Editor’s Note: #My 5 Lineups is a new series highlighting 5 of a featured photographer’s favorite lineup shots. The first in the series is Doug Falter.
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This image was captured on May 13th, 2014, during my first surf photo session in Puerto Escondido. It was my first trip to Mexico and my first trip with Trevor Carlson, our buddy Finn Armstrong, and Chris Mumford. They had all already paddled out and I was walking down the road fumbling with my camera gear while trying to carry a lidless hot cup of coffee. I remember putting my bag down while assessing the locals because I was in a new place. Immediately after I put my lens on and turned my camera on, I was watching this wave happen. I didn't even have my settings adjusted or anything, so I just pointed my camera and shot. To my surprise, the images were good enough to use. I was instantly pumped up for this session. I'm not exactly sure who the surfer is on the wave. But I do know that this photo is one of my favorite photos I have ever taken. Photo: Doug Falter
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This image was captured on August 10th, 2014, on the windward side of the island. There was a slew of storms and large swells in the water. A few friends and I went over to body surf and catch a few waves. After returning to the parking lot from the water, we realized it was the super moon of 2014 and the moon was rising just after the sun was setting. I didn't have a tripod so I used my backpack to prop my camera up for a long exposure due to low light. I think it was around 2 seconds. A nice set came in giving me the opportunity to capture three waves peeling at one time. The glowing light isn't the sun, but the moon. I tried my best to keep this image as original as possible without much post processing. The glow of the moon was so strong it actually produced a lens flare. Photo: Doug Falter
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Captured later season on April 8th 2013, this day was one of the best days I have ever seen at Sunset Beach. The crowd was minimal and everyone was scoring perfect waves. I captured one of my first double page spreads on this session. Everyone was getting barrels on the inside. The swell direction was perfect and the sand must have been just right. I have yet to see a small crowd, perfect tubes and weather since. Photo: Doug Falter
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Captured this winter on November 11th 2014. This was a late afternoon session at Jaws this past winter. I arrived with my good friend Ben Wilkinson that day around 2pm, and didn't have a jet ski lined up yet. I did what I could from the cliff and found a nice little spot on the side of the trail that the surfers walked down to paddle out. I chose to shoot from here because the tree limbs gave the images a nice foreground. The next day I was lucky to get on a ski and shoot from the water! Photo: Doug Falter
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Captured this winter on Dec, 8th 2014. It was the Pipeline Trials and me and a few buddies hiked up behind Sunset Elementary to shoot some photos from the top of the hike. It was a great morning with perfect tubes and a rare sight with only a few surfers in the water. The sun just broke through the clouds and first light was hitting Pipe. Photo: Doug Falter
I always liked photography, but never took it seriously until a few years ago. I took a couple of photography classes while attending high school and did pretty well at it, but after graduating, I put my camera down and took up working on cars as a career. Five years ago, while I was living in Tampa, FL working as a mechanic, I took up surfing. It all began when moved in with a roommate that surfed.
Before I moved in, I had already purchased my first used board for 50 bucks. I was hooked from day one. We loved surfing so much that we would drive two and a half hours one way just to get to the east coast of Florida when swells came. After five years of poor economy and tough work with no room for growth, I finally decided to leave my career as a mechanic behind. As of now… that was the best decision I ever made. After going on a couple surf trips and getting more into it I decided to buy a decent camera and pack up to visit Hawaii. I came for a few months without any expectations, and realized I loved it. After returning to Florida, I made the big decision to pack up and move. I gave everything important to my family, sold my car, packed up some clothes and all my camera gear. Since I have moved here, I have been shooting so much it’s impossible to not learn more and improve. Every day I have breakthroughs. I have been swimming in bigger waves and tuning my camera better.
Follow Doug Falter on Instagram and purchase prints on his facebook fan page.
