Editor's Note: Our "How I Got the Shot" feature talks with today's leading photographers to get the story behind their most captivating surf photos. This article features surf photographer Jared Weintraub.
This shot is the result of 2 weeks of geeking out over swell charts and weather forecasts. I was practically glued to my computer, waiting for the stars to align – or in this case, for the east Santa Ana winds to whip up some extremely picturesque waves.Â
When the day finally rolled around, a scorching hot and windy day in September, I headed out to CardiffÂ
with a game plan.
I scoped out this spot at low tide, about 3 hours before sunset, crossing my fingers that the waves would be barreling just the way I'd imagined. It was a bit of a gamble, but that's all part of the surf game.Â
The gamble paid off big time, and the product was perfect. It's the dreamy tube shape that every surfer lives for coupled with an emerald green backlit glow.
All in all, 2 weeks of anticipation and planning paid off with this single image.
It just goes to show how planning your shot can really make an impact on your final product.Â