How to Photograph Surfing from Land
Photographing surfing from land is a lesson in patience. You do not control the swell, the tide, the wind, or the surfer. All you control is where you stand and how long you are willing to wait. I learned that again in Santa Cruz, in early summer 2026, when I waited about an hour in a concrete stairwell to make the photograph I call The Stairwell. Here is what I would tell anyone who wants to shoot surf from shore.
This print comes from Santa Cruz, CA during the string of summer swells in 2026. I noticed the wave aligning with the stairwell while scouting a place to surf. At the time, nobody was surfing the wave, but I decided to head back to my van for the camera.
I waited for almost an hour in the stairwell for a surfer and wave to align.
Thankfully, I stuck out the wait as I love this image.
Additional Information:
Please allow 5-10 days for printing and shipping.
I have the ability to print custom sizes and material (like wood, gatorboard, etc.). If this interests you, please reach out to dj@dalton-johnson.com for a free quote with the size and material you desire.
First, scout before you shoot. When I found my frame, there was no surfer, and the tide was not right. But I could already see the picture. The stairwell walls made a natural frame around the ocean, and I knew that once a wave stood up, the image would work. Learn to look at a place and imagine what would need to happen to make it special. Then go and get your camera, as I did, because I had left mine in the van.
Second, think about the surf itself. I have been surfing since I was eight and lived in Santa Cruz for five years, so I know a bit about how waves behave. Swell direction, tide, and wind change everything. Strong south swells were rolling in that summer, and when the tide began to change, the wave started to pick up and take shape. If you are not a surfer, check a surf forecast before you go. Even a rough sense of when the waves are working will save you hours.
Third, choose a lens that lets you stay back. I was working with a Sony body and a Tamron 70-180 G2, zoomed to 159 millimeters, and I was about 100 to 200 yards from the rider. A long reach lets you stay on land and compress the scene, so the wave looks big against the frame around it. It also keeps you out of the way of surfers. A short lens would have forced me closer, and then the walls would have felt far away and the wave small.
Fourth, use the landscape. The best surf photographs from land are not only about the rider. Mine uses the brick wall, the shadowed wall, and a few blurred leaves in the corner to make a frame inside the frame. That layering gives the image depth and pulls your eye toward the wave. Look for rocks, cliffs, trees, stairs, and doorways, anything that lets you build a border around the action.
Fifth, be ready. When a wave lines up, it can be over in seconds. I waited an hour for one clean moment, and I did not want to miss it fiddling with settings. Frame the shot, set your camera so it will respond quickly, and keep your finger ready. Take a burst when the rider drops in, then check your results later.
Sixth, light matters. This was late morning, and the sun lit the brick wall gold while the water behind it stayed glassy and green. Notice where the light falls and where the shadows sit, and use them to guide the eye. Contrast between warm and cool tones makes a surf photograph feel alive.
Last, keep safety in mind. Rocks near the surf are slippery, and waves are unpredictable. Stay well back from the water, never turn your back on the ocean, and respect local rules and the surfers who call the place home.
If you would like to see how it all came together, The Stairwell is available as a print, and it is an open edition.
Go check out all the prints by Dalton Johnson.
About the Author
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, writer, and filmmaker who tells stories about real people pushing themselves in the outdoors, from the High Sierra to the far reaches of every continent. He has shot and written for brands, tourism boards, and editorial outlets, including Nike, Patagonia, Four Seasons, PBS, GoPro, and Ford, with more than 160 campaigns and hundreds of published articles to his name. Off assignment, he bikepacks, trail runs, swims open water, chases big waves, and rock climbs.
