The North Shore of Oahu has been buzzing recently, what with the Vans Pipe Masters going down sometime in the next week and the start of another winter season, with the first solid conditions of the season hitting Pipeline on December 2.
Tucker Wooding wouldn’t have missed that day for the world. The 25-year-old surf videographer and commercial fisherman has spent the last two years making a name for himself in the world of surf and drone videography by consistently being in the right place at the right time around the globe, from Nazaré to Jaws, Mavericks, and of course, Pipeline.
He makes it all work by salmon fishing in Alaska during the summers, which lets him spend all winter filming. And being based in San Francisco, he’s perfectly positioned for last-minute trips to Hawaii, longer journeys to Nazaré, or simply driving down the Pacific Coast Highway to Mavericks.
While in Hawaii for the Vans Pipe Masters, I caught up with Tucker to hear more about Pipeline’s opening day, his passion for drone photography, and how he’s been captaining his own commercial fishing boat since he was just 18 years old.
Jamie O’Brien pilots his soft-top over the foamball. Photo: Tucker Wooding
So talk about opening day at Pipeline.
Hard to say what counts as “opening day” – there was a swell a few days before where the morning was really good, but this was the first full day of just epic Pipeline, from morning to evening. It was kind of funky at times, but when it was good, it was absolute perfection. There was probably 100 people out, so it was pretty chaotic, but the conditions were as good as you could ask for.
What was what was your favorite wave of the day?
Billy Kemper stood out. Probably had one of the waves of the day. Barron Mamiya had a really sick one. Sai Smiley, this local guy from Maui had a chip in from super far out that rolled in perfectly, which was definitely one of the better waves. There were so many. Those three stood out though, and of course, Jamie had some crazy ones on the soft top.
Photo: Tucker Wooding
How long have you been shooting Pipeline?
The first time I shot Pipe was two Februarys ago, so about two years now, but I didn’t start shooting it consistently until last winter when I was here pretty much all January and February just shooting every day.
What have you learned in those couple of seasons?
Yeah. It’s all about being more creative. I mostly shoot via drone, and there’s certain ways you can fly a drone and there’s certain ways you shouldn’t – you really want to be respectful towards the guys shooting from land. I see a lot of shots that just get butchered because there’s a drone in the shot, like right in front of the wave. It can look good, maybe as something unique, but it would suck if there are drones in every Pipe. I want to be respectful of those guys that have been here, so I do my best to shoot at an elevation where they can’t see or from the side, find different angles, and just be there at the right time.
Noah Beschen gets deep. Photo: Tucker Wooding
The vibe at Pipeline for a surfer is heavy, no doubt. What’s the vibe for filmers? Is there a pecking order?
I don’t know, really. It helps that I’m friends with a lot of the guys, but there’s not really a pecking order when it comes to filming. I mean, there’s guys that have been established that have a lot of respect and there’s new kids that are really good at what they’re doing. You just kind of have to be respectful towards everyone, and not think you’re a hotshot. Because you’re just a guy with a camera. Everyone out there is just trying to capture what they love to capture, and as long as you totally respect that and are there for the right reasons, there shouldn’t be any issues. It’s definitely a lot easier than being a surfer out there.
You’re an FAA licensed drone pilot. What does that mean?
That I’m legally allowed to fly a drone, sell content, and make money from doing it. A lot of people don’t realize that you have to have that license if you want to sell surf footage. It’s important for getting jobs, too, because you can get in trouble if you don’t have it – if someone were to snitch on you about flying a drone, you’re making money off it, and you don’t have a license, you can get in a lot of trouble. So it’s kind of just covering your ass basically. But it’s just good to have and going through that process of taking the test is important for understanding the rules and regulations when it comes to air stuff.
Nazare from above. Photo: Tucker Wooding
Talk more about what you’ve gained from having the license.
Just an understanding of how the airways work. Oftentimes, there’s a helicopter that just buzzes Pipeline, So like to know to get out of the way, and not get near it at all. As well as just a bit more about the process. Like – I want to get the shot. But is it really worth it? Are the conditions right? Is my risk-reward equating to what the shot could be like? If there’s 15 drones at Pipeline, I’m probably not going to send mine out because it’s just not worth it. So I wait. So understanding that and also evaluating light, which is important. To be honest, I don’t really like being “a drone guy,” but it’s what I’m good at. It’s fun to film that way but I consider myself a surf filmer first and foremost, not necessarily a drone pilot.
I feel like, though, there’s a way in which drone photography or videography specifically matches surfing. Would you agree?
Big wave surfing for sure, because drones let you capture what’s really going on out there. You’re able to fly the same speed as the surfers are going – at Nazaré guys are going 35-40 mph. A drone can do the same speed, following, tracking, with the lighthouse in the background…It just incorporates a whole different side of filming which is totally cool and unique and makes it feel like you’re out there without having the danger of it.
How did you get into surf photography in the first place?
That’s actually a great story. I was in Huntington Beach, just surfing – I had never really filmed surfing before, because I’d be out there surfing myself. But I saw someone on this blue and red board do an an air reverse, and was like, that can’t be Kai Lenny. He was just at Nazaré yesterday, no way he’d be here. And I see him paddling back out and sure enough, it’s Kai. I just thought to myself, “what am I doing out here? I should probably go film this.” I had a drone but never really had done anything with it. So I caught a wave in, ran to my place, grabbed the drone and filmed Kai for like four or five waves, made a little edit and sent it to him. He posted it and I was like “oh, this is sick. I should definitely pursue this.” So I got pretty hooked after that.
And I’ve stayed in touch with Kai since then. I went to the surf ranch with him in August and we’re always in touch about swells and big waves. He and Lucas Chumbo are pretty good friends of mine. It’s so fun to film those guys. It’s like playing a video game when you’re filming them. Whenever you link up with those two, you end up getting some good shots.
Noa Deane making it look easy. Photo: Tucker Wooding
Do you have any plans for this winter, or are you just taking it as it comes?
Yeah, I just kind of go with the flow. I’m obviously here for the Pipe Masters, but I’ll be back in January/February just kind of stationed on the North Shore where most of the actions at. But if there is a big swell at Mavericks I’ll go to that, or Portugal. At other spots around the world sometimes people will call me like, “Hey, you want to go?” I usually say yes, I love strike missions.
Despite the time you put into it, I’ve been hearing that surf videography is really just your side gig?
This is my side gig. It’s my passion, but my main gig is commercial fishing for salmon up in Alaska. I’ve been doing that my whole life. I’m 25 now, I’ve been running my own boat since I was 18, and working on boats since I was about 10. My dad, brother, uncles ,and grandpa all fish, so it’s pretty much the family business. But fishing is a great gig for any college kid that would just want the opportunity to go up to Alaska, make some money, pay off student debt, whatever. I was lucky to get into it at young age and it gives me the freedom to do what I’m passionate about, which is filming surfing for the rest of the year.
And you run your own boat? That’s crazy for a 25-year-old.
Yeah, there’s not a ton of young people that are captains, but my brother started when he was 18 running a boat and that’s just kind of what I did too – in my family, if you’ve got the experience, you captain a boat. I was totally thrown into it. I was just a high school kid, but when you have a good support team like my family members up there, it makes it a lot easier. I’ve been running a boat for seven years at this point, which is crazy to me. Time flies.
Are you thinking you’re gonna keep splitting your time or do you have aspirations to make surf filming more of your main gig?
Yeah, I get asked that a lot. Um, no. I love fishing. It’s a special thing for me to go do, and it allows me to do things that I probably wouldn’t have had opportunities to do, like getting into filming. You can start off by filming on a budget, but for the most part it’s a lot of money to travel and camera gear is expensive, so having fishing makes it all work and I think it will always be my main thing. But if filming were to take off in a different way, then I’d have to think about it.
So what’s your favorite wave in the world?
That’s tough. When Pipeline’s really good, it’s so fun to shoot just because the waves really come through like back to back to back. But my favorite wave to shoot is definitely Jaws. I’d say it’s the best big wave in the world. Nazare is fun, but it’s kind of chaotic and a weird monster. Mavericks is special too, but I’d say Jaws is my favorite wave to shoot.
