MokenSurf Photography Blog

Contest lay days and free surf sessions on the North Shore.

2010-12-11T13:43:00.004-05:00

Check it out in full screen modeNorth Shore Surfing Part 2 - Images by Travis Rowan>Despite the continuous rain there were still plenty of nice waves around the North Shore today. I first drove around looking for a nice lineup shot and ended up at Rockpiles. I grabbed a few photos incorporating the warning flags and perfect

Highlights from the Billabong Pipeline Masters 2010 Day 1 + free surf action.

2010-12-10T13:51:00.003-05:00

North Shore Surfing - Images by Travis RowanCheck out this selection of photos I've shot in the last few days on the North Shore of Hawaii. Click for full screen for the best look at them.

Kelly Slater Wins his 10th World Title! Sports history in Puerto Rico

2010-11-06T12:24:00.006-05:00

Kelly Slater wins his 10th World Title - Images by Travis RowanSports history has occurred at the Rip Curl Pro Search Somewhere in Puerto Rico. Nine time world champion and surfing legend Kelly Slater has claimed his tenth world title. Slater secured this unprecedented sporting feat during the ninth event of the 2010 ASP World

Former World Champion Surfer Andy Irons Passes Away

2010-11-03T10:48:00.010-05:00

Three-time world champion surfer Andy Irons died on Tuesday at the age of 32. photo: © Travis Rowan /mokensurf.comSad news today of Andy Irons' untimely death. He is an icon to competitive surfing and his sudden passing is a shock to the surfing world. RIP Andy and condolences to his friends and family.Official Irons Family Statement:[The world of surfing mourns an incredibly sad loss today with

Mick Fanning wins his second World Title!

2009-12-12T18:41:00.004-05:00

Mick Fanning has just won his second World Title at Pipeline. I've been watching the webcast all day. The event is still going on. Round 4 has just started. Unfortunately, I don't have any new shots of Mick this year so I picked a few from the archives.Here's Mick Fanning famously focused before his heat at the Boost Mobile Pro 2008.

Archive search: Afternoon Bol

2009-12-12T14:58:00.005-05:00

Not much going on for me right now on the surf photography front. Not until they get a wave pool in Tennessee anyway...so I'm searching my archives for some unseen gems. The above shot is of one of my favorite Balinese surfers "Bol". Always stylish. I shot this one back in August on a perfect afternoon in Bali.

Who is J.O.B? : Jamie O'Brien's new movie

2009-11-25T09:13:00.006-05:00

Here's a shot of Jamie O'Brien bailing out of a switch-foot attempt during the Rip Curl Cup at Padang in Bali.His new movie, Who is JOB? looks incredible. Check out the trailer below.

Indo dreaming

2009-10-28T08:18:00.004-05:00

I've been back in the states now for about two months. Winter is almost here or at least it feels like it. So here's a little vision from Bingin in Bali to warm me up a bit. Can't wait to get back there...

Standing out from the crowd

2009-10-24T08:12:00.002-05:00

In the crowded lineup, this surfer found an escape route. Bali.

Balinese Surfer: Rahtu Suargita

2009-09-30T16:08:00.003-05:00

Rahtu Suargita takes a peak at the heaving barrels of Padang Padang in Bali following his session. Below is Rahtu turning it on in Kuta.

Tricky Water-Padang and low tide

2009-09-29T16:32:00.003-05:00

This unusual view of Padang Padang in Bali was made during a large swell and very low tide. Of course, it's not as bad as it looks. There were plenty of surfers and photogs out in the line up. From this angle though, it's not very inviting.

Kelly Slater: Icon

2009-09-29T16:23:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite shots of Kelly Slater. I shot this at the 2008 Boost Mobile Pro and Trestles. Slater won that one on his way to his Ninth World Title.

Luke Cederman lands in Bali

2009-09-16T14:44:00.002-05:00

Here's Kiwi aerialist and Volcom rider Luke Cederman working on his repertoire in Bali.

Padang Padang super low tide

2009-09-13T14:35:00.002-05:00

This is kind of a different angle of Padang in Bali. The tide was so low that I was able to walk out on the opposite reef. It almost looks like a slab wave with the heavy lip and churning foreground.

Garut Widiarta airlines

2009-09-11T20:13:00.003-05:00

For the next several months I'll be back in the real world. Well, my real world anyway, which means I won't be shooting any surf for a while. So I'll be regularly posting some new pics from the last five months to keep the blog fresh. That's Made Widiarta, aka Garut in form in the afternoon soon.

UPDATE: SOLD-Macbook Pro and Lumedyne for sale on Ebay

2009-09-10T13:50:00.006-05:00

I've just put some equipment up for sale on Ebay. It's all nice gear in excellent condition.Check them out here:Lumedyne 400 w/s strobe kit15" MacBook Pro

Leaving Bali: It's been a blur

2009-09-08T15:52:00.004-05:00

The time has arrived. Time to get back to the real world for a while. The last five months in Bali have been the best. I've had great opportunities to shoot great surfers in the best waves and I can't forget the epic Rip Curl Cup. It's all been a blur...but I will return. The above shot is from Kuta beach a few months ago.

The gear bag ritual

2009-09-02T16:03:00.002-05:00

Preparing to return to the states to get back to my other life means that I am performing a sacred ritual: Laying out all my photo gear and packing it properly for a safe airplane journey. This seemed a good opportunity to take a shot and post it for anyone interested in the gear I regularly travel with.My gear list belowAll Cameras and Lenses are NikonD300D2X (not shown)3 x Lexar 8GB CF cards4 x

Classic "Bol": Bali

2009-09-02T00:38:00.002-05:00

Made Adi Putra, aka Bol once again delivers a money shot. Here's Bol in Kuta painting the sunset sky with perfect fin strokes.

The Wild Life: Bingin Bali

2009-09-02T00:31:00.002-05:00

I grabbed this shot a few months ago down at Bingin in Bali. You don't see much wildlife around the surf breaks or anywhere in Bali really, so this was a nice change.

Afternoon swim at Padang

2009-08-24T03:12:00.004-05:00

Spanish Rip Curl surfer Pablo Gutierrez was in Bali for the Rip Curl Cup. This was his first time surfing Padang. The swell was just arriving the afternoon before the contest and Pablo managed to get a taste of Bali perfection.

Koa Smith speed blur at Padang Padang

2009-08-24T02:53:00.002-05:00

Here's Hawaiian Supergrom Koa Smith speeding through another Padang barrel. Koa surfed well in the Rip Curl Cup last week but was up against a pretty heavy crew in the line up. Here he's just snagging another sunset barrel while Jamie O is being drowned in Bintang's on the beach. Trophy in hand.

Jamie O'Brien wins the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang

2009-08-17T01:14:00.008-05:00

Everyone surfed incredibly, but Jamie O outdid them all. With 4 ten point rides on the day (2 in his round 2 heat), going switch foot in the barrel in round 3 and staying deeper longer all day, he was on a rampage.The forecast was right on, the swell arrived big and on time and it was on.It was the best surf competition I've ever seen. The massive barreling waves that came all day long, the

Rip Curl Cup: this weekend

2009-08-12T01:38:00.004-05:00

Here's the overview of Impossibles down on the Bukit peninsula in Bali. It was a clear day, volcanoes visible and a solid swell arriving. This weekend, if the forecast is right, should see this stretch of coastline absolutely going off. The Rip Curl Cup contest is on high alert. The sleeping giant of Padang Padang shall awaken. I'll be there.

Ready For Launch... Another Photography Blog

2009-08-06T05:13:00.004-05:00

I've just launched a new photography blog. You won't find any surf photography over there though. It's about travel, portrait, architecture and animal photography. It's really intended as a place to share my stories from some current projects as well as anecdotes from my portfolio images. Of course, in the stories, I talk about technique and gear too. Check it out. Here

Shots published: Surf Time Magazine Aug-Sep issue.

2009-08-04T19:03:00.003-05:00

Surf Time magazine in Indonesia published four of my shots in the current issue. Picked up a copy yesterday. It's a good looking magazine: glossy, nice layout and good writing. Stoked.

The Art of the Bailout: Bol

2009-08-04T04:19:00.000-05:00

Bol explores the hidden beauty of a beach closeout. (click an image for a larger version)There's been a lot of talk of "bailouts" this year. I shot this "bailout" recently and I think its worth talking about too. I'm a huge fan of Bali pro Made Adi Putra (aka Bol) he has such a smooth style in what can seem a ridiculous situation. Like a Ninja or a cat.

An Empty Wave

2009-08-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

(click an image for a larger version)There aren't a lot of waves that go unridden here in Bali. This one came in under the radar in the shadow of a volcano.

Something in the Air: Dedi Santoso

2009-08-01T03:26:00.005-05:00

Dedi Santoso stylin in Bali (click for large image)Here's a nice shot of another Bali ripper. Dedi Santoso always has a smile on his face and one or two meters of air between his board and the wave.

Nikon D300s announced...time to go shopping.

2009-07-31T04:30:00.007-05:00

I don't intend to report photography news all the time but I'm pretty excited about this one. Finally after months of watching Nikon rumor sites, it's official. Nikon has released a replacement for the D300. (photo courtesy of Nikon)The D300s adds a few new features to the already amazing D300. The most significant of which is the ability to shoot HD 720 video. I don't know what that means, but

Bingin Bali...always bring a tripod.

2009-07-30T08:49:00.010-05:00

(click image for large version)Here's a nice shot I grabbed down at Bingin a little while ago. I was there shooting the local Bali rippers Garut and Raditya. During the high tide they took a break, but I kept shooting. This guy was waiting for the right moment to enter the water. I decided to slow the shutter down to give a better sense of the water movement happening up against the jagged cliffs

Nice shot...Garut Widiarta

2009-07-28T10:31:00.006-05:00

(click image for large version)This is "Garut" Widiarta on a recent shoot here in Bali. An unusual problem occurred during this particular afternoon: I was too close. I was shooting with my 300mm 2.8 from the beach which usually allows me to show a bit of the wave and the surfer on it. In fact, I sometimes wish I had a 400mm or a 500mm on. The waves on this day were quite good and allowed some

DIY Remote Flash Housing

2009-07-27T10:47:00.014-05:00

Ever since Transworld’s 2005 Photo issue I wanted to shoot using flash in the water. More than half the images in that issue were made using various forms of remote flash and the results were ridiculous. I hadn’t shot a single frame of surf at that time but those images inspired me to start hunting waves with my camera. See pics of my do-it-yourself flash housing and the building process below. I

Forcing creativity: blurred motion

2009-07-25T09:32:00.003-05:00

This guy was trying to head butt his way into the tube. F20 1/60th ISO 250(click image for large version)So I was getting a little bored with the usual mode of shooting and decided to shoot an entire day of blurred motion. I find it's always a good idea to switch things up a bit to get my creative juices flowing and get something a little different. Instead of the usual 1/1000th of a second

Padang Padang comes to life

2009-07-23T08:44:00.010-05:00

(click image for large version)Anytime a large swell is forecast in Bali the first thoughts on most people minds is Padang Padang. Normally, when every other nook and cranny on this little island is firing with barreling waves Padang can look like a lake. It's hard to understand.That's one reason it's such a special wave: it rarely breaks, and when it does it's the perfect barrel. It's so fickle

On a clear day, you can see...

2009-07-19T02:05:00.005-05:00

(click image for large version)This, believe it or not, is Kuta Beach in Bali. I have never seen it this clear. Ever! In fact, I didn’t even know there were mountains (volcanoes) off that way until now. That is west Bali as it stretches toward the island of Java (if you’re familiar with the area).This was one of the great moments of the last few weeks. Most of the frames I captured are nice

Cultural paradox

2009-07-16T02:11:00.006-05:00

(click an image for a large version)I shot this not long ago out on the beach in Kuta, a traditional fisherman preparing to cast his net into the turbulent shorebreak. From this serene perspective it's hard to believe that only a few feet behind him at the same time a different culture is flourishing.Kuta beach culture alive and well. It's nice to see people living in harmony.

Shots of the week 3: the Hurley Team in Bali

2009-07-10T01:37:00.008-05:00

Kalani Robb in BaliThe Hurley Team seems to be everywhere in Bali right now. I'm sure part of it has to do with Hurley's north shore-like compound in Canggu. more shots below (click an image for a large version)Bali Kingpin, Rizal TanjungDillon Perillo unleashed in Canggu.Kekoa Cazimero fins free blast. Canggu local and Hurley super grom Jerron elevates above the competition in Kuta.

Where I buy my gear and why you should too

2009-07-08T05:54:00.006-05:00

Like most photographers, I have a lot of gear. Lenses, camera bodies, flashes, diffusers, reflectors, tripods, cords, radio slaves, flash cards, card readers, chargers, batteries, computers, software etc. The list goes on and on and will continue to go on until they stop making cool new ways to create images. People always ask me where I buy my gear. It’s very simple; I buy 95% of my equipment

Self Promotion Tool: iPod Touch

2009-07-08T01:01:00.006-05:00

The iPod touch is the coolest thing I own. It also happens to be my most useful tool as a photographer, besides my camera. I’ve used it more for showing my photographs than listening to music. It’s great when you’re out at the beach and you can show shots from the day before. The images are large and vivid and it gets people stoked to have you shoot more. Its better than any business card or

Keramas: Jamie O'Brien

2009-07-07T04:12:00.012-05:00

I made it out to Keramas last week, timing it with the arrival of good swell. An hour on the motorbike with a few wrong turns still had me there at about 730am. As expected, this perfect right hander had attracted a crew of the surfing world's heavies. Notably, Jamie O'Brien who sat deeper and waited longer than anybody for the biggest set waves. The wind didn't come up until about 1230 so I had

Unreal Bali sunset light

2009-06-29T07:16:00.003-05:00

(click an image for a large version)Sometimes the sunset seems to last forever. I had already packed up my gear at the water's edge and headed up the beach. I turned around for a final peak at the waves and saw the reflections on the sand and the amazing color glowing all around. The photographer's mantra: arrive early and stay late. Doesn't always pay off but when it does, its worth it. More

Surfing's tribute to the King of Pop

2009-06-26T06:56:00.002-05:00

Mickey Sudena, Smooth Criminal (click an image for a large version)Ok, not really a tribute. I shot this two days before Michael Jackson's death. My first thought when I saw surfer Mickey Sudena out in the line up with his hat was Michael Jackson's "smooth criminal" video from 1988. I was in fourth grade when Thriller came out and I've been known to moonwalk on occasion ever since. Michael

Shots of the week 2

2009-06-07T01:18:00.003-05:00

(click an image for a large version)It's been a little quiet around here lately. The increase in swell never happened and looks like the waves will stay small through the week. But this is Bali and I always find something to shoot. That's Rizal Tanjung (above), Bali best known pro surfer, playing around in the beach break at Halfway one afternoon. See the rest of week's highlights below.Dedi

Shooting in (M) manual mode | Don’t be fooled or afraid.

2009-06-05T00:23:00.007-05:00

Mustofa Jeksen, Bali.A lot of new photographers never use the (M) manual-metering mode when they shoot surfing. I guess its because they don’t understand how a camera meter works (or doesn’t work) and the idea of taking total control of the exposure is a little terrifying. I’m sure they get good enough results, most of the time relying on the camera’s automatic metering abilities. So why bother?

Shots of the week

2009-06-01T06:43:00.009-05:00

(click an image for a larger version)I've had fun this week shooting some great free surfing with Garut, Mustofa Jeksen (above) and other stars on the (ISC) Indonesian Surf Championship tour. Plenty of swell around in Bali; not huge, but these guys are so talented they can put on a show in just about any conditions.I'll definitely have more opportunities in the next week or so. Just keeping an

RAW Workflow in Aperture

2009-05-29T04:10:00.004-05:00

This workflow has kept me from sitting around playing with pictures for days instead out shooting new ones. This is especially great for a surf photographer, as everyone’s keen to see their shots at the end of the day. But don’t bother showing all the shots; no one really wants to see that many pictures, not even of themselves. Not to mention you’d be showing them all of the unprocessed, unedited

New Shots from Bali

2009-05-28T07:23:00.002-05:00

(click an image for a large version)All of Indonesia's best are back in Bali following the ISC contest in Cimaja, Java last week. I was just down at the beach the other afternoon and caught some good action. Here's Putra Hermawan of Rip Curl proudly waving his sponsor's flag.

Only show your best | Critical skills for the digital photographer

2009-05-28T06:10:00.001-05:00

I run into a fair number of “pro” photographers and usually strike up a conversation at some point about camera gear, who they shoot for, etc. I’m always surprised when I meet a pro that doesn’t seem to have a grasp on their digital workflow. And there’s more than you might think. That’s not to say that’s its easy to learn, but I’m shocked that its not seen as important to some.For me, capturing

Surf Photography portfolio update. Finally!

2009-05-22T14:06:00.000-05:00

Finally, I updated my portfolio on mokensurf.com today. Now you can see some of my take from last year's Rip Curl Search in Bali, the Padang shipwreck and a bunch of new stuff. I really chopped it down to the best of the best and as usual ended up reworking the entire site from the ground up. Which means, playing with design ideas for weeks before finally going on 26 hour session to finish it.

Back in Bali

2009-05-21T02:58:00.004-05:00

Well, here I am again. I’m back in Indo to shoot the surf season. It’s my third year in a row and I’ll probably kick around here for 4 or 5 months this time. I’ve got some ideas for some new stuff and hopefully writing this blog regularly will keep things moving. For the last few weeks I haven’t really been chasing swells just hanging out getting the pad setup, making contacts and working on some