Jay Davies And A Moment Of Vivid Clarity, Western Australia

Rarely do surfing’s three most-desired natural forces align, but when they do it sure creates reason for photographer and surfer alike to celebrate. On this particular day in Western Australia, photographer Mike Riley, Jay Davies and pal Jake Perkins lucked out with the full trifecta; puffing off-shore breeze, sufficient energy and golden sunshine. Noting the exceptional visibility in the water, Mike grabbed his housing, swam out and clicked this frame of Mr Davies, streaking down the line, encased in a glass-like bubble, the low-tide reef merely inches below his fins.

“It was a beautiful day on the ocean,” recounts Mike. “Really light off-shore wind and the water was as clear as it gets. You could see every bit of reef as we watched the sets roll through from the car park. This wave isn’t known for being user-friendly and doesn’t always have an easy exit, but it is defiantly one of the most photogenic waves I’ve ever shot. It looks good from just about every angle – until it closes out! The tide was super low and every wave just about sucked dry. I went for the underwater angle because I don’t get water clarity any thing like this very often and I always get excited when I get a chance to shoot these kind of shots.”