Terence Wins 3rd Place at the Berlin Photo Awards

I’m incredibly happy to share that my photograph “No Exit” has been awarded 3rd Place Overall in the Sports Category at the Berlin Photo Awards.

The Berlin Photo Awards is an international photography competition celebrating outstanding photographic talent across a wide range of genres, with images judged on creativity, technical excellence, originality and artistic vision. To place third in such a competitive international category, alongside photographers and imagery from around the world, is something I’m genuinely very proud of.

The moment behind the photograph

The photograph features surfer Royden Bryson taking on a huge, thick and seriously intimidating wave.

From the moment he committed to the drop, it was clear this was going to be a heavy one. He managed to save the initial drop and make his way into the most powerful part of the wave, but at the critical moment, he unfortunately went over the handlebars — being thrown forward and straight into the thick, powerful lip.

For me, getting into position for a shot like this is almost as challenging as the photograph itself.

When waves get this big and heavy, an enormous amount of water is moving around. After every set, a powerful rip can tear through the lineup like a river, pulling everything down the beach. As a photographer in the water, I have to constantly swim against that current, trying to get myself back into position before the next set arrives.

There is also a huge amount of anticipation involved. You have to try to foresee which wave is going to produce the moment, judge where the surfer will be, predict where the most critical part of the wave will come through — and somehow be in the right place when it all happens.

And then, when it does happen, there is no second chance.

Your settings need to be right. Your framing needs to be right. Your timing needs to be right.

Everything happens incredibly fast.

I thought he was hurt

When Royden disappeared into the wave, I honestly thought he might have been injured. The impact looked brutal.

At that point, getting the photograph was the last thing on my mind. I was watching the water, waiting for him to surface and hoping he was okay.

Eventually, he popped back up.

Thankfully, he was alright.

Only then did I look down at the back of my camera to see what I had captured.

And there it was.

Royden was completely airborne, falling headfirst into the thick, heavy lip of the wave, right in the most critical part of it — and somehow, I had been in exactly the right place.

No Exit.

The title felt perfect.

It was an incredible attempt by Royden, an intense moment to witness, and a photograph I’m extremely grateful I managed to capture.

To have “No Exit” awarded 3rd Place in the Sports Category at the Berlin Photo Awards makes the moment even more special.

I’m incredibly proud of this one.