Surf shots - best setting???

I've just taken posession of my new 30D and it's my first purchase since moving into the D-SLR side of things after spending years using slide film with successful results.

Was hoping people with experience in surf photography with Canon D-SLR's might give me a few pointers to get me started.

Having turned the camera on I was amazed by all the setting options that were available to me but it does get quite confusing.

Would love to hear peoples suggestions on setting up my camera to get me started atleast. I mostly shoot stuff with the sun on my back and hardly ever take shots without sunshine.

I have a Sigma AF 120-300mm EX DG f/2.8 along with a Sigma 1.4x DG tele-converter if this helps and prefer to shoot at ISO 100.

Thanks in advance...

FREDO

I always shoot manual
iso 100, sometimes 200 and 250
f5.6
1/1250"
of course those are my ideal settings
A good starting point is take some test shots of the whitewater and try and get the histogram as far to the right without clipping the highlights. I tend to use partial spot and center weighted metering more especially for backlit days. Single point AF, AI Servo and learn to use RAW. Hope that helps.

The only thing I would add, or do differently, is that my stops range between 3.2-5.6 (maybe 8 if there is a great background) and I use the * button for focusing.

WB is also kind of hard with surfing shots. I found you can easily get a blue, green, or slightly yellow cast in the white wash if you're not careful.

--Dave

Cheers guys -

I was going to get to White Balance!!! Is it best to set the WB to daylight mode or follow the steps to get a custom WB (shoot the whitewater of the intended subject) and go from there???

With the 120-300mm f/2.8 I intend to use it wide open the majority of the time where fast shutter speeds are needed.

I guess it's all trial and error at this early stage but I just wanted a basis to get started and work from there.

FREDO

I don't worry about white balance and just shoot RAW. When you start shooting at 6 am and finish at 11 you'll experience many lighting changes.

As far as settings go, what hookup said about the histogram is the same thing I do. If you don't want any blur in the surfer stick to shutter speeds at or above 1/500.

all the above comments are good. here are a few more: a circular polarizer filter helps cut reflections and brings out the color in the water. I bring a small plastic trash can lid, and drop it top down in the sand to make a platform for my monopod foot. Bring a towel or other opaque cloth to put over your head and camera, so you can see the LCD screen -- on a bright day that can be hard to read.