Editor’s Note: #My5Lineups is a new series highlighting five of a featured photographer’s favorite lineup shots. The fourteenth in the series is Australian photographer Ryan Robson.
While I was looking through my shots from recent years for this feature, I found myself looking back on the moments when they were captured. The images, of course, tell a story, but there’s so much more going on behind the scenes, or in the hours and days leading up to photos that often go untold. It’s not always such a bad thing. In fact, it leaves a little room for the viewer’s imagination. However, below I provide some information that a viewer wouldn’t otherwise know from simply looking at the image.
I’ve been extremely lucky to have worked in some pretty crazy places around the world. From exploring the most untouched parts of Indonesia via charter boats to living the luxurious life on the white sandy beaches of Namotu, Fiji, it’s been a wild ride, to say the least. I get psyched searching for what’s around the corner, getting off the beaten path, and taking a punt. I now call Western Australia home, and there’s plenty of hidden gems around here, too. Here’s a small selection of from my travels, as well as around my home in Australia. Thanks for taking the time to jump on board and checking out #My5Lineups. Enjoy!
Image 1: Bukit, Indonesia
I lived in Bali on and off for most of 2014 in between working on the charter boat in Sumatra. The Bukit was where I called home, and to be honest, there’s nowhere I’d rather live in Bali. Once you get in tune with the many setups, tides, winds, and crowds, it’s not hard to get waves. People get turned off when they rock up at the Uluwatu when its four-foot and there’s 200 people out on high tide. There are many other options on the peninsula, but you have to get off the beaten track a little and take a risk. The local boys, particularly around Bingin, are great guys, they just demand a bit of respect, which is fair enough. I took this photo nursing a broken ankle, a result of dancing a little too hard at one of the beach parties. I had spent weeks in my room basically doing nothing, as riding a scooter was out of the question with a cast on my leg up to my knee. I gave my mate Liam a call and said, “Get me out of here, mate. Let’s go shoot this swell somewhere.” I perched myself on the back of his motorbike with my leg sticking straight out, and we went on the hunt. It turned out to be the swell of the season, and we sat perched up on the cliff watching it all unfold while eating nasi goreng. This photo is looking through Impossibles to Padang Padang with Outside Corner maxing out in the far distance.
Image 2: Pipeline, Hawaii
The first time I went to Hawaii was early-2013, late season by local standards, but still plenty of swell. It was my 29th birthday when I was there, and the Volcom Pipe Pro was in full swing. The North Shore was buzzing as rumors were circulating of a good swell arriving for the contest. That turned out to be a bit of a fizzer, but the one that followed a few days later was the one, with waves predicted to be called “swell of the winter.” The winds didn’t really cooperate for the peak of the swell, but the following day was picture-perfect 6- to 8-foot with a few bigger sets. It was sunny, offshore, and, of course, crowded as hell. Jamie O’Brien was out there all day putting on a clinic as expected. No pink
Catchsurf foamies though, or Supquatch antics. Just normal old perfect barrels for Mr. O’Brien on this occasion.
Image 3: Cloudbreak, Fiji
Earlier this year, I had a great opportunity to fill a vacant spot on Namotu Island in Fiji as the resident photographer. My mate, Stu Gibson, couldn’t make it so I was stoked when he hit me up to fill his spot. They were big shoes to fill, but I jumped at the opportunity in a heart beat. The swell charts were looking epic as a solid SSW groundswell was filling in the last few days of my stay, and it was aimed directly at Cloudbreak. A bunch of pros were arriving during the week, mostly staying on neighboring island Tavuara. When the swell came it was the Hawaiians who stood out—particularly Billy Kemper and San Clemente’s Dane Gudauskas (pictured). The ledge turned it on for a few hours and they basically just traded barrels with each other as the rest of the lineup was taught a lesson on how to surf the place. I can’t wait to get back there. I feel that I only scratched the surface (photography wise), as there’s so many other setups near by. Plus, he water clarity was incredible!
Image 4: The Pot of Gold, Indonesia
The Pot of Gold! This place is definitely no secret. However, I’m not going to tell you where it is, because even on good days, there’s no more than 25 guys out, which is relatively quiet in this day and age. My mate runs a surf charter up there, which I worked on for the season in 2014 and ’15. He still rides the place better than anyone I’ve seen out there, so I’m sure he still wants to get his share of waves. It’s in Indonesia and that’s all your getting. About 10 years ago, when the big earthquake hit, the reef out here got lifted by about four feet, creating a lagoon against the jungle. Prior to this, the wave was another 150 meters longer, wrapping completely around the point. Now it ends up on dry reef, but the three barrel sections you weave through on the way are more than enough to keep anyone satisfied.
Image 5: North Point, Western Australia
North Point is about 15 minutes from my house, and probably one of the most photographed waves in the region when it’s on. This day was by far the best of the winter this year. It almost maxed out. Taj Burrow, Dino Adrian, and a few others were doing step-offs on the ski, as the lineup was virtually empty as no one could battle with the 10- to 12-foot cleanup sets that would just close out across the bay. I had just got back in from shooting Cow Bombie on the jet ski, but it was too windy out there, so we bailed pretty early. One of the local lads broke his femur on a heavy wipeout so it was deemed pretty unsafe. The 30-knot offshores made it virtually impossible to paddle into. As I was sitting in my car on the side of the road, debating what to do or where to go, this set just rolled through and lined up perfectly. No one was on it, surprisingly, and I was lucky to have my camera ready to go on the passenger seat.
See more from Ryan at www.robsonimages.com, on Instagram, and on Facebook.
