My 400 2.8 IS tries surfing

The San Juan surfers were riding the waves nearer to my favorite spot this weekend. The closer shooting distance allowed me the opportunity to use my 400 2.8 IS + 1.4x TC (560 mm) instead of my usual 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC (700 mm).

Shooting info - San Juan beach, La Union, Philippines, November 13, 2011, Canon 1D Mark IV + EF 400 2.8 L IS + 1.4x TC II, 560 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400, 475B/516 support, manual exposure in available light, uncropped full frame.

Shooting info - San Juan beach, La Union, Philippines, November 13, 2011, Canon 1D Mark IV + EF 400 2.8 L IS + 1.4x TC II, 560 mm, 1/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400, 475B/516 support, manual exposure in available light, uncropped full frame.

Shooting info - San Juan beach, La Union, Philippines, November 13, 2011, Canon 1D Mark IV + EF 400 2.8 L IS + 1.4x TC II, 560 mm, 1/15 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200, 475B/516 support, manual exposure in available light, uncropped full frame.

Shooting info - San Juan beach, La Union, Philippines, November 13, 2011, Canon 1D Mark IV + EF 400 2.8 L IS + 1.4x TC II, 560 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400, 475B/516 support, manual exposure in available light, near full frame.

Shooting info - San Juan beach, La Union, Philippines, November 13, 2011, Canon 1D Mark IV + EF 400 2.8 L IS + 1.4x TC II, 560 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800, 475B/516 support, manual exposure in available light, near full frame.

Surfing in sweet, late afternoon light

My favorite time to shoot the San Juan beach surfers is late in the afternoon, in the last couple of hours before the sun sets. The golden light comes in from behind me, a bit on the left side, casting some shadow and giving the subject a 3D'ish look.

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, February 19, 2011, 1D4 + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, f/6.3, 1/1600 sec, ISO 400, manual exposure, 475B/516 support.

Beauty and the beach

Tiny waves and a rainy afternoon with flat lighting don't necessarily make San Juan beach a boring place to be in yesterday.

Shooting info - San Juan beach, La Union, Philippines, November 7, 2011, Canon 1D4 + EF 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC II, 700 mm, 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1600, 475B/516 support, manual exposure in available light, uncropped full frame resized to 1280x853.

Surfing in near darkness

When the setting sun was covered by thick rainclouds this November 7th, it became so dark at San Juan beach that even ISO 12,800 wasn't sensitive enough to freeze the action. I decided not to pack up yet, and continued shooting the surfers at experimental, super slow shutter speeds.

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, November 7, 2011, Canon 1D4 + EF 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC II, 700 mm, 1/5 sec, f/5.6, ISO 3200, manual exposure in available light, 475B/516 support, IS mode 1 on, resized full frame.

Walking on water

This young waverider slid out his surfboard from underneath him into the air to end a longish run.

In the few milliseconds before gravity took over, it would appear that the young man was walking barefooted on the surf.

The surfing beach at San Juan, La Union, is a few minutes drive from my ancestral home. My birds-in-flight shooting gear are perfectly suited to capture surfing action as well. 

Shooting Info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, February 19, 2011, Canon 1D MIV + EF 500 f4 IS + Canon 1.4x TC II, f/6.3, 1/1600 sec, ISO 400, manual exposure, 475B/516 support.

Freezing surfing action in low light

When light gets low in San Juan beach and moving subjects need to be frozen with fast shutter speeds,  the Canon 1D Mark IV delivers the detail with controlled noise at high ISO!

ISO 3200

Shooting info - San Juan beach, La Union, Philippines, February 26, 2011, 1D4 + 500 f4 + 1.4x TC, ISO 3200, 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, manual exposure in available light, 475B/516 support.

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, October 23, 2011, 1D4 + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, 700 mm., f/7.1, 1/1600 sec, ISO 3200, manual exposure, 475B/516 support, AWB.

ISO 6400

Shooting info - San Juan beach, La Union, Philippines, February 26, 2011, 1D4 + 500 f4 + 1.4x TC, ISO 6400, 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, manual exposure in available light, 475B/516 support.

ISO 12,800

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, October 23, 2011, 1D4 + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, 700 mm., f/6.3, 1/1600 sec, ISO 12800, manual exposure, 475B/516 support, AWB, uncropped full frame.

Waveriders of La Union (Philippines)

Some footage of surfers at San Juan beach, La Union, Philippines, filmed on February 19, 2011.

Shooting info - 1D4 + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, manual exposure in available light, 475B/516 support, captured in 720/60p.

Music - "Riptide" by Kevin MacLeod

Slow Surfing (La Union)

Some surfing action filmed at San Juan, La Union, Philippines, on December 9, 2010.

Shooting info - all clips were filmed with a Canon 7D + 500 f4 IS + stacked Canon 2x/1.4x TCs, 1400 mm focal length, manual focus and manual exposure, 475B/3421 support.

Music - "Big Rock" by Kevin MacLeod (royalty free).

Surfing Images - December 2010

I visited my native La Union province for a few days in early December 2010. Instead of looking for feathered creatures, I trained my long glass on folks surfing the waves at San Juan town, a few minutes drive from my ancestral home. The 1D4's and 7D's AF didn't disappoint. I used the first for close action, and the second for longer shots and video.

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 9, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 400, manual exposure, 475B/3421 support.

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 9, 2010, 1D4 + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, f/7.1, 1/1600 sec, ISO 400, manual exposure, 475B/3421 support.

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 9, 2010, 1D4 + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 400, manual exposure, 475B/3421 support.

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 9, 2010, 1D4 + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, f/7.1, 1/1600 sec, ISO 400, manual exposure, 475B/3421 support.

 

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 9, 2010, 1D4 + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 400, manual exposure, 475B/3421 support.

Shooting info - San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 9, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS + 1.4x TC, f/6.3, 1/1600 sec, ISO 400, manual exposure, 475B/3421 support.