Monday, December 16, 2013

2013 BILLABONG PIPE MASTERS: THE FINAL DAY

POSTED ON 15 DECEMBER 2013 BY CLAIRE BUTLER

Attending the Billabong Pipe Masters has always been a bucket list item for me. This year, I have been lucky enough to make that dream a reality. I flew over 30 hours to attend the final event of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing and yesterday I joined 1000's of other photographers and spectators on the shoreline of Banzai Pipeline to watch some of the greatest contest surfing that 2013 has had to offer. Being there for the final day was an unbelievable experience and truly a highlight of my career as a surf photographer. Blessed with maxing waves, beautiful weather and phenomenal surfing, it's a day I don't think anybody could forget. View my photo story below. Enjoy!

2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)
2013 Billabong Pipe Masters Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (Photo: Claire Butler)PURCHASE ANY OF THESE IMAGES IN DIGITAL OR PRINT FORMAT. CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION. 
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © CLAIRE BUTLER.


Saturday, December 14, 2013

THIS IS NOT DISNEYLAND

POSTED ON 13 DECEMBER 2013 BY CLAIRE BUTLER

Second reef is breaking. No wait, third reef is breaking. This is going to be one helluva set. My anticipation is interrupted by the voice of a Hawaiian lifeguard booming from a megaphone: "if you have any small children playing near the shoreline we ask you to please get them back away from the beach. We advise you to move now. This is a very large set, please move back now. Guys with the cameras, move, now! This is not Disneyland!".

Despite the tough shooting conditions, what I witnessed tonight was undoubtedly one of the highlights of my career as a surf photographer. Maxing Pipeline on the eve of what will be an epic final day of the 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters here in Hawaii. We'll have to see what the morning brings because by sunset this eve, it was actually too big. Perhaps they'll run the Eddie instead! Here's hoping...







PURCHASE ANY OF THESE IMAGES IN DIGITAL OR PRINT FORMAT. CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION. 
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © CLAIRE BUTLER.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

3 PIECES OF EARLY ADVICE THAT HELPED SHAPE MY PHOTOGRAPHIC EYE

POSTED ON 6 NOVEMBER 2013 BY CLAIRE BUTLER



Any creative will tell you that it's sometimes hard to take criticism, especially when you're just starting out. In 2010, after a year of halfheartedly dabbling in photography, I decided to start sharing my photographs with people other than my mom and boyfriend. I joined two online photographic communities (the names escape me now) and enrolled for a part-time photography course. My work was suddenly out there, for all to see, and for all to scrutinise. It was honestly a terrifying step to take. However, looking back on it now I'm so incredibly glad that I took that leap. There are a few pieces of advice that have stuck with me, and although they might seem simple and obvious, I wanted to share them with you in the hope that they might help you grow your photographic eye too.


1. STRAIGHTEN YOUR HORIZON

The first time I shared an image online (2009), someone left a comment on one of my landscape photographs and said "nice shot, it would be better if you corrected the horizon". I was shocked. It was a photograph that at the time I loved and had worked hard on to get the composition just right. After my initial disdain for the comment, I swallowed my pride and sought to learn how to correct the horizon in Photoshop. I reopened my image, straightened the horizon (which resulted in a slight crop) and my-oh-my was I amazed at the drastic improvement to the overall shot. Sheepishly, I returned to the comment and thanked the kind stranger who had taken the time to give me this small piece of advice that would stick with me for the rest of my photography career.

2. GO WILD WITH THE RULE OF THIRDS

This might be an obvious piece of advice, because anyone who has ever studied one iota of art or photography should have been exposed to "the rule of thirds". The first time I learned about the rule of thirds was in photography class, and it really was an eye-opener for me. I learned that it's not just about dividing your image vertically or horizontally into thirds; it’s about strategically choosing at which point your subject will be the most exciting. Experimenting with the rule of thirds and making drastic compositional decisions makes a photograph visually appealing and interesting. One of my favourite photographs by Chris Burkard is a perfect example of a photograph that makes fantastic and interesting use of the rule of thirds. After my initial learnings about the rule of thirds, I’ve made it my aim to challenge the compositional boundaries as far as possible to ensure that I can produce visually exciting images 100% of the time.

3. COMPOSE WITH YOUR BODY

I remember the first couple of photoshoots that I did. Using a Canon 1000D and kit lens (18-55mm), I’d stand statically in one position and zoom in and out to compose my shot. That was until I started photography class where one of the requirements was to purchase a 50mm prime lens. When I first got this lens, I hated it. It was so restrictive; I could never get the shot I wanted because I was always too close or too far. During a rant to my photography teacher about the impracticality of what, to me, was a seemingly useless lens, he turned to me and said “compose with your body”.  Duh. How could I have missed something so simple? To zoom, I had to use my legs. To change composition, I had to use my body. Learning to harness the power of my “nifty fifty” was one of my biggest lessons and probably the one that influenced my creative eye the most.

When I started out, the criticism and feedback that I got both online and in class was invaluable. I learned that instead of getting defensive and protective over my work, I should embrace the comments I received and use them to grow my creative eye. I owe my style today to those who dared share an opinion of my work right in the beginning, and I'm so grateful to the few who did offer their thoughts. My experience taught me that as a photographer I should never be so arrogant to assume that there's nothing left to learn, and by committing to always being a student of photography, I'll always be improving.

WHAT ONE PIECE OF ADVICE HAS INFLUENCED YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY? LET'S CHAT - LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW!

Sunday, November 3, 2013

THE AESTHETIC OF LOSTNESS (PART II)

POSTED ON SUNDAY 3 NOVEMBER BY CLAIRE BUTLER

For those of you who missed my first post, I've recently returned from time abroad in Indonesia. I'm going to let my photographs tell my stories through a series of posts. Part II gives a photographic recount of my time spent traveling through the beautiful Bukit Peninsula, Bali. Enjoy!

The Aesthetic Of Lostness: a photographic recount of travel through Bali
Bukit Peninsula in Bali, Indonesia (Photo: Claire Butler / What She Saw)
Scooters in Bali (Photo: Claire Butler / What She Saw)
Surf check on the Bukit Peninsula, Bali (Photo: Claire Butler, What She Saw)
Surfer getting barrelled at Padang Padang Bali (Photo: Claire Butler / What She Saw)
A Balinese Fisherman on the Bukit Peninsula in Bali, Indonesia (Photo: Claire Butler / What She Saw)
Petrol in Absolut Vodka Bottles, Bali, Indonesia (Photo: Claire Butler / What She Saw)
Balinese woman harvesting banana leaves in Indonesia (Photo: Claire Butler / What She Saw)
Balinese woman distributing offering baskets (Photo: Claire Butler / What She Saw)
Perfect surfing line-up in Bali, Indonesia (Photo: Claire Butler / What She Saw)
Surfer Padang Padang bali Indonesia by Cape Town surf photographer Claire Butler (What She Saw)
Sunset surfer on the Bukit Peninsula, Bali, Indonesia by Cape Town surf photographer Claire Butler (What She Saw)

PURCHASE ANY OF THESE IMAGES IN DIGITAL OR PRINT FORMAT. CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION. 
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © CLAIRE BUTLER.

<< RETURN TO PART 1                                                                                                                                                          GO TO PART 3 >>

Thursday, October 31, 2013

REMEMBER, REMEMBER NOVEMBER

POSTED ON 31 OCTOBER 2013 BY CLAIRE BUTLER


And just like that the second last month of the year is upon us. Conveniently, the month of October ends on a Thursday and so I decided to put together a Throwback Thursday (#tbt) post showcasing some of the amazing surfing moments I was lucky enough to bear witness to last November. See this post as an offering to the surf gods in the hope that they'll send some decent Summer swells our way this November. On that note, enjoy the photos and happy November. Hope you all score some good waves this month. I'll be watching...

PURCHASE ANY OF THESE IMAGES IN DIGITAL OR PRINT FORMAT. CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION. 

Sunday, October 27, 2013

THE AESTHETIC OF LOSTNESS (PART I)

POSTED ON SUNDAY 27 OCTOBER 2013 BY CLAIRE BUTLER

A surfer enjoys the sunset over the exposed low tide reef of the Bukit Peninsula
Before the 3rd of September 2013, I’d been privileged enough to see a bit of the world. However, holidays abroad (always with family) were confined to the safety of top-end resorts and hotels, pre-booked tours and the usual city attractions. This trip was different. My fiancé (Nick) and I armed with nothing but a “coffin” of surfboards and a backpack each, kissed our beloved and comfortable lives goodbye and headed to a place we’d never visited before (Indonesia) without making a single plan for our stay. For the next 2 months, we would live in the present.

FROM COMFORT TO CHAOS: ARRIVING IN BALI
After a series of small wins (navigating the visa and customs counters, finding our luggage, using a non-western toilet, and successfully becoming millionaires from a local ATM) we exited the airport doors. The chaos that is Indo hit us immediately: a feeling of insane humidity, accompanied by the smell of what I can only describe as a combination of sweat, sand and car fumes; porters grabbed willingly at our bags despite our protests; and five different taxi drivers very insistently offered us a lift. We’d been pre-warned about all of this. Still feeling confident at this point, we successfully bartered our way into Wayan’s taxi and set off for the first area we wanted to explore: the Bukit Peninsula.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that I feared for our safety–as well as the safety of everyone else on the road–during the taxi ride from the airport. Reflecting back now and being able to compare this ride to the other numerous taxi rides we had, I can say with complete certainty that our taxi driver was either a mad man, or an aspiring race car driver (I’m going for the former). Between gripping the edge of my seat and exchanging nervous looks with Nick, I took in my first impressions of Indonesia: dirt, makeshift storefronts, crumbling statues, crowds, scooters, families of five on a scooter, stray animals, construction, chaos. This was third world life in all of its glory.

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
This initial 30-minute taxi journey ended at the start of a short gravel road, under a handwritten sign pointing to “Belong Bunter Home Stay” (the “t” of the word “stay” had mistakenly been written as an “l” and evidently corrected after the fact).  I hesitantly unloaded my bag, unsure about our choice of accommodation (or how we’d contact anyone from this point on!). Wayan, our exceptionally grumpy and crazy taxi driver, shouted at us for (accidently) slamming the boot of his taxi. We apologized but got a “sorry not good enough” as he screeched off to no doubt bear his wrath on some more unsuspecting travelers.

Left standing in the dust that had stirred from Wayan’s speedy exit, Nick and I gathered our bags and wearily set off down the gravel path towards “Belong Bunter Home Slay”. During this walk, for the first time, the thought of two months of unplanned lostness in Indonesia became daunting. Culture shock and exhaustion had firmly set in for this suburban city girl. I turned to Nick and said, “I don’t think I can do this”. “Let’s give it a day or two”, he replied.

DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
After the initial unsettling experience of our arrival in Indonesia, I quickly learned that first impressions don’t always count. By day 3 I was totally in love with everything that was Indonesia and I could finally understand the lure for thousands of travelers to visit the country every month. Our little home at Belong Bunter turned out to be all that we needed (bar a few cockroaches); the local guy running the homestay, Hank, ended up becoming one of our fondest friends; and our subsequent travels throughout not only Bali, but the other islands as well, ended up being a life-changing and incredibly positive experience filled with stories that would fill a novel (I’ll be sharing a story or two with each photo-blog post from here on).

My time in Indo taught me more about myself than 27 years in Cape Town ever could. I learned to love the idea of being lost; of being mistaken for Australian or British; of not knowing where we’d be in 24 hours time or where we’d sleep; and of people not speaking fluent English. I learned how to be disconnected; to abandon my iPhone; and to ignore what was happening on my social media feeds. I learned not to worry about materialistic things, or appearances clouded by make up. I learned to live simply, day-by-day, and to be grateful. Best of all, I learned to be free.

TERIMA KASIH, INDO. I'VE NEVER FELT MORE ALIVE. 

Keep an eye out for Part II coming soon!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

ALMA


I met Alma quite coincidentally. She was waitressing at a farm restaurant that I visited during the December holidays. From the minute I saw her I knew I wanted to photograph her. To my surprise, Alma has never modeled before. She's a total natural in front of the camera. We spent an afternoon exploring a farm and shooting some pics. These are some of the resulting images. I'm looking forward to working with her on a styled shoot in the very near future. Watch this space for more of this beautiful girl! 

A huge thank you to Nacht Wacht for letting us shoot in this beautiful setting.










Monday, August 12, 2013

Jeffreys Bay Open of Surfing Highlights (Part 2)


Following on from my previous post, here are a few more highlights from the Jeffreys Bay Open of Surfing event that took place in July.















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