Taking the Swell

Description

During a surf road trip through Portugal, I stood hundreds of meters away on a cliff, trying to follow my friends as small dark shapes in the cold water. I had photographed them closely throughout the journey, but here I knew only distance- two figures taking the swell beneath the open sky. I could not know if my shutter found them or one of the many strangers below; regardless, the moment held the same feeling of freedom I felt standing at the edge. See the following images to turn these dark blobs into the surfers in their movement [1] | [2]

All photographs are printed on Photographique Matte Paper – 180g, a high-quality professional photo paper with a smooth, non-reflective finish that preserves detail, tonal depth, and color accuracy.

Prints are produced in collaboration with RQR (RQR Taller de Reprografía), a small independent printing studio based in Valencia, Spain.

© Eliot Delmotte

Taken from Praia de Monte Clérigo, Portugal, in January 2025

Digital | 2×3