One man, an ocean of water, effective wind and a fifteen foot wave. The objective is to defy mother nature and tame her brutal elements for the ultimate ride to shore. Tim McKenna has devoted his life to capturing some of the greatest surfers to celluloid, Steal-Life dried him off long enough to ask what poseses him to continue risking life and limb in in persute of
the greatest wave and the perfect photograpgh. Also, where the hell do you stand ?

Steal-Life.com - Your one of the best surf photographers around, how do you deal with shooting in the water?
Tim McKenna - I have been swimming and surfing in the ocean since I was a kid. I feel comfortable in the water. The exercice keeps me fit and the angles and photos you get in the water keep you motivated. Living in Tahiti you have the extra danger of hitting the coral reef and hurting yourself pretty bad if you make a mistake or get caught by a rogue wave, experience helps me analyse the situation before going out.

SL - You've worked with some of the best champions in the world. Jean-Michel Bayle, Patrick Edlinger, Laird Hamilton, how are they to work with?
TMc - Most great champions are easy to work with as they’re very professional and understand the importance of getting great shots for the media and their sponsors. However they usually have big ‘egos’ and you must learn to get the most out of them.

SL - When did you first become interested in photography?
TMc - When I was 12. I had a little Instamatic camera and I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my uncle who was a photographer in L.A.

SL - Which comes first then, your interest in freesports or photography?
TMc - About the same time. Back when freesports wasn’t as big and the only place to see hot surfing ,snowboarding or windsurfing was in magazines and films, I got hooked into surfing and practised as much as possible, tryng to buy the best mags and dream with my friends.

SL - Do you use digital photography at all? And what's yor opinion of the new technology?
TMc - I don’t use digital cameras for my type of work. For me the quality and equipment still needs to be improved. I also find digital photography has a ‘to perfect ‘aspect to it. I don’t like the feel of the pictures. I will probably use some digital cameras soon but my regular cameras’ still have a good life in front of them.

SL – You were born in Australia, grew up in France, you now live in Punaauia, Tahiti and your work takes you all over the world, where is home to you?
TMc - I feel half Australian and half French. That’ why I’ve based myself in Tahiti to be able to live in a French environment whilst maintaning an Australian lifestyle.

SL - You’re a keen surfer yourself (and snowboarder comes to mention it), when was the last time you visited Coogee beach, where you grew up?
TMc - Last time I was in Sydney was a couple of years ago. I should be back there in a few months.

SL - You travel all the time to places that other people only dream of seeing, where does a man like you go on holiday?
TMc - When you have the life of a surf photographer you don’t really get the time and money to go on holiday. We’re so dependent on the weather conditions (waves, wind, snow, sun) that I spend half the year waiting for the good days to shoot. I guess those ‘waiting days’ are my holidays although it’s not quiet the same. I can’t seem to sit on a beach and read all day.

SL - Where is your favourite place then?
TMc - I would like to go and discover a new place I have not visited yet . Maybe trek around South America. Kicking back in Australia is always a treat.

SL - What's next for you?
TMc - I am curently creating a photography book on the French Polynesia. It’s an area as big as Europe with more than a hundred islands and atolls. I will dedicate the next few years to this project traveling to the most remote places in the South Pacific.

To keep up see

http://www.tim-mckenna.com/