Chasing Light Through New Jersey

This is my friend Mike Moran walking up the beach after a session he had in the thick of a Nor'easter on the eve of Valentines Day in New York. This was the first image I had used in a feature. ESM picked it up for their Valentines Day feature. I really like how it captures the mood of the day; it was heavy, windy, snowy, and cold and you can really imagine how those elements take a toll on the body when one decides to brave those conditions to score perfect tubes. East coast winters are pure gold. Photo: Michael Vericker

This shot was taken in March somewhere in NJ and it was the second photo used in a feature. I really like the water color and front lighting of this one. It was such an epic day with all-day offshore winds and nonstop swell. This one an excellent day for shooting and one of the funnest I have had yet. Photo: Michael Vericker

Another one from that early morning swim in mid-July. I really like how the lip of the wave is just spilling over and the barrel is lit up orange. I have larded that glassy conditions are key to grabbing these kinds of shots. What I really like about this one is that the wave is actually pretty small but the detail is so intriguing. Photo: Michael Vericker

On this morning it was just me and the fishermen. That is until I gave Ben Currie a call to come join me. I really love this shot and consider it one of my best from land. Just the whole scene, the light, the water laying up on the beach from the initial waves in the set, and the way that guy is leaning over almost in awe of that backlit barrel the same way I would react to seeing a wave like that. It encapsulates why I wake up before the Sun rises when the waves are good. Photo: Michael Vericker

Speed blurs are one of my favorite things to try. They don't always come out well but are super sick when they do. They are even twice as hard when shooting from the water. I pulled this one off the third day I had my housing and what I did was let the wave action do the work. It was super low tide this morning so as the waves would come in they would suck all the water up in front and then up the face, which gives it those pretty striations seen here. Photo: Michael Vericker

This was a magical morning on LBI early June. This is the photo that won the user-submitted monthly photo contest on Surfline earlier this year and I was super stoked this sunrise lined up with wave. When I showed up it was still dark, which gave me time to set up for this sunrise, while a-frames unloaded up and down the beach. Photo: Michael Vericker

Another nice little barrel shot with the early morning glow of the sunrise. I really love how the angle of light from sunrises and sunsets in New York light up the barrel. It's an amazing little phenomena that I find myself chasing every chance I get. Photo: Michael Vericker

This shot was taken on the evening of August 13th, 2014, which has come be known as "The Day," in New Jersey. I was baffled by this cloud because I kept seeing what I thought was lightning but wasn't completely sure. I was in that "spent-all-day-in-the-ocean" state of mind, which can sometimes play tricks on your vision, but I knew I had to grab a photo of the cloud and one if the many waves still coming though. Photo: Michael Vericker

This location is one of the best places to shoot from land that I have found in the NY/NJ area. This spot is on Long Island and it’s only accessible by driving the beach or walking over a mile if you are up to it. It’s got really elevated dunes, plenty of trucks to put in the frame, and tons of lefts rolling through. What more can you ask for? Photo: Michael Vericker

Another one from that magical morning in NJ. This end section of the wave is what I would draw on my notebook as a kid, perfect form, rounded edge and minor striations in the face. The lighting and water color also help tremendously with the appeal of this photo. Water clarity and color are both things I have come to appreciate more and more the longer I shoot and as we all know the water is often pretty murky around these parts. Photo: Michael Vericker

Another shot from the morning of the Cristobal swell in NY. I wanted to get in the water as the sun came up because the lighting is just amazing here. I swam out solo to try and get a few barrels lighting up and a few looking out into the sunrise. It was pretty heavy, going top to bottom on a lot of them and as I swam under a few of them the thunderous sounds underwater was crazy. I came away with this one and was more than pleased, so fun. Photo: Michael Vericker

This is Clay Pollioni boosting over a really nice section. This was an early morning in Jersey back in April when the waves were absolutely firing. I was just lucky to be there to witness and document the session at this epic location. I have found it challenging to link up with subjects out in the water but hopefully will have the opportunity to shoot more surfing in the future. Photo: Michael Vericker

I love this photo. It was taken at the end of an all-day swell back in March. I ended up in this northern New Jersey town where many of the houses own the coastline right down to the water. During the winter many of these mega-properties are empty so I took a stroll down to the patio of one these ocean front villas to grab this shot. So glad I did too. Photo: Michael Vericker

I call this one "The Dragon." I decided to head out one early morning in July when the waves weren't big but there was very little wind which makes for some nice water features in the waves when they start breaking. The sun rising just over the jetty also adds a nice touch to this one. Photo: Michael Vericker

One of my personal favorites and it made me laugh out loud when I saw it for the first time. Its tough to get inside the barrel with the lens I am shooting with so when I do come away with one I get extra excited. I really like the color and detail in this one. This was the second day I swam with my housing and to be honest I could not believe the images I captured when I pulled them up on my computer later that day. Photo: Michael Vericker

This is from the 4th of July as the swell from Hurricane Arthur filled in. This was unique swell event and really amazing to witness as waves came up so quickly. I was stoked to be nearby and happy the winds and light were in our favor in New York. Photo: Michael Vericker

This day was absolutely perfect. It was also the first time I got to swim in some size. I spent the last four hours of daylight at this spot in Jersey grabbing as many front-lit beauties as I could. Photo: Michael Vericker

This was the first day I used my housing and I had so much fun shooting from the water. It's really exciting to be out there with wave energy constantly changing the environment. I can swim around and get that same feeling as I do from riding waves, eel maybe not exactly the same but certainly close to it. Photo: Michael Vericker

Ah Cristobal, thank you for an epic day of waves and weather in New York. This one is from my early morning swim at a undisclosed location in Western Long Island. I have frequented this spot for many years now but to finally have a chance to shoot it from the water was so fun. Photo: Michael Vericker

This is what attracts me most to the water, getting up close and trying to freeze those milliseconds that are imperceptible to the human eye. I really enjoy looking at waves frozen in time, especially as they throw or stand up. I am continually amazed at the moments I have captured with my camera and will continue to chase these kind of moments. Photo: Michael Vericker