It's eerily quiet and still pitch black, that pre-predawn time of day when you cannot sleep and the sunrise is still at least an hr+ away. Somewhere water is boiling; perhaps in a kettle, the impact zone or better yet both.

The pre-coffee jitters of anticipation, coupled with high hopes of a good swell, crisp light, and calm conditions effectively render the need for an alarm obsolete. 

A faint bzzzzzz is audible from the other room; Instagram dm's, "where we headed today?" Now staring out the window with a freshly brewed cup of caffeine speculating about waves can distract from where our focus should be because documenting swells is some of the most fun in the world; plus capturing and sharing moments unique from any other for yourself and whomever else you wish to share with is sweet, but having the right equipment dialed in is paramount to success in this otherworldly landscape surrounding what we know as the sea.

So sit down, strap in, and let us review everything you'll need, to achieve being the best surf photographer you can be.