I'll study a range of weather maps, keep an eye on the forecasted tides, and be watching high- and low-pressure systems to help understand the swell-all of these must be considered first. I try and do as much homework as I can about the area. The actual process of pressing the button to capture the image is usually three-quarters of the way down the list. What’s your standard technique for going out on a shoot? If I'd always seen the same way as everyone else, maybe my work wouldn't be as unique. I think it helps by removing the “distraction” of color, allowing me to focus on contrast, tones, textures, and compositions. How does your colorblindness help-or hinder-your work as a photographer? All of this, along with its sheer beauty inspire me every day. They are literal waves of energy that move through water and they never repeat themselves! There's no re-shoot, ever! No rewinding or second chances. What is it that inspires you about waves? The shape it takes on, the textures, the “feeling” of it. The more I evolved in my work the more I concentrated on just how delicate and beautiful water can be. Even in my earliest work, the “human” element was only to give the wave scale and composure. Looking back it was the entry point to waves. How did this evolve into just focusing on the waves? You bought your first camera to document friends surfing. At any stage of life, at any time, during any emotion-it is there for me. The Ocean has been the one single constant in my life. For me, this was beaches, cliffs, and coves that dot the landscape of where I live. We've always lived near the coastline-most Australians do-and as a child, you tend to explore your immediate surroundings. How did growing up in Australia form your relationship with the sea? We had the chance to speak with the sought after photographer about what sparked his love for the ocean and how he captures the essence of waves. His second book, Water & Light moves from Iceland to Tahiti, all in the name of photographing the ocean and he was recently featured in the documentary Fish People, which is now viewable on Netflix. And the artistic visuals of his photography have allowed him to dabble both in the commercial and fine art worlds.Ĭollins is constantly pushing his work, traveling around the world to immortalize waves. His photography shows the unique power of water, lovingly captured to show this element in every stage of life-from calm and languid to rough and clamorous. Collins, who bought his first camera in 2007 and left a job as a coal miner to pursue his passion, has collaborated with National Geographic, Vogue, Patagonia, Apple, and Nikon.

Pictures of ocean waves