Olympics Was a ‘Dream’ Assignment for This Pro Surfing Photographer

As the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad wind down in Paris, France, this weekend, it’s a great time to take a closer look at one of the most photogenic and dynamic events of the 2024 Summer Olympics: surfing.

PetaPixel chatted with Getty Images staff sports photographer Sean Michael Haffey about his experience as a professional sports photographer, and especially his time in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, to photograph Olympics surfing events.

Surfing’s Unique Photography Challenges

While sports photography is generally difficult, as Haffey knows from years of experience shooting a diverse range of sports, surfing offers unique challenges.

“The most challenging aspects of surf photography are varied. Checking weather and swell forecasts to find the surf is important,” says Haffey. “But then actually having the weather and swells happen is the first hurdle.”

There are always factors outside a sports photographer’s control, but this is especially true for surfing. The weather and surf conditions dramatically change not just what can be photographed but also where the action takes place, so Haffey needs to be prepared to shoot events both from land and in the water.

The location from which Haffey can shoot also impacts his compositional choices, as different environments and backgrounds are more conducive to wider shots than close-up photos.

“Choosing between close-up imagery and more pulled back depends a lot on the subject. When you are shooting a massive wave like Teahupo’o, you are interested in the surfer, but the wave is more important,” Haffey explains. “Shooting too close to the wave would diminish the size and beauty of the world’s most dangerous wave. Smaller waves shot closer and focusing on the surfer work if the surfer is the focus.”

“Ultimately, I try to capture a wide variety of focal lengths and imagery when it comes to surfing,” he adds.

Haffey Shot From a Boat Using Canon Zoom Lenses

To photograph the Olympics surfing events at Teahupo’o, Haffey was armed with a wide range of Canon camera equipment. He used a Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 zoom alongside some shorter lenses, like 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms.

“I was on a fishing boat that allowed for a variety of looks at the wave and surfer,” says Haffey. “Being on a boat puts you close to the action. A competition without a boat would require longer telephoto lenses in the 600-800mm focal lengths.”

While the fishing boat offers tremendous close-up opportunities, it also presents challenges. The boat rocks back and forth all day, and it’s sweltering on the boat.

“You are wet from start to finish because of the spray from waves, rain, and the splash from the water,” he explains, adding that the water is at least warm.

With an event as big as the Olympics, many photographers are on site, all shooting the same thing. Haffey says that creativity is necessary to get the shots required for an assignment and to capture something that stands out from the crowd.

“As an editorial photographer, I work hard at offering creative imagery that tells a story or shows the beauty of a location without becoming too abstract. I work hard at defining imagery without gimmickry that detracts from the image. I work in various focal lengths and concentrate on natural light to capture the best imagery, especially at an event like Teahupo’o,” Haffey explains.

A ‘Dream’ Assignment

The photographer describes this assignment as a “dream,” and something he has “thought about for 20 years.”

“I have covered 10 Olympics, both Winter and Summer, this assignment is completely different from any of them,” he continues.

If he had to pick what sport most resembles shooting surfing, Haffey would choose alpine skiing, which he photographed during the Winter Olympics. Weather plays an “integral part in the imagery” for both sports.

“I love covering the Olympics, it’s the pinnacle of assignments as a sports photographer. And Teahupo’o was the pinnacle of that,” Haffey explains.

“The danger, beauty and grace of this event had it all, it’s not your normal Olympic assignment. The colors, the weather, the waves, and the level of skill it takes to surf the wave here lends itself to the most dramatic photos you can take of surfing.”

Among Haffey’s favorite images from the event is one of Team France’s Kuali Vaast, who ultimately won the gold medal for his country.

“It is of him on a 10 to 12-foot wave, he is in the tube and in full control. It shows the intensity of the wave and is complimented by his poise and grace in the middle of that wave. That image sums up beauty and skill colliding,” Haffey says of the shot.

Action and Emotion in Surfing (and Sports) Photography

“Surfing is a very dynamic sport. Imagery should encompass the personalities that compete, the beauty of the locations and the lifestyle that comes along with all of that,” Haffey says.

“At Getty Images we approach an assignment like surfing at Teahupo’o with the goal of showing the competitors, competition, beauty of location, body language, natural beauty, intensity and light. That doesn’t change from assignment to assignment — we’re there to document and in many cases the Olympics has many historic, iconic and record-breaking moments so we’re here to capture for the world to see.”

“We go into events like this with the same mindset whether it’s skiing, sailing, athletics, swimming, gymnastics, etc. We are a team of photographers that show up to events well-planned and ready to execute to deliver world-class photography.”

It’s interesting to hear Haffey’s point about teamwork among photographers. Prior to the Summer Olympics starting, PetaPixel spoke with another Getty Images photographer, Maddie Meyer. She covered swimming events in Paris and emphasized the importance of the “team,” especially when covering something as frantic and busy as the Olympics.

Variety Is the Spice of Life for a Sports Photographer

Now that medals have been handed out at Teahupo’o, Haffey is preparing for his next assignment.

“I shoot on average 15 different sports a year; variety is my strength. I’m now starting to plan for winter of World Cup skiing and professional sports in the United States,” Haffey says. “That’s the beauty of working with Getty Images, it’s always changing and challenging me.”

The versatile pro loves every sport he photographs, but he has a special place in his heart for contact sports and “sports that offer the most room to move around and create well thought out imagery.”

“Early on in my career, I was so focused on strictly action photos. As I have matured as a photographer, capturing high-impact action photos in gorgeous light is what I’m interested in now,” Haffey says. “Tackling light has become my obsession, and since every event is different, it’s a quest with no end.”

To see more from Sean M. Haffey’s fantastic work and keep up with his upcoming assignments, follow the photographer on Instagram.

Image credits: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images