Surfing Photgraphy

I've got a 20D and my friend let me use his 70-200L IS 2.8 to take to the beach and shoot some surfers. I plan on shooting in the mornings when the sun is to my back and the lighting is less harsh. What settings would be a good start? Apature,F-stop,ISO. I hope my question is not to vague.

i think thats very hard to answer. All those questions will all depend on the light that morning.

I keep my aperture around f/8, ISO as low as possible, and will shoot AV or manual depending on what the clouds are doing. Shooting in the morning is good as the light is to you back and the waves are usually (95% of the time) glassy.

You'll want a fast shutter speed if shooting at the long end and subject is moving. Up the ISO so you can shoot at 1/500. Choose the aperture on the kind of creative focus you want.

More... Need an exposure crutch?

Light and tide wait for no man...

set a fast shutter speed, at or above 1/500. 1/1000 is better.

try a circular polarizer, which can darken the sky behind the surfer, enhance the color of the water and cut down on glare in reflections off the water surface. Shots with a CP get better contrast on faces.

You don't need much DOF, just enough to get in the surfer and most of the board. Stop your lens down 1/2 to 1 stop below wide open.

then adjust your ISO to get the right exposure. The white foam in the surf should be just below blown-out. shoot in M mode, unless the sun is ducking in and out of clouds.

I don't know what your conditions will be, but for me 70-200 is too short. I usually use the 70-200 with a 1.4 or 2x extender or a 100-400.