SUSAN MCDONALD: ALL ACTION PHOTOGRAPHYSUSAN MCDONALD: ALL ACTION PHOTOGRAPHYAfter 25 years working as a midwife, North Wales-based photographer Susan McDonald has swapped hospital wards for windy beaches and crashing waves. Inspired by the energy and drama of windsurfing and a lifelong passion for wildlife and action sports, Susan is now building her new venture, All Action Photography. In this interview, she talks about learning the art of photography, shooting in brutal conditions and capturing those split-second moments that make windsurfing such a spectacular sport to photograph.All photos: Sue McDonald: Click any photo to enlarge and scoll!WINDSURF: What inspired you to get into photography? SUSAN MCDONALD: Ive always enjoyed photography and have always been drawn to action sports, wildlife and dynamic images. Ever since I was a child, I loved reading about wildlife and being able to capture images of nature and movement.After working as a midwife for 25 years, I took early retirement and moving to north Wales I have started helping my partner with his business and that change in lifestyle also gave me the opportunity to focus more seriously on photography.Meeting my partner also introduced me to windsurfing and the energy and atmosphere of the sport really inspired me to start focusing more seriously on photography and capturing moments that would otherwise be gone in an instant. Watching windsurfing at events like Rhosneigr, and seeing professional photographers working in those conditions, was definitely a defining moment for me. It inspired me to take photography more seriously, invest in the right equipment and really start developing my skills.WINDSURF: What style of pictures do you enjoy taking the most?SUSAN MCDONALD: Action photography is definitely what I enjoy most, especially windsurfing because every moment on the water is different and unpredictable. Ive always been drawn to action sports, including mountain biking, snowboarding and I love capturing movement, energy, and split-second moments in a single image. I also shoot a lot of wildlife photography because Ive always had a passion for nature and capturing moments that cant be recreated.WINDSURF: What gear did you buy, and how do you like it so far?SUSAN MCDONALD: I shoot with a Sony A7 IV, which Ive absolutely loved so far. My first lens was the Tamron 2875mm f/2.8, which was great to learn with and still works really well for general photography and closer action shots.As I got more into windsurf photography, I added the Sony 200600mm lens, which completely changed what I could capture on the water. Being able to isolate the riders and freeze the action from a distance has made a huge difference. I also use a monopod with the bigger lens, which definitely helps during long windy sessions.Ive also had some really helpful advice from other world class windsurf photographers, including John Carter and Simon Crowther, especially around camera bodies, lenses and using a monopod for longer sessions. Advice like that has been really useful while learning.More recently I added the Sigma 1628mm f/2.8, which I enjoy using for wider shots and landscapes. I also use Hoya UV filters for extra protection, especially around the sea and spray.Ive also learned very quickly that beaches, wind and camera gear can be a stressful combination, so I use a rain cover to protect everything from the elementsespecially the sand, which somehow manages to get absolutely everywhere!Im still learning all the time, but Im really enjoying the setup and how versatile its become. Next on the wish list would probably be a second camera body one day, so I can switch between lenses more easily without worrying about changing gear on a windy, sandy beach. For now though, Im really enjoying learning with the setup I have.WINDSURF: What are your top tips for shooting windsurfing photography?SUSAN MCDONALD: My biggest tip for windsurf photography is to learn the sport and watch the rider, not just the settings on your camera. Once you start understanding what the windsurfer is about to do, you can anticipate the action much better and time your shots more naturally.Shooting in burst mode definitely helps because everything happens so quickly, especially during wave rides, top turns jumps and aerial moves. Autofocus can also be surprisingly challenging with choppy water, spray and constantly changing light, so Im still learning all the time.Lighting also makes a massive difference. The position of the sun can completely change a photosometimes it can make the water and spray look incredible, and other times it can make it much harder to capture detail properly. Im also learning more and more what makes an image feel dramatic, whether thats the light, the spray, the height of a jump or the angle you shoot from.Ive learned that patience is a huge part of it toosometimes you can stand in the wind, cold and sea spray for ages waiting for one perfect moment. Positioning also makes a massive difference, and changing your angle slightly can completely transform a shot.Id also say dont be afraid to take loads of photos while learning. I still come home with plenty that dont work, but every session teaches me something new.And finallyprotect your gear! Wind, sea spray and sand are brutal on cameras.WINDSURF: Does it help that your boyfriend (Adrian Jones) is a fully addicted windsurfer?SUSAN MCDONALD: Definitely! My partner competed at a high level in windsurfing and is still heavily involved in the sport through judging and importing Simmer Style equipment, so windsurfing is a huge part of everyday life. He also previously had his own windsurfing magazine, so he has a really good understanding of the sort of images that work well within the sport and what people want to see.Through him Ive been lucky enough to spend time around riders like Ben Proffitt and a lot of the British wavesailing scene, which has opened up amazing opportunities and helped me learn more about both the sport and photography.With him being head judge at events like Tiree and Rhosneigr, Ive also had the chance to see highly experienced photographers working in difficult conditions, which definitely inspired me and helped improve my own photography.Being around the sport so much has helped me understand conditions, wave riding and different manoeuvres far more deeply, which makes a massive difference when trying to anticipate and capture the action naturally.It also means I spend a lot of time standing on windy beaches watching sessions, which has probably helped my photography improve quite quickly.WINDSURF: Where is your favourite place to shoot so far?SUSAN MCDONALD: Thats a difficult one because Ive been lucky enough to shoot in some amazing places already. South Africa was incredible because of the light, the colour of the sea, the heat and the overall atmosphereeverything just felt dramatic and photogenic. I also had the opportunity to do some wildlife photography there, which was really special for me because Ive always loved wildlife and nature photography as well as action sports.But Tiree was also really special for completely different reasons. Obviously, the windsurfing action was amazing, but I also really enjoyed the non-action side of photography there more than I expected to. Capturing the atmosphere, the people and the island itself was something I loved.It was also great seeing all different levels of riders in one place, and having the opportunity to spend time around experienced photographers and the event team was invaluable for learning and inspiration.WINDSURF: Where are you based, and are there many good photography opportunities in your area?SUSAN MCDONALD: Im now based in Deganwy in North Wales, and honestly its an incredible place to be for photography. Youve got mountains, sea, wildlife and constantly changing conditions all within a short distance, so no two days ever really look the same.As a keen mountain biker I spend a lot of time out in the mountains as well, so theres always inspiration and opportunities to shoot. I love the combination of action, nature and landscape photography, so North Wales suits that perfectly.We also love snowboarding and have even managed to get out on the local mountains during last winter, which has given me even more opportunities to capture outdoor action photography. The mountains are also full of wildlife, from birds to the wild ponies, so theres always something interesting to photograph even away from the water. Were also close to places like Rhosneigr, which gives me great access to the windsurfing scene and action photography.WINDSURF: Do you have any ambitions or long-term goals in photography?SUSAN MCDONALD: My main ambition is really just to keep improving and pushing myself creatively. Id love to continue building my photography business and become more involved within the windsurfing and outdoor sports community through events, magazines and working with riders and brands.I also want to keep exploring different types of photography alongside the action side, especially wildlife and outdoor photography, because thats still a huge passion of mine as well!WINDSURF: What lessons have you learned so far while shooting?SUSAN MCDONALD: One of the biggest lessons Ive learned so far is probably learning to slow down and really observe whats happening around me. Photography has made me notice light, movement and atmosphere in a completely different way.Ive also learned that the most dramatic or meaningful images are not always the biggest jumps or most extreme manoeuvres. Sometimes its the light, spray, emotion or timing that makes a photo stand out. Even with action photography, I think its important to sometimes take a step back and tell more of a story rather than just focus on the manoeuvre itself.Most importantly, Ive realised that confidence and experience only really come from getting out there regularly, making mistakes and continuing to learn every session.WINDSURF: What have been the toughest challenges youve faced in photography so far?SUSAN MCDONALD: The conditions are probably the biggest challenge so far. Shooting windsurfing means dealing with strong wind, sea spray, rain, sand and constantly changing light, all while trying to protect expensive camera gear and still capture sharp action shots. Ive also found learning the technical side of photography quite challenging at times, especially understanding settings, autofocus and editing. With action photography, everything happens so quickly that timing is really important, and sometimes you only get a split second to capture the moment properly.I think another challenge has been learning what makes an image really stand out rather than just being a photo of someone windsurfing. Im still learning all the time, but every session teaches me something new.WINDSURF: Do you have a favourite photo youve taken, or a favourite windsurfer to photograph?SUSAN MCDONALD: I dont think I have one single favourite photo yet, but my favourite images are always the ones where the light, action, spray and timing all come together in a split second to create something dramatic.My favourite person to photograph is definitely Adrian, because hes the person who introduced me to windsurfing in the first place. Being able to capture him doing something he loves at such a high level is really special, and he constantly inspires me to improve, become more confident and keep pushing myself with photography.WINDSURF: Have you started your own photography business, and how can people get in touch with you?SUSAN MCDONALD: Yes, Ive recently started my own photography page and business called All Action Photography, focusing mainly on windsurfing, outdoor action sports and wildlife photography. Its something Im really passionate about and Im excited to keep growing and improving over time.If Im at the beach photographing my partner, Ill usually be capturing other riders out on the water as well, so people are always welcome to come and chat to me or check out my work on Instagram.At the moment the best way to contact me is through Instagram at @allactionphotography or by email (susan@k90.biz) while my website is still being developed.The post SUSAN MCDONALD: ALL ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.