Sparkes In The Water: A Dave Sparkes Folio

Ben Dunn again, on an unnamed atoll in the Pacific. The reef is pristine here, and I was very conscious of not stomping on it, which resulted in me gouging my knee on a coral head instead. I'm sure I came off worse than the reef!

Years of work were the lead up to this split shot, where many elements have come together to create something unique. Shot in the North Pacific late in the afternoon, the light has a magical quality. The surfer in the shot has just wiped out, is trying not to hit the coral reef, and is struggling in an underwater drama that he probably thought was private.

Usually, it's very difficult to nail a split shot of a wave. To get a full sequence is torture, but on this day the conditions were so optimum it was possible to document the full journey of a breaking wave, above and below the surface. The beauty of shooting over sand is the spectacular play of light and shadow that's revealed beneath the wave. I also love the dappled sun effects out on the flats in front of the wave. Most of this light play is lost on reefs.

Mada Sudana is a local friend who is my main muse, and a brilliant tube rider. This is his comeback surf after a hideous accident with a hydraulic log splitter, which severed his right hand requiring 16 hours of micro surgery to re-attach it. It was an emotional moment to see him pull in and get shacked like old times, and to get it on film. Ah, I mean pixels.

This is Ben Dunn, from that session in the North Pacific. This split shot is a total fluke, taken while diving my way the hell out of trouble, in a normal shooting session with a standard fisheye rig. But it got me wondering: it seemed freaky that I should get a lucky split, during a period when I am heavily focused on them, even though I wasn't trying. Odds are around one in a thousand to nail a split anyway! It's almost as if my obsession with them is bringing them my way regardless. Cheers Huey.

A more abstract take on the split screen wave, focusing more on juxtaposition of planes, colours and textures. The camera position is in the tube, semi submerged, facing the back of the wave.

Ben Dunn slotted in the North Pacific, during a Rip Curl assignment in January. We discovered this heaving right reef after weeks of soft little waves, and as far as we know were the first to surf it.

Jessie Miley-Dyer has a streak of mischief in her, as well as a striking intelligence. The gods threw in a very incisive wit, a drop dead smile and in hollow lefts, tube-riding nous second to few. Shown here pulling in at Lance's Left, the Mentawais.

I've always loved the look of a wave poised to break â€“ the feathering lip-line, the ruffled textures on the face, and the sky blue lights in the upper areas of the wave. This wave is screaming to be back-doored, and the locals are happy to oblige.

Black and white suits this photo of Matt Wilkinson cutting back in south western Victoria. The day was bleak and windswept; the waves were great, the water cold, and the next storm front not far off. Typical Vicco!

This is probably my best effort so far with the split shot genre. The reef was a lot shallower than it looks; the actual depth is about 18 inches, and both Stephanie Gilmore and I got cut to shreds in the end.

When I see a good sunset coming, I always try and find a way to get something different from it. For this one I did a swift, handheld pan at about a quarter of a second exposure. The moment was about colour, so I thought I'd reduce the image to just that.

Usually, it's very difficult to nail a split shot of a wave. To get a full sequence is torture, but on this day the conditions were so optimum it was possible to document the full journey of a breaking wave, above and below the surface. The beauty of shooting over sand is the spectacular play of light and shadow that's revealed beneath the wave. I also love the dappled sun effects out on the flats in front of the wave. Most of this light play is lost on reefs.

There's such a glut of fisheye work in the surf media these days that the more traditional telephoto look seems fresh again. But the 135mm rig won't do you any favours like fisheyes can. Floridian, Adam Wickwire is shown here in perfect position on a virgin wave somewhere west of Hawaii.

This beachbreak/point wedge is only five minutes from my house, and when winter S swells and SW winds combine, rebounds rear up and unload down the beach ferociously. I went tight with the framing on this to try and emphasise the contrast of the water and the earthy bluff in the background.

Mada Sudana is a local friend who is my main muse, and a brilliant tube rider. This is his comeback surf after a hideous accident with a hydraulic log splitter, which severed his right hand requiring 16 hours of micro surgery to re-attach it. It was an emotional moment to see him pull in and get shacked like old times, and to get it on film. Ah, I mean pixels.

Usually, it's very difficult to nail a split shot of a wave. To get a full sequence is torture, but on this day the conditions were so optimum it was possible to document the full journey of a breaking wave, above and below the surface. The beauty of shooting over sand is the spectacular play of light and shadow that's revealed beneath the wave. I also love the dappled sun effects out on the flats in front of the wave. Most of this light play is lost on reefs.

Ben Dunn again, on an unnamed atoll in the Pacific. The reef is pristine here, and I was very conscious of not stomping on it, which resulted in me gouging my knee on a coral head instead. I'm sure I came off worse than the reef!