Jack Robinson - The Box
ONE SHOT:
The story behind the image – Russell Ord explains how he ended up in the impact zone at the Box and snared an iconic image of super grom Jack Robinson
Where: The Box, Margaret River, WA
When: 21/3/12 8:42am
Surfer: Jack Robinson - “I Remember taking off seeing Russell Ord deeper than every photographer in the lineup, it was a perfect wave and definitely one of the most unique photo’s I’ve ever had, haven’t had a shot like that since then, can’t wait to get another one like this again someday”..
Photographer: Russell Ord
Equipment: Nikon D3s, 16mm - 1/2000s, f/8.
The who's who of surfing was in town for the Margaret River Pro; this was before the infamous Box was part of the mobile event that it is today. At any stage, you could look across the bay and see incredible wave after wave while the comp was being held at Main Break in front of the car park. The next day I knew all the elements would align for a pre-sunrise swim to shoot with a wide-angle (fisheye) before it got too out of control in the channel with the paparazzi.
Spence Hornby was staying at my place at the time and was shooting wide angle with myself, and if I recall correctly, Damea Dorsey. All three of us were critically out of position on the wave before; we all got sucked into the impact zone, which was borderline knee-deep in places. We were in for a considerable beating. I have this little trick I have used in the past (Gnaraloo, Tombstones) where I duckdive a little earlier and try and find a deeper hole to swim into to stop getting compressed on the razor-sharp reef, and I used it in this instance, along with wedging myself against the rock walls (as the wave exploded above). I submerged seconds later, and there were no signs of Spencer or Damea, and then Jack 'Mini' Robinson (14 years old, at the time) was on the next wave. This time, while I was still in a crazy position, there would be half a chance of getting a shot of an angle I’d dreamed of getting out there. Remember this is not a beachie; this is the notoriously nasty Box. Ask Spencer how he went on that flogging, his whole calf muscle was ripped open, and I was laughing at the commentary from the channel of photographers trying to send him in because of all the blood; there was no way Spence was going in until he was exhausted.
The shot from behind was certainly part skill and lots of luck. To this day, I have not got another one even close. So many things can go wrong shooting from that angle (injury/water hitting your port, amongst other things). The cherry on top is that photo became the cover of Tim Bakers book: Australia's Century Of Surf. It’s always nice to look back and see what is possible and maybe one day in the future getting something close again.
LINKS:
RUSSELL ORD / TIM BAKER / JACK ROBINSON / SPENCE HORNBY / DAMEA DORSEY
More images from the same session and Tim Baker’s book cover!
