God's Country...

... with Chad Jackson and Brad Hughes.

Today's "Full Bleed" on LeBoogie.com

Rider: Chad Jackson | Photographer: Mike Maxted

Chasing Chaddy...

... I'm gonna say it, straight up, Chad Jackson is Underrated. He's a rare breed, confident yet quiet, rugged yet polished, relaxed yet swamped. I understand that it's probably a bit brash of me to label a bloke who has had the last 2 covers of International Bodyboard Magazines as underrated, but I stand by my judgement.

I have as much respect for Chad as I do for my other favourite subjects Hughesy & Rawlins. All 3 are ridiculously hard workers who have helped progress the sport to the next level. But Chad has done so with less limelight than the other two. I could go on for days about what makes Chad an elite sportsman, but it's his efforts to do his best at everything he attempts that makes him a leader.

Granted I don't spend as much time with other bodyboarders around the globe as I do with the WA boys but you can't deny that Chad's a small wave demolisher, big wave slayer, swell chaser, cover king, business entrepreneur, smiling assassin, all round sportsman and just a down to earth fucking good bloke.

Here's a sequence I took of Wisey & C-Mac, Chad just happened to be in the background!

Look Ma, No Pants...

... Check out some images of my home boy Chaddy Jackson on www.fluidone.com by clicking here! While you're here, if you're looking for some fresh new threads for summer (much like Chaddy is doing in the below picture) then head over to the newly revamped Grand Flavour website!

Today's Wave of the Day on fluidzone.com

... featuring Chad Jackson.

A Few Random Images...

... from the last couple of weeks!

riptidemag.com.au...

... have selected a handful of images from their latest issue as downloads on the website. As luck would have it, they've chosen 2 of my shots that can be downloaded here in high res and completely free of charge. Go ahead, brighten up your desktop, I dare you!

Riptide Issue #182...

... was very kind to me! Along with the Grand Flavour/Ben Player Advert, I managed to snavel the contents page image of Jake Stone, a double of Chad Jackson and a couple of snaps of local lads Adam Luehman, Lewy Finnegan and Matt Purnell! Good, good times! 

If you haven't got a copy, head to the newsagents and look for the amazing cover shot of Jase Finlay taken by the ever talented Mr Jeremy Cresswell which is accompanied with Mitch Rawlins' epic movie entitled Hiding From Comfort!

Bare Essentials...

... and nothing more! I've received a few emails and phone calls filled with laughter in reference to this image of Chad Jackson surfing nude that was run in the latest Riptide Magazine, Issue #182. There's a little story behind it, so you'll have to head out and grab yourself a copy to read it, but let me just say that after 7 hours of driving around looking for waves this day, I was proud to capture probably the best image I have ever shot from water!

Chaddy J, balls deep in a SouthWest thumper!

Movement 36 | Grand Flavour | Chad Jackson...

The team at Grand Flavour recently approached me to shoot an ad for the latest Issue of Movement with  team rider Chad Jackson. We had limited time to shoot the ad, in fact only a matter of hours as the deadline for the magazine was the following day. 

Chad and I had already nailed an epic invert shot (as below) from a few weeks prior, so all we had to do was shoot the portrait. Easier said than done, especially when you have to shoot a Winter campaign when the temperature is still 30 degrees plus.

The GF creative team had an idea of what they wanted, Chad and I just needed to make it happen. So we put our heads together, grabbed a hose, a portable dual flash set-up, a worthy assistant and a bit of trial and error and came up with the goods!

I was really happy with how the shot came out, especially with the pressure we were under. the lens flair that you see on the portrait was completely natural and I think it adds a little something to the image.

If you want to grab yourself the Grand Flavour "Reef Double Hood", as modelled by Chaddy, click here for a retailer closest to you! 

If At First You Don't Succeed...

... you try and try again! So that's what we'll do!

What Blog...

... I hear you say! Well I've certainly neglected posting anything in recent weeks, simply because I've had nothing to post, the waves have been terrible and I've had no desire to shoot for the last month! So, what I have decided to do, is comb through the best of the unused photos from 2010 and give you a little insight into why these didn't make the grade, and in the process I hope to inspire myself to get out from behind this desk and get behind the lens!

A lot of photogrpahers will tell you "lighting is everything" when it comes to composing an amazing image! Well in this case, it couldn't be truer! If this day was bright and sunny, one of these images would definately have graced the cover of any bodyboarding magazine in the world. Instead, thick cloud and fading daylight have meant that my camera couldn't even pull focus let alone serve me up one of the finest images I have ever taken!

This was Chad Jackson, one late afternoon out at "The Right". Having only swum out here a handful of times, and with massive lumps rising and falling with the incoming swell, it was very difficult to position myself where I could capture the best part of the barrel without putting myself in harms way. This wave at this size is the most intimidating ocean I have ever swum in. My positioning on this wave was perfect, but unfortunately the images didn't come up as sharp as they needed to be!

As they say, you win some, you loose some... man I really wish I had have won this time! Sorry Chad!

Lack of Colour...

... has been bugging me from my shots of late, so i've decided to post some flash images from last year that are full of colour, but sadly were never deemed good enough to be published!

Home & Away...

... with Chaddy J.

Reeflex/Riptide...

Below is the latest Reeflex Wetsuit ad that you will see in Riptide Issue #176. Getting up at 4 am for a shoot is never easy, but trying something different is always fun! Chad, Lewy, George, and Jarker all pitched in to get the job done, leaving design whizz Shannon to piece it altogether. Hughesy helped out on the flash and managed to "photo bomb" the odd shot!! Thanks fellas!

71 Mag | Issue 3...

... Chaddy and I have been on a little hot streak lately. If you get online and check out 71mag.com, you'll see a great interview with Chad featuring some of my shots as sampled below. Go check it.