In a packed auditorium at the always-bustling Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach this week, with the lights dimmed and scores of industry heavy-hitters in hushed attendance, five of the surf world’s most promising young photographers presented their portfolio slideshows for the 2011 Follow the Light benefit. The FTL foundation honors SURFING Magazine’s late and legendary Photo Editor Larry “Flame” Moore, whose impact on every photographer in the crowd — past, present and future icons — was obvious.
In the end it was Duncan MacFarlane of Australia whose slideshow (below) was awarded the $5,000 grant in Larry’s name. Congratulations to Duncan and the other four finalists, each of whom earned every hoot, whistle and round of applause from the Shorebreak crowd. The future of surf imagery is in good hands.
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Wow. McFarlane rocks the house!!!
Great slide show. Great photographer. Duncan deserved the win. Congrats.
Really? Slightly soft focus, marginally exciting, and it represents Flame’s standard? Sorry. Not for me. Keep at it though Duncan. You can’t please everyone.
im going to win it next year
Every year you guys put up the photos but never include what the photographer is going to do with the money.
Congrats, Duncan! Pleasure meeting you! Fornthose interested, all 5 videos can be found at: http://www.vimeo.com/user7227677/videos/sort:date
Congrats, Duncan! Pleasure meeting you! For those interested, all 5 videos may be found at: http://www.vimeo.com/user7227677/videos/sort:date
Agree with Mik. Mostly average images in this portfolio. None of the speed blurs really work, fair composition at best and overall it lacks a ‘wow’ that I would expect from a flame award.
I didn’t see the others work, but it must have been a weak year overall. Keep shooting guys…
I take that back about being a bad year…Just looked at Ricky Lesser’s work. Outstanding. I don’t know Ricky, but my opinion is that he should have won.
duncan is a sick guy
so many people with so many cameras in the surf world and thats it.
totally agree with mik.
come on guys, LIFT but dont copy !!!!!!!!!
I think Duncan’s selection showed extraordinary range and depth for someone barely into his 20s and he thoroughly deserved to be granted this award. Larry would have yelled at him about the horizon a couple of times and demanded he shoot more front-lit material, but underneath he’d have loved it all. Good stuff.
I think that a few people have gotten side tracked with what (I get the feeling) that follow the light is about. I didn’t get the impression that it was about copying flames style of photography and being the same but rather it wad about flames passion and commitment to photography and harnessing that and encouraging up and comers like Duncan to active more in the industry.
it was about flames passion and commitment to photography and harnessing that and encouraging TRUE.
BUT its still a competition, and what a few people have said is that they dont think the level was high as it could of been or that there could or should of been another winner.
i think quincy has the most technically correct shot photos with some nice moments in there.
no disrespect to any of the other kids.