World-class swells woo snapper

Local photographer and ex-Times snapper Gordon Becker will hold an exhibition of natural and aquatic photographs at Elkamo next Friday.

The exhibition will feature ocean photographs from Ireland and Iceland taken during Becker’s recent European trip to collect his Sony World Photography Award.

The photographer finished second in Australia and made the world top 50, out of more than 100,000 photographs, for his wave snap Golden Flare.

He said next week’s exhibition would also show photographs taken around the South West, with most depicting empty wave barrels, fine detail in the water, and the ocean’s raw power.

“I try to keep it based around my perspective of the ocean,” he said.

Getting the photographs involved waking before dawn to drive thousands of kilometres, taking a jet-ski to remote wave breaks and then waiting six-eight hours for the crucial moment.

Becker said he had to get as close to the wave as possible and took “a couple of heavy beatings ... and getting smashed with camera in hand” to get the results.

Other photographs included broken glaciers and landscapes with the Northern Lights shimmering overhead.

Becker said his next trip would be to Norway’s Lofoten Islands next winter.

The launch will run from 5.30pm-7.30pm.