Chris: Photos in the magazines were one of my main reasons to dream of travelling and surfing in perfect conditions; so it is kind of strange that maybe nowadays someone might start to feel the same when seeing pictures I shot, or stories I wrote. I think I always liked to take pictures, to document what happened, especially when travelling. At some places it is hard not to take good pictures I guess. So I became more and more interested and was lucky to get a lot of help and tips from professionals when I started to get better at it, at all kinds of photography. But yes, it is a dilemma every surfer probably knows; you never have the pictures of the perfect conditions, because everybody was out there enjoying them ;-) I reckon it is a matter of discipline, first trying to get some decent shots and then enjoying the conditions for myself, but also travelling with friends helps, although I guess they hate me for chaining them to my camera when I’m sailing ;-) 

datrip: At least you’re already shooting with water housing, so you can be in the water when photographing. Water shots are hard work. Do you want to do more of it? How difficult is it to get a decent wide angel water shot in waves?

Did you ever consider to combine your windsurfing and photography passion by working with on board visions with helmet cameras, mast mounds and things like that?

Chris: It is a lot of swimming and you can see it as a good workout... ;-)

As with every shot, you have to plan in advance, to get the point of view right, the light, the background, etc. Biggest difference: you get moved around by currents, waves and wind, so you really have to keep your orientation, plus to check what it is going on around you; you have a pretty limited area of view from water level. But on the other hand you are much closer to the action, and the pics are different, so it is woth it. And yes, we are experimenting with mast mounts and helmet cams right now; and I think we are getting closer.

datrip: Is photography a passion of you that you want to intensify and maybe get to a point where you even make a profession out of it? Or is it “just” one part of the whole windsurfing – photography – filming – storytelling complex that you are more and more getting involved with?

Chris: First it was just part of the whole complex, telling the story of a trip with pictures and words. But by now I’m getting more and more involved in photography; not only with windsurfing. And I think it really helps to look over the fence, to learn other aspects as well. So I invested in professional equipment and am trying to learn something new everyday.. As a profession, hmm...most professionals complain that nowadays with agency and picture stocks it is getting harder to earn decent money with it. So I guess I was quite lucky to get some good coverage with some high profile advertisement like Casio European Catalogue etc..

datrip: Describe the setup of your perfect windsurfing session. And how would your perfect photo session would look like?

Chris: Perfect Windsurfsession; when you can already see that it is gonna be a great day when waking up, with peeling headhigh waves and sunshine, sideoffshore wind for 4.7 / 5.0. Driving to the beach with your mates listening to good music and getting more and more exited, till you finally arrive and hurry to be the first one out (and probably the last one in ;-) Sharing the waves with your friends and having fun, pushing each other! Warm temperatures would be nice, so you could surf till sunset and relax at the beach.

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