On the crest of a wave

The master of capturing surf on camera Mike Lacey, of Waves Gallery, shares his Cornish dream.

Mike grew up in Windermere but as soon as he could drive, Cornwall and its amazing surf were his first destination. Riding and capturing the waves became more than just a hobby when Mike opened his first gallery in the harbour town of Porthleven and he now spends his days chasing the swells around Cornwall, looking for the ultimate in wave photography.

“The turquoise blues of the ocean and perfect summer skies filling the frame are simply stunning, leaving many people speechless as to its real location…”

“Capturing a wave in its most beautiful and critical form before it breaks is such an amazing feeling,” says Mike. “Those moments are there for just a split second and gone the next, but they are so breathtaking when caught in a still photo.” Now with two galleries, one in Porthleven and the other in St Ives, Mike is able to print and display these moments to almost lifesize proportions for everyone to enjoy. This allows the viewer to be transported back to the very moment the photo was taken, invoking all kinds of different feelings.

Mike explains: “The way my images bring out people’s imaginations is another reason I continue to take them and ‘Cornish Dreams’ is a prime example of this. The turquoise blues of the ocean and perfect summer skies filling the frame are simply stunning, leaving many people speechless as to its real location  – the dream of a tropical island destination not being so far away.”

For Mike, being able to capture the beautiful coastline of Cornwall brings him so much joy and hearing people’s reactions to his photographs when they walk into the galleries is just incredible. “I really am living the Cornish dream!”