IMAGES of surfing are an integral component of representing the lifestyle of coastal communities like Sutherland Shire.
As part of the Cronulla Surf Retrospect (100 years of Sutherland Shire surfing) event being held in February there will be many opportunities to capitalise on the rich body of work that local photographers have built up in this centenary of surfing.
In this pictorial retrospect there will be several opportunities for the general public to be involved.
The Cronulla Central Gallery is booked for a 100 Years of Surfing exhibition from January 26 to February 28, 2015.
Chosen from submissions to the surfretrospect.com.au website, 40 local photographers can have their own standout image of the Cronulla surfing scene displayed.
This will cover all ages and eras and will be launched with a special opening night at Cronulla Central where several professional photographers will have an exhibition/history talk about some of their most relevant works.
There will also be an unveiling of a new history panel in the Cronulla Surfing Gallery.
This will lead into the selection of the best published photo of Cronulla.
From 16 images the public can cast their votes online here (see poll above) and selected venues to choose the winner which will be unveiled at the final gala dinner at Cronulla Sharks club.
The Cronulla beaches have been blessed with the presence of some of Australia's greatest photographic talent, especially since the birth of modern surfing in the '50s.
The back catalogue of first generation photographers Jack Eden and Bob Weeks is that of Australia's surfing history.
In that next decade through the magazine Surfabout and the Pictorial History of Surfing book there is not a picture missed that chronicles the birth of our surfing life.
The '70s was the next big movement in surf, and local photographers Peter Simons, Dave Shaw, Steve Core, Greg Button, Peter Soleness and others filled the pages of every surfing magazine produced on Australia's east coast.
With the birth of the modern pro tour and the coming of age of the Kurnell wonder kid Mark Ochillupo, local newspaper photographer Paul Sargeant threw it all in to follow this travelling circus for the next decade bringing images of the wider world back to our beaches.
Surfing was now established as big business and people like Jon Frank, Shorty and others left to pursue careers leaving lensmen Chris Stroh, Tim Vanderlaan and Greg McCarthy to look after the local angles.
The digital age brought photography back to the people as cheaper cameras and longer lens availability, along with better water housings and a more cavalier attitude meant every young grommet is armed and dangerous — recording themselves and and everybody around them in living colour!
** John is the Leader's chief photographer and Cronulla Boardriders Club patron.
See more on the exhibition at Surf Retrospect.