Looking back at 2011

What a great year it has been!! I managed to get myself my very first magazine cover, had a crazy trip to France, spent some time in Bundoran, witness some of the most amazing waves Ireland has, had some amazing weddings with shoots from forests to the cliffs of moher, finally bought waterhousing for my camera and thats just to name just a few things that happened. 

It's been an absolutely amazing year for me and id like to thank you all. Everyone who has helped me along the way or read the blog. Thank you everyone!!

I decided to have a look through the last 12months of pictures and pick out some of my favorite moments. Have a great new year!!

2011

January

Peter Conroy changing boards on the back of his Jetski. I was driving Dave Blounts ski when I took this shot. Amazing evening out with the boys and some of the most perfect waves Iv ever seen. Everyone went home happy. 

February 

I couldn't leave Mullaghmore out of this post. This is the very first sight I got of the beast on the contest day in February. What a day that was for Irish surfing. 

 March
The hand of shaper extrodinare Tom DH. Tom shapes are under the feet of some of Irelands best. I was fortunate enough to get a chance to shoot Tom at work. It was good to get an insight into shaping surfboards and see how it all works.

 April
What can I say about France. Madness!! A trip I will never forget.

 May
On my way home from a wedding in Spanish Point when I saw this guy in a field. The light was nice.

June
Ah summer!! This photo was taken down in Doonbeg beach when I was waiting for the tide to push up a little.Theres nothing like a good session in Doonbeg in the summer time.

July

I love this shot. Aaron Dees, Conor Mcguire & Donough Cronin making there way back from a surf.

It got published in the recent Tonnta.

 August
David Mannion & Fionan Cronin. Two of the four lifeguards that look after Lahinch beach all summer.
2 years ago we did a cheesy posey photo of the lifeguards and its become a little yearly tradition now. This is just after this years shoot. David cut his foot open and started losing a crazy amount of blood. Fionan making sure he is ok by pointing and laughing. Heres this years photo lifeguard photo http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=223395681055836&set=a.163556863706385.43684.100001562166665&type=3&theater

September
I was extremely lucky of getting the job to shoot the European Championships for West Coast Surfer. It was great to be part of as it has been a long time since the Euros were held here.
Here is one of the Portuguese doing there thing.

October
I love when you get these rare days in the middle of the winter months.
The lovely Spanish Point.

November

I suppose this photo has to be Novembers picture. This is Hugh Galloway on an absolute tank of a wave and is also the same photo that got me my first cover of Wavelength magazine. 

 December
Jayce Robinson at the Peak.
After spending a lot of December up north in Bundoran this has got to be my favorite shot. Just the light, the spray and everything makes it. It just has a nice feeling of speed and power to it.

So there you go. A few of my memories from 2011. 

Looking forward to spending more time in the water during 2012 and also meeting new people along the journeys. New Website is launching on January first so keep an eye out for that too. 

Everyone have a great New Years!! 

All the best

David

Home for Christmas...

One week i'm home the next i'm back on the road. Madness!!
Heres a few shots from recent weeks on the road..

Missing a gem

 Jayce Robinson on a nice little curl.

My favourite Bundorian Conor Maguire at his local loved Blackspot.

I got to spend some time with Tom "frothing" Butler too.

Jayce's modeling career has yet to really kick off but he believes he can do it..

 Lyndon with some late evening fun at the Peak.

Fergal pulling off this wave at Mullaghmore. One of the most powerful shots of my recent trips thats for sure. Mad to see someone paddling on the edge of waves like that. Amazing to see the boys pushing the paddling.

 Lyndon, Pros fall sometimes too.

This photo was taken during some of the maddest winds iv experienced. The news and papers were saying all different things, 50kph, 80kph, 100kph. Im not sure what this was but Butler was stuck in that same spot unable to fight the wind as he walked back after a surf. It was howling!!

 Few days later we have this. Its mad how quick weather changes in Ireland. Pre surf check at dawn in Mullaghmore.

 Paul OKane, man, myth, legend with a stylish bottom turn.

 Ronan Oertzen on a little gem. This is a fun fun wave.

In between that travel iv been busy setting up the new website and getting all the image ready for it. Im super excited about it. Its launching on the 1/1/12 and my great website designer Roo is working hard to get it all done for me, Thanks ROO!!!. So when your all hung over on New Years day you can go have a browse at it. :) http://davidolsthoorn.net/

The new Tonnta is out and its looking great.
I just got my copy today and im stoked with it. Plenty to read in there.
Check out the cover by Olivier longuet and go buy yourself a copy..

So thats it.. Really happy with the recent ventures. Iv been in the water learning more and more everyday and meeting loads of new great people. Loving it!

Plan for the next few weeks is to relax. Stay put in Whitestrand for the Christmas and enjoy some beverages with family and friends. Ahh Christmas!!!
Have a great Christmas & New Year everyone!!
Roll on 2012!!!

Life in the Liquid...

It has been a funny few weeks. Lots of madness, the most recent being going on a road trip to Bundoran for a few days and not coming home for 2weeks. Been exciting to say the least. Finally got home to sort out all the prints for the Christmas season.

In other news I want to tell you all about a new series I am working on at the moment.
Iv called it "Life in the Liquid".
Life in the Liquid is a range of images from the water around Ireland. Moments captured in between the madness of swimming around in storms and angry seas. I hope to let this series grow over the next few months and years and hopefully have a nice range of images to show off in a Gallery one day.
The series only has 7 images so far but is growing and growing.
Here are the first 7 along with a little story about the image with each.
Would love to hear some feedback.. :)

no.001
This shot was taken in the Spanish Point area during a lovely sunny day last month. Theres not a lot of water under this wave. I was standing taking this shot.

no.002
I love this shot! I love it even more because its my back garden. I was out for a swim in Whitestrand one evening and managed to get this shot of the Gulls in the evening light.

no.003
These next 2 are a sequence from A spot in Fanore that is just mad for shore dump waves. This wave breaks on about a 4ft deep shelf of rock. Amazing for shooting as you can just stand there and get a smashing. Not so good when its sharp Burren rock that you get bounced off.

no.004

no.005
Same spot in fanore. Just going mad.

no.006
My initial thought for the Life in the Liquid series was to not have any people in it but after getting this shot of Bundoran's Conor Maguire looking back on a nice atlantic wall of water I changed my mind. I love the lighting in this one and Conors body language too.

no.007
Another Evening with amazing light. This for those of you who cant make it out is the back of a wave. You can see the offshore winds blowing the water off the lip with a moody rainy sky in the background.

So that can give you a good idea of whats to come. Life in the Liquid will be updated on the Facebook page and on this Blog so keep an eye out. 

Life in Bundy

I got a call to head up North for a few days to spend some time with Lyndon Wake and Jayce Robinson.
Cameras, Laptops and not enough clothes and I was off on a trip to Bundoran.

What started as a 3-4day trip got extended and extended and is now at 11 and counting. Pretty Exciting stuff. It has been great to get in the water with the new housing and learn more and more.
Living with the boys has been good fun too. I haven't been kicked out yet either which is great. We've had a few different people pop in including Oli Adams, Tom Butler and filmier Luke Pilbeam has been doing an edit for the boys too.
Its been a week filled with lots of waves, cold water missions, PingPong championships, nights out, early mornings and lots of healthy eating that i'm not used to.. :)
Happy days in the house of Lords.

Heres two of many shots from the last 10 days.

First Cover!!!

When I started shooting surfing properly about 2years ago getting the cover of a magazine was the pinnacle. Its was a big long time goal. I guess two years of being freezing at the top of cliffs and on Jetski's have paid off. This is it, I cant believe it. I really cant. I still have to pick the mag up and see it in person, maybe il faint? Big shout out to the rider Hugh Galloway and the crew at Wavelength.

Absolutely Delighted!

Go Trev Go!!!!!!

Its funny when your out in the water and a few people start shouting "go go go!!!" Your mentality of deciding what you can handle and whats a stupid wave to go on seems to go out the window and all you can think of is going for it. In this case we have one of Emerald Surfwears masterminds Trevor Whelan (who has avoided making an appearance on this Blog until now) making the wrong decision. Damien Conway, Clem McInerney and myself are guilty for shouting go.

I also screwed up the setting on the camera as i was just swimming out at the time and was getting a pounding on the inside but still a funny picture.

Good man Trevor! The bruised ribs and vertebrate where way better than the embarrassment of not going for it!!

Thats Clem above doing.. something.

Here we have Aaron Reid, another day in the office.

Damien Conway getting ready for the piggy pig.

I messed up on this one too.

I have an exciting new project started up at the moment too. More info on that in the next post!
Have a nice week everyone!