Surfing
Perfect Shot: French photographer’s click of surfer Medina becomes internet sensation
Jerome Brouillet's image of Gabriel Medina's wave exit captivated millions online with over 3.8 million likes.
The viral image of Gabriel Medina’s celebration after perfect wave exit (Photo Credit: Jerome Brouillet)
In the world of sports photography, capturing the perfect moment can often be a fleeting and elusive achievement.
However, French photographer Jerome Brouillet managed to do just that during a recent Olympic surfing competition in the French territory of Tahiti.
His stunning image of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina has garnered immense attention in social media with more than 3.8 million likes.
The perfect moment
French photographer, Jerome Brouillet was on the verge of capturing something extraordinary when Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina took on one of the day's biggest waves.
"The conditions were perfect, the waves were taller than we expected," said Brouillet.
Waiting on a boat beside the wave, Brouillet was poised for the moment Medina would 'kick out'—a term used to describe a surfer exiting a wave at the end of their ride.
When Medina emerged, celebrating his impressive 9.9 score by pointing a finger in the air, Brouillet was ready.
His camera clicked at the precise moment Medina seemed to defy gravity, appearing suspended in mid-air with his board mimicking his stance.
"He is at the back of the wave and I can't see him and then he pops up and I took four pictures and one of them was this one," said Brouillet.
"It was not hard to take the picture. It was more about anticipating the moment and where Gabriel will kick off the wave," he added.
The image perfectly conveyed Medina’s exhilaration and confidence in achieving the perfect ride.
A viral sensation
The photo, reviewed by Brouillet's editors, quickly resonated with audiences online, although Brouillet was initially unaware that it went viral.
"I was just checking my phone on the six-minute break after the shoot and I had lots of notifications on social media and I thought something is happening with this shot," he said.
"It's very cool, it's a nice shot and lots of people love it. It's not really a surf photograph so it captures the attention of more people," he concluded.
