but not much surf. 30 degrees and no rain.

A very happy hump day [actually a Humpback Whale, actually last Wednesday...actually super corny]

Noosa waterways, a surprising fascinating time

Thank Noosa, you were fricken awesome. OK, unpacked the bags, washing, then repack 'cos it's the Aotearoa Maori Surfing Nationals in Ahipara this weekend. Super excited to be back up in the FFN.

Hope you have a great Labour weekend wherever it takes you.

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

Beach Break Boogie / September 15, 2023 by craig levers

It has been a while aye? Doing weekly web logs is to ideally generate interest and therefore traffic and hopefully even sales. Ironically there's a tipping point, where the first thing that gets dropped if there's too much on is one of the things that's s'possed to create that busyness. It's been busy!

The surf around here pumped last week, it was a welcome reprieve from the huge storm swells and winds. The formula was applied pretty well, surf until broken [that doesn't take too many sessions], then shoot and shoot some more.

The exposed beachies sort of turned on, the photos may lie a bit, but there were definitely moments of goodness.

So fun! And nearly always twice as good as it looks

Napes was on hand

And so was Jay Piper-Healion

JPH stealing the show

Oossssh... the funpark is open

Tava Santorik was up from Raglan to party

Anyone know this guy? He was ripping in the middle of South Piha last Saturday

Yeah Brewster... just another cheeky 5 hour surf eh boss!

Oh yes we did, Keyhole Boardriders ran the first event post Cyclone Gabby, it was a good turn out and between the straight handers there were some drainers. Liam Joyce scored an 11 out of 10 [in my books anyway] faded a non competitor and then got completely coned across the beach to find a doggy door... and for all you non surfers that don't understand that... there is your homework :)

The 2023 National Open Champion Dune Kennings won the event by a slim margin on the last wave ridden in the final

A gallery of the Keyhole comp is up on the Keyhole Facebook page HERE

...and Surfline has run a feature of PhotoCPL images HERE

And speaking of PhotoCPL images...

Pretty cool aye!!! One of my images from a pool session with Blood Diamond, Israel Adesanya and Dave Woods. Dave and Woody's Movement Workshop featured in a large sports piece on TVNZ last Wednesday....so stoked for you Woody, such good coverage.

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

Magic Swell / September 1, 2023 by craig levers

You may remember I've been banging on about getting a great Raglan Line Up for the Photo CPL Waves Gallery . I've been chasing swells and refining the angles, absolutely bloody loving the process to be honest. Feels like I've been on a whole new learning curve of what makes a magic swell on the Waikato Points. There was a special swell last week, the first swell in a very long time that didn't have a secondary swell running through it. My insider gave me the heads up week prior, 'have you seen this on the swell maps?' I hadn't. There was no way I was missing it. I'm not going to get into writing a blow by blow account... the swell was a fricken gem, super lined up, super clean winds and super crowded too! That said I didn't see one frown.

Billy Stairmand could not have timed his return from the WQS grind more perfect ....and heads up no apologies for the amount of Bilbo images here in.

Emmerson Tucker with an after work rinse

Alani Morse, also featured in the Surfline Feature of this swell

Cassidy Man, no your eyes are ok, it's an arty speed blur...art I tell you!

Doubling down on the intention, arty blurry Bilbo

...and deeen... Saturday morning.... now this is what I've been after; clean lines, a day you'd love to be in the water. It's now up in The Waves Gallery **HERE**. And I liked the idea of trying to compliment the composition of this one …

Those bewty lines!!! That's what we are after! This one is also up in the Wave Gallery **HERE**

...and this one! This one was used in the Surfline feature too. And it's in the Wave Gallery **HERE**

Back to the action with Indica Knox-Corcoran

Chippy to the stars, Mr Scotty Wilkinson

My neighbour Sev Tolhurst was down for the weekend

Two blissful days revelling in a magic swell. Of course the swell wasn't confined to Raglan, the whole west coast lit up. Surfline covered it in this feature…

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

Rewinding with Ric and tech / August 24, 2023 by craig levers

Multiple Auckland Champ Mikey Phillips put out an Insty post about two NZ Surfing mags from 20 years ago. The first one was his cover issue the July/August 2002 mag and the second 18 months later, the Nov/Dec 2003 issue. Mikey featured heavily in both issues. Last week was all Mikey's Cover shot issue [You can read that post HERE], so this week is all about Ric Christie's first ever cover, The Nov/Dec 2003 issue.

I was the Senior Photographer and Editor of the magazine at the time, halfway through my 15 year tenure at the surf mag. The early 2000's were a hugely significant era in surf print worldwide, and especially here in NZ. The business of surfing was about to blow up. With that surf print went nuts too, advertising revenue went through the roof and so did readership.

In 2003 we overhauled the magazine, gave it a facelift by upping the size and the changing paper stock to matt/satin. I pestered the printer about size options. We went through multiple quotes and options, the publisher knocking most of them back. He felt the magazine was performing fine so why rock the boat and why incur extra printing costs? Almost out the frustration the print rep mentioned, 'you know you can go to 230mm x 295mm on the same press and paper stock aye?'. 'How much?'. 'Nothing, it's just a change to the trimming'. 'I think I can talk the boss into that!'

It was a subtle squaring up and made the magazine 2cms wider than the standard A4 [4cms on a double page spread!] It meant we could also [lamely] claim NZ Surfing was the biggest surf mag. This issue was the second in the new format and the first one had sold very well. I've always felt that from mid 2003 I was starting to find my feet as an editor, strategising the flow of the content better, being more confident in the direction... it had taken some years!

Once again the cliche has to come out; 2003 was a different world of tech. Surf photographers worldwide were all still shooting 100% on film. But graphic design and production tech was changing rapidly. We could now get the frames of film drum scanned at a scanning house, then the scanner would courier the burnt CD's with the high resolution file from that image at the publishers. In turn we had computers grunty enough to merge those high resolution files. It reads like basic stuff now, but it was a huge advancement in 2003. At the surf mag we embraced the tech with vigour, to be really honest I don't know if this magazine issue has stood the test of time.

Should the cover had been just the single frame instead of a 3 frame merge? Ric Christie thinks not! " Nah, the sequence was way better.' Ric added about getting the cover; ' Broooo!! Best thing that ever happened to me at that moment in time. It didn't feel real. I can't quite remember for sure, but I think I was at the supermarket and being buzzed out it was me. It's what dreams are made of mate!!!' ohhh that's warmed the cockles of me ol' salty heart.

Some of the sequences in 'the Bigger than Big Sequence Issue' are a bit clunky. I think we forced a few that would have been way better as the single feature shot of the sequence.

Mikey Phillips’ feature sequence; the main shot is sick, but do the first and last two really need to be there?

Like the opening feature spread ....sick bottom turn that has definitely stood the test of time.

The Primo roadie this issue was based around the Phillips brothers in the Far North. Jamie Phillips in a very Kiwi setting... and quite the quote from the ex pat Jamie, it reads 'Having sex is like playing Bridge, If you don't have a good partner, you better have a good hand.' -gold.

How sick is this sequence of Maz by Rowan Klevtsul! Maybe the mergey thing worked on some of the feature spreads.

Cool to see, now mother of two, Mischa debuting as Rising Grom 20 years ago. The Piha surfer has lived in the Far North on the East coast for 5 or more years now. Misch went on to win National titles in the Open Women's and Longboarding.

All in all the Nov/Dec 2003 wasn't terrible, the magazines were really starting to bulk up, this mag was 86 pages plus an A0 poster.

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

Rewinding with Ella and Mikey / August 16, 2023 by craig levers

Over the weekend Muriwai's golden son, multi Auckland Champion Mikey Phillips put out an Insty post about two NZ Surfing mags from 20 years ago. The first one was his cover issue the July/August 2002 mag and the second 18 months later, the Nov/Dec 2003 issue. Mikey featured heavily in both issues. Well, you can't feature more heavily than being on page One. This post is all about Mikey's cover mag.

I was the Senior Photographer and Editor of the magazine at the time, halfway through my 15 year tenure at the surf mag. The early 2000's were a hugely significant era in surf print worldwide, and especially here in NZ. The business of surfing was about to blow up. With that surf print went nuts too, advertising revenue went through the roof and so did readership. Now I'm going to try and explain this without boring you. The AC Neilsen audit/survey was what all advertising agencies used to figure out where to place their brands. They would charge publications royally to be a part of the survey, and you either lived by the good result or died with a bad one.

In 2002 the publisher, David Hall, and I felt like it was time to throw the very pricey dice and join the survey. The first 6 monthly survey result was out of control, the readership came in at 145,000 per issue. We freaked out, not in the good way, we thought the figure was fanciful and way too high, that the next 6 monthly survey would be a half or even a 1/4 that. That to put out this 145,000 readers per issue would be laughed at, and then when it settled next round the magazine would look like it was slipping.

David Hall summoned in the AC Neilsen rep for 'a please explain' meeting. The rep assured us that the figures were accurate, that they wouldn't change greatly. That being a youth targeted publication, NZ Surfing Mag had an accepted high pass-on rate. AC Neisen put it in double digits for readers per copy sold. We had spent years getting the magazine into every high school library in the country. We'd worked super hard on our distribution and subscription base. But the pass-on rate was crazy, it meant we could go to Ad Agencies with regarded audited figures, the 145,000 meant NZ Surfing was the most popular youth magazine in NZ.... yes the most popular surf mag, but also the most popular against music, car, outdoors and fishing mags. We were literally top of the pops. It meant we started getting adverts from outside the surf industry like Watties Baked Beans, Primo [Fontera ] Britz Motorhomes and Lion Breweries all featured in Mikey's cover magazine 2002.

The issue featured a sick Gizzy Primo Roady, the second year of doing them, and we were getting good at them. One day I'll tell you the Primo story, it's a good tale of branding and marketing.

The opening spread is Gizzy shaper Tommy Dalton, with Mikey in the far left corner. It's ok, but a bit dark in the shadows, film was still all we used in 2002, this was on Velvia 50 asa transparency film. The surf photographers standard for its fine grain and deep colour saturation. The downside of Velvia was it has no shadow detail at all, I should have compensated for that with the front lit angle.

Mikey, and I'm pretty sure a different wave than the cover.

Jay Papworth in the centrefold...The cover verses centrefold choice came down to Mikey's barrel was clean, Pappy's had that little bit of spray around his face... tough call.

Mikey's cover shot went on to be published as a double page spread in the giant US mag Surfing and later used on a Kea Car billboard nationwide. And of course had to be used in the PHOTOCPL book

In a tiny bottom corner of a page in that issue is a heart melter. The woman who would go on to be our 2013 World Junior Champ, win National Champs, and of course be our first surfing woman olympian.

How's Ella's hand written letter! And Ella still has the board, it is on display the Williamson's surf shop, The Whanga Surf Shop. I blackmailed Ella into a selfie today.

So stoked on your achievements mate.

Next week, I'll cover Mikey's second issue which also marks significant changes 18 months on. Let me know if this stuff interests you...like really, email me back with your thoughts.

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

Hazy Piha / August 9, 2023 by craig levers

The peanut gallery in Sunday morning's fog, probably foggy heads and atmosphere to be fair

The pedal was taken off getting the Raglan line-up I'm so determined to get. Family commitments and also a promise to a keen photo-grub were, the happily attended to, priorities. I had trusted the forecast from Surfline that indicated the exposed west coast beaches would be 1-2 foot. The best groundswell of the last 2 months rolled through instead. It was a tad grating, the FOMO burnt hard.

It's important to give back, over the years a point has been made to mentor other photographers. Piha photo-grub Oscar O'Brien reached out a few months ago; check out his Instagram HERE we have had shockers, bad surf locally, it is the season for it, and mistimed meet ups.

Sunday was the day, nice offshores and midday tide and APPARENTLY nice 1-2 foot beachies. An added bonus, the Auckland Scholastic Squad was having a training session, it was all falling into place for Oscar to have a good go using the big lens and tripod. Piha was maxed out, but the Squad coach Jay Piper-Healion led from the front, putting the squad out on the Bar reform. It wasn't terrible, it wasn't great either. Oscar got a go at least, he will get more turns with the big lens.

Muriwai resident Lachlan Mitchell down with his daughter Yana for the squad day

Jay P-H giving up his Sunday to coach the squad

Later in the week looks ok, so maybe just maybe, see you on the sand!

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

Back To Rags / August 2, 2023 by craig levers

El Nino winters are tough for Piha surfers, especially off the back of 4 very mild winters. The El Nino weather pattern cools down the Tasman, Antarctic storms are almost weekly and overpower the west coast sand banks with too much swell. This has a knock on effect, the banks are washed away, so even when the swell is surfable the sand just isn't there. Howling onshore winds and squalls of rain...not really beach days aye.

It just means we have to travel. El Nino is good for Raglan, Gisborne and The Far North. We're racking up RUC's. It's ok, the game has changed, adjust and go with it, embrace the sea change.

Alani Morse reckons she was just managing the waves on Friday

Raglan Surf Academy student Jahmin Thompson fin freeing

Our 2023 National Open Champ Pia Rogers escaping the Coromandel's flatness

The ol' partner in crime...Tom Bilington waiting for the sets that walled

Theo Morse loving Friday arvo/evening elective

There were still some solid sets on Saturday, Waihi Beach's Zac Curle

Luke Cederman came in horrified at his performance, he did alright

Zac Curle, just going to get the Elephant out of the room here...what a surname for a surfer! Epic.

Yeah Chrissy Malone! Just a bit after noon

Piha resident Jay Piper Helion back in his old stomping grounds... ok wait, born and bred Whitianga, went to school at Raglan Academy and then Waikato Uni, now teaches in West Auckland...he's from everywhere

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

Little Big Things / July 26, 2023 by craig levers

It has long been established that I get excited about the weirdest of things. This week has been highly excitable. The new pressings of The Big Little Beach Book and the new 10 NZ Line-Up Prints Sets arrived. It is a period of high energy output, make space in the PhotoCPL Despatch Centre [that's code for the book shed], drive across town to the distributors, pick up too much stock, hairy drive back to the PhotoCPL Despatch Centre with the steering of the Hi-Lux VERY light and the braking VERY gradual, unload, repeat.

You think I take photos, hang out with elite surfers and write blogs huh? Well that's half, maybe quarter of the story. Being a publisher of surf and beach books is what pays the mortgage, being hands on in every aspect it how costs are minimised. But I really like doing the distribution, packing and tagging, selling into the surf shops, invoicing...I fricken looooove invoicing :)

Anyhow... The Big Little Beach Book 3rd print is now available. Super stoked on how this little big project just keeps on going. Not assuming you know anything about what it is, the book is A5 landscape, with 208 pages of text. There are QR codes with over 50 of NZ's most loved stretches of sand featured, literally from the Cape to past the Bluff.

The size of the book was chosen to create a compact, easy to gift product..and low RRP of $35.00. A lot of the feature images were shot using the 617 panoramic film cameras...which is quite ironic, as the A5 size doesn't require mega resolution files like that. But you know, that's how we roll.

Some of the 6x17 panos in The Big Little Beach Book

Not all the images are analogue, while both were shot on each beach mission, sometimes the digital images had better highlight and shadow detail.

AND DEEEEEEEEN....

Here is a showcase of 10 prints of idyllic Kiwi Line Ups and waves. There isn't an attempt to be regionally diverse and cover the country, there isn't even a Raglan photo. I've stuck to my best images, the proven sellers in the PhotoCPL Waves Gallery . 10 prints, ready to be mounted into 8 x 10 pre-made frames, like the inexpensive frames you can buy from the Warehouse or K-mart. And they retail at $34.95 for the pack...under $3.50 a print.

All the pre orders are despatched! And we are shipping every other day, You can check out the Print Set HERE

Oh and last week Luke Cederman from the Raglan Surf Report did the best clip for the Print Set... it went nuts.

Check it out

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

It's a book themed post!!! And speaking of, NZ Surf Windows is going gang busters. We only have a couple of hundred left. With Warren's books we don't do reprints, once they are gone that's it.
Don't know anything about NZ Surf Windows... well, you can go HERE

Raglan Strike / July 21, 2023 by craig levers

Raglan; a strike and a foul

Thursday dawn, and not even remotely close to the requirement about to be mansplained

I'm on a mission, and I love it. Over 30 years of being a surf photographer there's been a fair few Raglan sessions. And a fair few line ups of the world famous points. There's some pretty good ones, like this one....

Once the shot is got, I move on. There's no over analysing it, picking at the scab, move on lad, what is the next venue. I'm excited about what's next, more than 'has this been exhausted and every angle explored.' Both approaches have their velour. Raglan is my new favourite bug bear, I want to get the Points filled with a long period ground swell. So from now until then, anytime it looks feasible, I'm there. It's fun and easy; pack up the Troopy, get there the day prior, have takeaways for dinner, up at 6am and around the Points before sun up.

Troopy-lyfe! J-bay finals day on the screen, heater on, Bare Beer and settled in for the evening ... note to self, clean your slips lad!

Then there's always option B, which is a great option, shooting NZ's most famous surfer, Luke Cederman

This week was a swing and a foul. The forecast looked unreal 2 days out, then morphed into something else. Not terrible, but definitely a few new jokers in the pack. Do you twiddle your thumbs at home, potentially missing a fleeting window, no, not from now on. It didn't happen, but that's the game. And, oh no, I could always shoot some actual surfing instead of surf...or even go surfing.

Tava Santorik dealing with his Raglan Surf Academy period just fine

Theo Morse on Manu Bay circuit number 8 of the morning

Sorry bro, didn't get your name and you'd probably not like that I was being all arty and speed blurry on your turns anyway??? Art! Love the flow'n'blur

Another Raglan Surf Academy luminary Lani Fazerhurst

It didn't happen, but I was driving away happy, happy I'd tried, happy to have a night in the Troopy...weirdly, I think I camp more in winter than summer. Happy to catch up with old mates like Honey Haines, Lazza Fisher and of course Luke. Fouled but not struck out.

In the Meantime

Here is a showcase of 10 prints of idyllic Kiwi Line Ups and waves. There isn't an attempt to be regionally diverse and cover the country, there isn't even a Raglan photo. I've stuck to my best images, the proven sellers in the PhotoCPL Waves Gallery . 10 prints, ready to be mounted into 8 x 10 pre-made frames, like the inexpensive frames you can buy from the Warehouse or K-mart. And they retail at $34.95 for the pack...under $3.50 a print.

Pre-sales are open, I'm picking up the shipment on Monday! There is free national P&P on all pre-sales. You can check out the pre sale offer HERE

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

NZ Surf Windows is going gang busters. We only have a couple of hundred left. With Warren's books we don't do reprints, once they are gone that's it.
Don't know anything about NZ Surf Windows... well, you can go HERE

New Arrival / July 12, 2023 by craig levers

Is there a fine line between evolution and mutation? Probably. Here's a convoluted CP tale for you, in case you didn't know I'm infamous for not getting to the point and telling all the side bars. I'm trying to get better.

15 years ago I left the security of salaried employment. There wasn't a masterplan of turning into a successful surf book publisher. There was a drive to keep being a surf photographer and to figure out how to do that. In 2008 the PhotoCPL book hit the surf shops. Selling the book into the shops meant there was catch-ups with old mates in those shops. The retailers have always been generous with feedback and input. Sincerely, it's a really good thing.

And one of the recurring themes was individual photo sales. Raglan legend B-Rex did a great job of selling small mounted prints in the mid '90's and early '00's. You may remember them; a B&W 6x4 print glued onto a bigger black board with a simple bamboo frame glued around that. They were sold through Raglan Surf Co, Backdoor and North Beach. B-Rex sold a shit ton. I believe he stopped because the assembly was too labour intensive. But the retailer's would say, 'If you can figure out how to hit that price point, we'll sell heaps for you. ". Challenge accepted, in fact fellow surf photog Rowan Klevstul and I went into high rotate on research and development. We couldn't do it, we just couldn't keep the labour intensity in control. In the meantime new book projects and photo shoots were going great. The project got back burnered. Not abandoned, just put at the back on simmer.

The shop owners kept lamenting the B-Rex photo absenteeism. A mere 8 years later there was a solution, an evolvement of the idea. In 2016 the PhotoCPL NZ Wave Print Set hit the shops. The 10 prints were packaged into a heavy weight compendium, which meant the price per 8 x 10 photo print was under $3.50- great deal huh! There was utter conviction the problem had been solved. I'd be retiring to the Mentawaii's on my 40ft Cat, living off the re-orders and re-prints.

They sold OK, but at the time The South Seas book was in full swing. It is a book of NZ Line Ups, I wanted to compliment, not compete, and concentrated on singular wave studies. I think I over thought it. Also, because the print-set concept was new to market, it presented challenges in explaining just what was in the pack. It sold through in a few seasons, but it wasn't the runaway success hoped. I think because I have had a few runaways, like the PhotoCPL Book, The South Seas Book/s and The Big Little Beach Book, I have over inflated expectations for every project. No Mentawaii Catamaran.

Other projects came in, Warren Hawke's NZ Surf series of 4 books took main stage. But the niggle remained, the B-Rex void had not quite been filled. So this year, I've made this...

This time a showcase of 10 prints of idyllic Kiwi Line Ups and waves. There isn't an attempt to be regionally diverse and cover the country, there isn't even a Raglan photo. I've stuck to my best images, the proven sellers in the PhotoCPL Waves Gallery . 10 prints, ready to be mounted into 8 x 10 pre-made frames, like the inexpensive frames you can buy from the Warehouse or K-mart. And they retail at $34.95 for the pack...under $3.50 a print. This is what they look like;

Always refining and striving for better. I'm not going to hold my breath or start adding catamarans to my watch list yet, but I think the new Print Set is a great evolution of the concept. Hope so, 2 pallets of the little bastards are arriving next week!

Pre-sales are open, and there is free national P&P on all pre-sales. You can check out the pre sale offer HERE

FROM THE BOOK SHOP

Winter's Embrace / July 6, 2023 by craig levers

North Piha's new controversial clubbie tower, yesterday. I'm going on the record as loving it.

In the; 'Cleary No Surf' category, I do take other photos. In fact, between the obsessions of surfing, surf photography and the Troopy there's also been a long standing obsession with mega high resolution panoramics. This particular obsession put me on an epic learning curve, I went back to film cameras while also mastering digital stitching. Both have their place. International awards were won, that was pretty cool, 10 of my panos from 2012-2015 won Epsom Pano Awards. I sorta of chilled out on the awards after that- award chasing has never ever been my deal.

Piha Storm; Epsom International Pano Award winner 2013... and a firm fav with clients...whoa it's 10 years old!

I'm drawn to dramatic landscapes, obviously, living on the west coast an' all. Pano's compliment surf, when it is 10 foot and howling onshore, that is the weather I really like to chase pano's in. It is exhilarating, sooooo much can go horribly wrong.

And a very not stormy or wintery mega pano Karekare Point

Auckland Hospital Installation at 2.4 metres high by 8 metres long. A wonderful byproduct of learning to make mega panos

Short and sweet this week. Hope you've got great plans for Matariki.

FROM THE GALLERY

Fast becoming the new best seller, wait, it is the new best seller. Not really surprising is that? Sooo stoked to have witnessed and enjoyed this day...ahhh take me back. In the meantime, if you like Day of Days you too could have it wall-side... like Shay, below.

Wet Month / June 28, 2023 by craig levers

Wet June

The middle of the year, the shortest day, solstice, birthdays and a shit ton of rain. But that's not why June was a wet month. It was a month of lots of sea time, lots of surfing, lots of shooting surfing and even some water shoots. Currently I get a bit tangled up with posting images, it's a good tangle to have; A large website [that pays well] gets first dibs on the A grade stuff. But sometimes the A's get sat on and then not used as other stuff comes in over the top. That's ok, that is professional surf/photo/journalism, been around the block enough times not to get disheartened or worried about it. BUT! It's easy to forget about an older session and good stuff ending up not being seen anywhere. So here's some of a wet June....

Whanga is probably pumping today too, this is from the beautiful ground swell that came trough June 3rd

Corey Asplin, well versed on the Waikato’s long lefts …clearly

..and speaking of, the one and only Taff Kennings

Not what you think, Taff lets his granddaughter India take off. The pack on the Bar is always hungry, there are no freebies, groms sit down the line waiting for scraps or a fall. It is the way it should be, you earn your way up the line. But what a gift, if you could, give your grand daughter a hook up.

Course, Taff is still going to get his share of the sets, India on the inside of this one

Taj De Basco-Millar... been getting a few of him lately aye!

Ryan Health powering through on his fishy quad

Second trip to Raglan in one week, the first one was recreational and in the last web log. The second was work- the best work- shooting for The King and Queen of The Point comp. You can see all those images on Surfing New Zealand's Facebook page HERE

Then last week, home... 6 days in the water in a row, good times

Luke Cederman with sprays bigger than the Lion

Samuel Parkes... one of Piha's most surfingest people

It might have been cold and rained a lot, it may well be the start of El Nino, the start of the sou-westers, but man, there was a serious amount of water time.

FROM THE GALLERY

Escaping / June 16, 2023 by craig levers

*...and quite frankly why wouldn't you if this was available*

I'm officially a middle aged grinch, a grumpy Gen X'er. I don't like birthdays, well, I don't like my birthday, it's not that it's one year closer to the grave, or a reminder that you're falling a part. I just don't like fuss. And of all the days in the year, surely this date of all dates is the spot in the calendar you should be able to do what the fuck you want?

I usually manage to escape, being a surfer is the best excuse ever. You have the very valid alibi that somewhere, anywhere is going to be better than home. You should try it, get the ball in motion a few months prior, hinting that you'd love to do a birthday roady, maybe the rellys can chip in for a motorhome hire? My thing is; what do you really want for a birthday? To be tied to obligatory dinners or be out in the briny.

*Stairway to heaven...remember when it was those horrible needley stones?*

No prizes for guessing where this year. To be honest I kind of thought I was being a bit lame just driving 2 hours down the road. But I had the sickest couple of days. Shooting and surfing, hanging out with old friends, sleeping in the Troopy, just being a photo/surfie guy.

*My favourite image of the day, Brie Bennett*

*the indomitable Mr Larry Fisher, happy birthday my fellow Gemini and former co-traveler and adventurer*

*Manu, Taj and Luke spending Wednesday well*

*The man, the ledge, Terry between carpet quotes*

*Taj Millar Dal Basco bookending the CPL web log again*

***FROM THE GALLERY***
*Fast becoming the new best seller, wait, it is the new best seller. Not really surprising is that? Sooo stoked to have witnessed and enjoyed this day...ahhh take me back. In the meantime, if you like****Day of Days*** ***you too could have it wall-side... like Shay, below.***

May Days / June 7, 2023 by craig levers

May is normally a crazy good month for surf around New Zealand. Settled autumn weather and the start of Antarctic lows driving swell up both the west and east coasts. Cooling down but still not chilly. And still the option of a north east swell. Back in the heyday of NZ Surf Magazines, May was always a bittersweet month. You'd often end up with your best action photos from around the country, but the winter issue would be your lowest advertising revenue and therefore your fewest pages to fill. Inversely, the November/December issue would naturally always be your biggest advertising budget, but the hardest one to fill off the back of the end of winter and spring.

May 2023 was good, Raglan pumped with some beautiful swells, Shippies enjoyed some epic days, Taras, Gizzy and Kaikoura all had their days. Around here was a little mixed, but there was lots of activity, seemed like the Coro kept pulsing in swell around the 1-3 ft mark for weeks on end.

*Taylor Hutchinson up from the BOP on business*

*Actual visual proof of Forestry breaking in a surfable manner*

*Forestry's grass is greener lure...yep you should totally paddle down there bro :)*

*Ol' Mate Justin Bambury still dominating the wave count!*

*Braedon Williams between shifts at the Whanga Surf Shop*

In Other News

The very talented surf photographer Jean Pierre Guillotin has rallied the troops for an Exhibition/Fundraiser in support of our West Coast communities. Come along, and bring your wallet, it'll be a cool evening. To get more details click HERE

FROM THE GALLERY

Fast becoming the new best seller, wait, it is the new best seller. Not really surprising is that? Sooo stoked to have witnessed and enjoyed this day...ahhh take me back. In the meantime, if you like Day of Days you too could have it wall-side... like Shay, below.

Order Out / May 17, 2023 by craig levers

Sorry, not sorry for the repetitive theme from last week's to this post. There was a plan to fill this week's edition with tantalising liquid delights from the east-side. However, the wagon's alternator had different ideas. Who doesn't like a $700.00 round trip to Ngatea anyway?

The new best, Day of Days, 19th April 2023. Now available for print HERE

One of the... if not THE thing I love most about my job is selling prints direct to clients. The PhotoCPL website is geared to selling un-framed pieces, which makes for far safer sending. But I get a decent amount of commissions where I handle the print and framing job, right from a consult and measure up at the clients' home to hand delivery. It's super satisfying and so cool to share their stoke of a new piece.

A couple of recents

Generally, the custom commissions are because the client wants a bigger piece than is available on PhotoCPL . At the first consult, I'll take a pix with the phone of the space the piece is intended to go. Then supply the client with a visual, like this...

In this case, the clients were toying with the options of a stretched canvas or more traditional framing. After seeing the mocked up positional, which is more like a canvas, Shay and Alana went for classic black box framing, which matches the other art in their home.

They went big! The finished outside dimensions are 1760mm wide x 1200mm high.

Happy client, and very happy photog- thanks Shay! ... although not so stoked I managed to get glare in exactly the same place in both phone pix.

Offshores starting tomods... frothing. See you at the beach.

FROM THE GALLERY

Shot at dawn on 30 December 2022 and later claimed as one of the best swell and bank combinations in a decade. So chuffed to have been there to have made this image of Whanga Bar you like it? You could totally have it on your wall! The link to it is HERE for media and sizing options... go on you know you need it.

Raising The Bar / May 10, 2023 by craig levers

It was soooo hard sitting on this image. There was a quiet, nearly unspoken agreement amongst Piha's locals; while the road was closed and the bank on the Bar was as good as it was, don't post. There were some infractions, but actually they got shut down pretty fast. The idea being, yes of course a collective selfishness, but more over arching; just not create the temptation for the over-the-hill surfers. It was an incredible time, even as it was happening Piha's resident surfers knew it was something special. From 15 February 2023 until 5 May 2023 the Piha road was only open to residents. The roads and all the public infrastructures, like the carparks and public loos, had been nailed in Cyclone Gabrielle.

The idea was to restrict traffic and the weight of traffic on the roads while they were fixed. The roads have not been fixed or stabilised. The slips around and above public areas and roads continue to move. All the local walks and tracks remain closed. The vast majority of Piha surfers didn't surf at all in the immediate wake of Gabrielle. There was too much to do, volunteering at the Surf Club to wash dishes, or peel spuds for the dispossessed neighbours. Digging out neighbours driveways, handing out water to the crew walking out of Karekare, suppling power to neighbours.

This one WAS going to be a print, but then the 19th of April happened.

The bank on the Bar was already good before Cyclone Gabrielle, or more accurately the left in the middle of the bay that had hosted the Nationals in January. The cyclone flooded the Piha stream and that 36 hours of torrent running south of Lion Rock pushed all the sand into the south corner, along the Camel and the Nun. From there it groomed up more, with only the residents surfers to sample. The vibe in the water was fantastic... actually the correct word to use here... everyone smiling, everyone checking in on each other. There were sessions with only 4 or 5 of your neighbours out, where we'd all be wondering where everyone else was.

Not the best day but pretty damn pumping

Taking turns, giving waves away, laughing and never for a moment taking any of it for granted. We all knew it couldn't last. The local businesses were grovelling, banged up from the Covid years already and then into another lockdown. Nor would the bank last, a week after the Day of Days... the day that every single element pulled into alignment, a big south swell tore a hole in the bank. It might reshape and fill in, there's signs of it doing so.

But will there ever be a day with only 20 surfers out and waves peeling from behind the Nun down to in front of the surf club? Solid waves too. Truth be told 19th April maxed out over the low tide with the building swell. There where was through sets, but between the wide sets the line up pulled tight, and right on dusk the tide had filled in enough that the bank handled again. In many books the perfect balancing act.

It's a day I'll never forget.

Surfline currently have a Feature up that I co-labed with Jerry Aubertin about the Piha Road re-opening. It's **HERE**

Rip Rag Panic [kudos to those that get the inference] / March 22, 2023 by craig levers

Pretty fun Manu Bay all weekend for the Rip Curl Pro

Back into it again last weekend shooting for Surfing New Zealand at the Rip Curl Raglan Pro. You can view all the action shots over on SNZ's Facebook page, in the galleries HERE

I've made a point of going true school on the last few comps. I intentionally went for full frame and concentrated on the action, rather than a surfer in a landscape. Both have their place, but I feel for competition photography it's all about the turn. That said, I've also been on a bit of a mission to make good portraits. It's easy to post up behind the tripod and get lost in the cut and thrust of the heats, no one has a better vantage point to the subtleties of heat play than the guy with a 500mm lens. But to break away from that a try to show some of the dynamic behind the scenes stuff is a real challenge.

Indi Lee-Rudell watches Ella Williamson prior to her own heat

...and the grom class of 2023 for sure; Alani Morse, Lola Groube and Indi

The champs! A lot of National silverware held by this trio of surfers; L to R Leia Millar, Ava Henderson and Pia Rogers

The full frame-ness mentioned; Callum Chuter and perfect lip positioning

I fanboyed out, 3x World Champion and the surfer that every Pre-Momentum surfer modelled their style on Mr Tom Curren

Tom was accompanied by his son Pat Curren

Dan Kereopa was cruising around all weekend with his tamariki

Dan and Steve Ria- both true legends of our surf culture

speaking of... Lazza Fisher and Deane Hishon, Raglan Surf Academy's helmsmen

Keeping in the Raglan Surf Academy theme, here's the ex students-slash - last weekend's finalists; L to R Cassidy Mann, Jay Piper-Healion, Liv Hysom, Caleb Cutmore and Ava Henderson

Dan Westerkamp and Jermal Paerata prioritising

Taylor Hutchinson and Tao Mouldey waiting for the final scores to drop in their clincher 1/4, Tao inched out Taylor

Liv Hysom, successfully transitioning from junior surfing to being in the open finals conversation consistently

And watch out Open surfers, Junior Kalani Louis has been in that Open conversation all season too

Yeah Emmit, good to see ya. Former NZ Surf star Emerson Tucker keeping an eye on proceedings with his new bundle of joy in that foreground...ummm...bundle

Someone has to win, and I have to say Tim O'Connor's grace in victory was of note. He was quick to praise everyone else and defer to how exciting it was to watch the women's division. Nice work Timmy.

And yep that's Curren... oh and Ava Henderson and Timmy O’Connor ..sorta ruining my Curren shot if I'm honest

Alright, so for many at the Rip Curl Pro over the weekend, the fun was certainly tainted by the terrible news that Gizzy surfing stalwart Don Pearson passed on Saturday while surfing at his beloved Maka Point. Don has always been a huge supporter of Gisborne Boardriders. A devout surfer and christian, Don was also pretty handy behind a camera. I've known Don for 25 years, more probably, he'd post up next to me while one of his three daughters were in a Junior heat back in the day. In recent years I could bet Don would be the first to like and comment [probably a terrible Don dad pun] on a post. He'd be the first to reply to these very mailers. We'd talk about camera gear, camera nerd out, even if he was a Nikon guy. So this one's for you Don.

Don Pearson 25/11/1961 - 18/03/2023 [image stolen from Don's Insty @origins_of_light ]

From The Galleries

Shot at dawn on 30 December 2023 and later claimed as one of the best swell and bank combinations in a decade. So chuffed to have been there to have made this image of **Whanga Bar** you like it? You could totally have it on your wall! The link to it is **HERE** for media and sizing options... go on you know you need it.

Got You Covered / March 15, 2023 by craig levers

Last weekend I had the absolute honour of being the shooter for the 2023 Hurley Boardriders' Cup. I've bleated on before how much I love shooting comps, seeing different surfers evolve, catching up with old mates. Making new mates- all the good stuff.

Relax, this isn't going to be a blow by blow account of the weekend. What I will add is that the format of the Hurley Cup is great, the nation's board riders clubs are invited to bring a team along. It consists of one O40, 2 Open surfers, one woman and one junior. What happens is each boardrider club brings an entourage of competitors, supporters and parents. It's as close as you can get to grassroots surfing. It is encouraging involvement and activity at a boardrider club level.

The Mountie grubs, there in support and as it turns out support for the winning club.

It is a great event and you can see all the action on the Surfing New Zealand Facebook gallery HERE

Established, I love surf comps, as unpopular stance as that may be. And I loved my 15 years of working at New Zealand Surfing Mag; loved being a salaried surf photographer, but equally I learned to love the production process. Creating an issue, working on the flow and pagination of that edition. Working with the printer, I was tasked with press checks; Every 2-3 hours the next 16 page section of the magazine page plates would be loaded onto the press. I'd sit in with the printer and we'd tweak the colours. It's amazing what can be done on the press. I remember the Printing company's Rep visiting us and stating the page rate had to go up because we were using 25 kgs more ink than any other magazine our size. Mission achieved, in my books..wait magazines?

So this convoluted mansplaining leads to how I still edit photos. I think and shoot editorially. I'm rounding out a story line. And as always looking for that cover shot. Page 1, the most import page of any magazine or book. Now, I'm not going to claim I'm good at choosing covers, in fact I'd argue that my history proves I'm f@cking terrible and choosing cover shots. But once in a while a surfer does something in front of the lens and the old default kicks in... that's a cover shot.

On Saturday morning Oakura Boardriders team member Tom Butland was having a warm up surf prior to the comp starting. I've been shooting Tom at comps since he was 12, he's totally an example of that stoke of witnessing a surfer evolve thing. And he got a cover shot, an old school, early 2000's style cover, full frame, highly technical shot. Only problem, there's no cover for him to go on. There is no NZ Surf Mag. I do the rounds with his sponsors... no budget, no place to put it if they did have. So just for shits and giggles... Tom, here's your cover shot bro.

Here's the full frame ...

Butters- good bugger with a crazy air game... actually check out his clip on Vimeo HERE

...OH and Speaking of Clips

The 11th Aotearoa Surf Film Fest is in full swing and coming to your town...if it hasn't already been. HERE is the schedule.

FROM THE GALLERY

Shot at dawn on 30 December 2023 and later claimed as one of the best swell and bank combinations in a decade. So chuffed to have been there to have made this image of Whanga Bar you like it? You could totally have it on your wall! The link to it is HERE for media and sizing options... go on you know you need it.