While gusts of wind over 50 miles per hour might send most running for the shore, professional photographer Dave Sandford suits up and wades in. His work captures Lake Erie at its most turbulent, creating mesmerizing images that show the grace and power of the natural world.
For former sports photographer Dave Sandford, shooting Lake Erie's monstrous waves is not unlike his past job. "Things happen very fast, in the blink of an eye," Sandford said.
Anticipation is key. Before heading out for a shoot, he reads the weather and surf reports.
Sandford wears a wet suit, life vest, gloves, and neoprene boots "on set." His camera gear is protected with underwater photography gear from Aquatech Imaging Solutions.
Sandford typically spends a half-hour or so studying the water from the shore — where the waves break, what direction the water moves, and how his exposure is.
"There are so many variables to consider before even releasing the shutter for that first frame," he said. "The better I can acquaint myself with the situation ... the better my images are going to be."
Fortunately, Sandford is quite familiar with his subject. He grew up 40 miles north of Lake Erie, where he fished, boated, and sunbathed.
His photography requires at least 50 kilometer-per-hour winds blowing southwest. These conditions almost guarantee waves over 20 feet. "The stronger the better," he said.
Once he determines conditions are safe, Sandford wades into the water. Temperatures on the lake in winter hover around the freezing point.
"The waves are like being in a giant washing machine and come from all directions," Sandford said. No two shoots are the same. Advertising
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