Inside Look: Zak Noyle – Action Sports Photographer

We see them every day. While some are more are inspiring or spectacular than others, we tend to take them for granted — unless they come from the lens of a master craftsman encapsulated within the perfect moment.

I’m talking sports photographs. And those who have tried to take them know how incredibly difficult it can be to capture a moment moving faster than most of us can think. 

What are the factors between another filtered Instagram shot and the photo that makes the cover of Sports Illustrated? What sets apart our selfie loving friends from the professional photographers who get paid to ride waves with the best surfers in the world?

I hit up Zak Noyle, world renowned action sports photographer and Red Bull partner, to ask him a few very straight forward questions on what it takes to be a pro photographer in the sports world. 

Pros vs. Amateurs

Josh: We live in an era of very impressive camera-phone technology; many may even have DSLRs. However, what really separates the pros from the amateurs?

Zak: It is not what you shoot with, it is how you shoot it — something my dad has always told me.

Make what you have in hand to use the best that it can be. What separates the pros is the eye for the unique shot, its creating, coming up with the idea and executing the image in such a way that it puts the viewer there. It will be interesting to see in the near future where photography goes as many new photographers will arise from this digital phone and DSLR era then ever before.

How do you break in?

Josh: How difficult is it to get into sports photography? How would you recommend someone getting opportunities today?

Zak: Sports photography is a very attractive type of photography to shoot, with the high action and exciting subjects. I was a very strong swimmer and that helped my surf photography big time by being comfortable in the ocean when shooting large waves. Finding your niche into what you excel or can be different in your sports photography will help to excel this process to make you stand out.

Starting with surf photography I started to work with Red Bull which gave me many opportunities into the world of action sports, giving me the opportunity to expand my shooting skills to shoot triathlons, dirt biking, diving, wake boarding, amongst others. It was a really great door to break down and explore and expand my views.

Creating a good relationship with a company or magazine can help a lot to give you opportunities; this relationship not only comes from shooting great imagery as requested with your creative twist on it, but being loyal and on time!

Josh: What was your ‘big break?’

Zak: My big break came after a few years of submitting images to Transworld Surf magazine with no feedback or comments or image use, but one day I created some truly unique imagery and was instantly hit back by the photo editor Pete Taras. I was shocked he called me and wanted to use some images from me. He also sent me many skate and snowboard magazines to look over and review on angles styles and portraits the way they shot them so well. I stayed loyal to working with Transworld as freelance for a year until a position opened and I was offered the spot on the staff photographers team.

The best moment

Josh: What’s been the most exciting moment for you captured on camera?

Zak: The most exciting moment I have captured is always changing as new adventures arise. I feel a great image always has a wonderful back story and journey of what it took to take that image, I look at an image and it instantly takes me back to that moment and what it took to get.

I recently swam out to Teahupo’o in Tahiti, as there were no available boats to be shooting safely from. So there I was swimming between these big boats with a 50mm lens and fins on, the waves were gigantic, guys were using jet skis to tow in as paddling was not possible in at this size and speed of wave. A few waves looked like they were going to land right on me as I swam inside of the boats to get a different angle. The shots I got have that story of being scared and what it felt like to be right there in the water shooting. I ended up getting a cover of Surfer magazine with one of those shots 

Related: Top 10 Surfers Of All Time

Josh: How much editing goes into your shots?

Zak: I do not edit any of the images you see in Surfer. They have one photo editor that does that so they are all in unison in the magazine. I do a fair amount of editing just to get the image to the original state that I had seen in the water. I try to shoot it and expose correctly to a point where it is what I see and want to be seen. It is much more gratifying to create the image within the camera than to do too much post work.

What not to do

Josh: What are the things newbies might not realize when entering this career? Biggest mistakes people often make?

Zak: The biggest mistake newbies make when starting to do surf photography is to make sure to work well with others, not only the athletes but with other photographers and companies. Within each industry these things are well known. If you can’t travel well with the athletes then no matter how well you shoot you won’t be a first choice for a trip, shoot or job. So always be respectful, put in your time and things will fall into place in which ever path you choose.

Camera shopping?

Josh: Best affordable camera on the market for an amateur to get his/her feet wet?

Zak: I use Canon for all my shooting; it really is a personal preference, as my dad shot with Canon and many lenses were handed down.

The canon Rebel T5i is a great starter DSLR camera. The camera body helps, but really invest in good quality lenses. A good sharp piece of glass will make such a big difference in the quality of images. the better lenses are faster with beautiful glass.

Josh: Biggest guilty pleasure? (while on or off the job)

Zak: I just love being in the ocean. So any chance, any moment, whether shooting or not, I just love being in the ocean. My girlfriend says I have gills, so if i stay out of the water too long she says I dry out and get grumpy. It is just my home and there is no better place to be than in the ocean.

Josh Helmuth is the editor of CraveOnline Sports.