centritis

Carlos Santana, 22

1. Do you remember the first moment you were excited about a photograph you made? What was it of and how did you see that particular scene? 

Yeah I do, it’s definitely one of those moments I won’t forget. It was a couple months after I initially started taking pictures with my waterhousing. The waves were really good on a hot October afternoon and I had to skip class. To this day it was probably the best day I’ve seen and I have the photo to show for it.

2. Photographing with a water-housing in the impact zone is an incredibly extreme way of getting the photographs you want, why do you do it? Worst punishment you’ve ever received while shooting?

Besides just doing it for the love, I really like the fact that I am able to show people what I see in the water. Obviously anyone can’t just jump in and experience it, so yeah that plays a really big part. One of my worse run-ins out in the ocean was with my waterhousing. I got completely handled by a 8ft set, full cartwheel action underwater, and to not make it any better my 10 pound water-housing made of aluminum smacked me straight in the nose. Right between my eyes all I could see was blood projecting upwards. It felt like a movie.

3. You were recently placed as a finalist in the “Follow the Light Foundation” up and comer surf photography contest. Why do you feel your images made an impression on the judges? How did you pick your images to submit? 

I feel like my images had an impression because I presented a variety of things. I had water images, portraits, and film that had a good influence on it which was something I was really excited about. I don’t know what they were mostly impressed by but I’m so happy they were into it. Picking them was not easy. My main focus was trying to show that I could be successful on taking a photo in the water and out so I went with those images that felt right

4. How important is seeing the composition? Can you “feel” a composition?

It’s everything. I “think” I can feel it, ha ha.. In the water its feels a little easier to me then when I’m just messing around with my 35mm. I like that. 35mm has become something I really really like. I used to hate it which is kind of sad. 

Carlos Santana