Photo of the Week

The U.S. Open of Surfing is something the photographers at the Daily Pilot look forward to shooting every year. It’s fun to be part of such a big event and mix with all the people involved with the event, as photo-ops abound.

But it’s not all fun. We have to make sure we’re on the spot for the pictures that will go with the storylines we follow, which means working around hundreds of people and trying to get into place. It can be frustrating to get to where you need to be at the U.S. Open, starting with where to park the car. It can take an hour to get into position for five minutes of shooting.

One shot we always plan on is the beach celebration that follow the men’s and women’s winners. Staff photographer Kent Treptow decided this year to avoid the beach scram of fans and photographers, and instead shoot the celebration from afar using a long lens to assure himself a clear shot of this year’s winner, Brett Simpson.

It’s hard not to join the celebration on the beach, but it’s a gamble and a battle to get a good shot from the beach with all the crowd obstacles. The decision was spot-on, as Brett is shown rising above the masses in joy, singled out amongst thousands, in this celebration unique to surfers who win big contests like the U.S. Open.