When high-pressure systems linger over the...

When high-pressure systems linger over the desert and wind blows

down the valleys toward Newport Beach, it’s my time to be a surf

photographer for a day -- given there are no brush fires, downed

power lines or crushed cars to photograph. A majority of the

spectacular, scenic waves are blown by offshore winds.

For a nice weather shot, nothing beats the graceful line drawn by

a longboard on a windblown wave. It’s one of my favorite scenarios to

shoot.

This shot brings together two of my favorite subjects to

photograph, weather and surfing. Being a surfer myself, days like

this are a treat.

On this particular shoot, I basically stood at the shoreline,

hoping the combination of a good wave and a good surfer would come my

direction, where the wind was really howling. When Steve Glade showed

up and held a nice line on a classic looking wave, all the elements

came together.

-- Don Leach