SURFERS CAPTURED BY ONLINE BUSINESS

PICTURE this.

You’re out surfing any of the spiralling point breaks or beaches for which this part of the world has become famous and your every move is captured by a photographer on the beach.

The pictures are then uploaded to a site where they can be viewed and bought.

It made a whole of sense to the entrepreneurial duo of Martin Rawlinson and Ryan Deagan, who are now reaping the benefits of photographing everyday surfers and giving them their day in the sun.

Through a network of ‘pay-per-photo’ photographers, the duo capture and upload surfing sessions all over the Gold Coast and simply email the images to online customers.

Rawlinson is the managing director of web design company Not Another Number and had the technical resources to bring Deagan’s concept to fruition.

“Ryan was surfing one morning at Kirra when he rode what he describes as the wave of his life. As he was coming out of a backhand barrel he saw a photographer on the shore who gave him a big thumbs up,” says Rawlinson.

“By the time Ryan paddled in the photographer had left and the idea struck him that some money could be made by creating a business from this.”

The website www.surfedtoday.com.au was launched in January to a positive response from the surfing community. Rawlinson says the joint venture had minimal start-up costs and expects heavier marketing to increase sales.

“It’s amazing that this concept can be commercialised so cheaply. Even 10 years ago you would have to have had a studio with rolls of film everywhere – it just wouldn’t have happened without modern technology,” he says.

“Once we begin really pushing the brand and increase our marketing presence on the beaches, we expect the concept and the website will gain a lot more traction among the surfing community.”

The business is also getting enquiries from surfers who want to have customised shoots.