Enno Oldigs, perhaps better known as Wingfoilshots on Instagram, was one of the first interview partners here on Wingpassion and was there with his camera right from the start. Enno is a passionate wingfoiler himself and you can see this in his pictures. They perfectly capture the atmosphere and the feeling we all have for this great sport. After almost three years, it was more than time to have a chat with Enno again.
Hi Enno, how are you? It’s been a while already…
Hi Swen, nice to get together again and have a chat. It’s been a while since we last spoke. When I look at the pictures from the first article, it feels like ages ago. The DUOTONE Echos and the first OZONE Wing are still on it, if anyone can remember. A lot has happened in the wingfoil sector since then, whether it’s the material or the manoeuvres, wing foiling has just gone through the roof.
Enno, you are a very close observer of the wingfoil scene. What has changed since the early days compared to today?
One thing that quickly becomes apparent is that the spots have become much more crowded and that the number of kids has increased enormously. Thanks to the rapid development of the equipment, even the very young can now start wingfoiling and after two months they’re jumping all over us old hands. That’s a bit depressing for us, of course, as it sometimes takes longer to learn new moves, or do you feel differently? (laughs)
Are there certain trends that have crystallised?
In terms of materials, the foils are getting smaller and the boards have less volume. I can only speak for myself, but I’m currently riding a 4’9 board with a volume of 65 litres at 85kg body weight and that as a one-board solution. It’s similar with the foils, last year I still had a 1500 qcm foil for light winds. This year my biggest foil was 1250 square centimetres. However, I only used it once. My favourite front wings are the 800 and the 1000 Free from Fanatic.
A lot is also being tried out with the wings. Different materials are being used for the cloth and Aluula is becoming more and more popular for tubes. I find these developments in all areas very interesting and as a rider you notice the differences. Let’s see for how long, at some point the development steps will certainly become smaller and not all of us “normal” wingers will be able to understand / feel every step.
There’s a real hype about downwind foil boards at the moment. Have you already noticed this or is it only happening in a small group?
To be honest, this hype hasn’t quite reached me yet. Of course you hear from one or two people that they’re interested, but it hasn’t really got to me yet. But maybe that’s also because I’ve never been a SUP fan, so I’m a bit of a stranger to the paddle. I’ve also never got into pump foiling, although that’s something you can do well in Kiel’s inner fjord. I tried it briefly two years ago, back then with large wings, which didn’t make it any easier. Now with the specially developed pump foil wings it has perhaps become easier. At least I hope so. Let’s see, maybe this will be a lull alternative this winter.
I asked you this last time, but what’s the first thing you do when you get to the spot? Take photos or wingfoil?
That has indeed changed a bit, as my level of wingfoiling has also increased. When the conditions are good, I now often go out for a short session myself before I get the camera out. However, I usually have a GoPro with me on the water so that I can at least take videos if the wind dies down. Then I at least have some material for an Instagram story or reel at the end.
How many photos do you take on average per week and how much time do you spend on photography?
That’s a difficult question, as it depends on several factors. First of all, of course, the wind, then who is where and when on the water and what the light conditions are like.
I switched to a new camera at the beginning of the year, which has many advantages (better autofocus, lighter body, etc.), but it can also shoot 40 images per second. After a session, you can quickly end up with 2000 photos. And then the work starts: sorting out and editing. Of course there is a lot of waste, but you have to view the images. To come back to the question, my workload regarding Wingfoilshots has definitely increased since we last spoke. I sit at my computer every day for Wingfoilshots and create content for Instagram. I would say I spend 2-3 hours a day on it.
Do you still edit your photos?
Yes, the photos are still edited in Adobe Lightroom and then a bit in the Instagram app. What used to be the darkroom is now Lightroom. It’s just part of it and it’s fun. But you shouldn’t overdo it, you have to be a bit careful.
What are the best conditions for you to take photos?
It’s still best when the light is right. There’s sun and clouds to create a contrast. The water colour should also be right. The Baltic Sea is certainly more appealing than the Wadden Sea in the North Sea. It’s also nice if you have a good foreground or, of course, an appealing background, which makes a photo much more interesting.
Which perspectives do you like the most?
That changes from time to time, at the moment it’s the one from the water. Let’s see how I like it in winter, when the water temperature is below 10 degrees. (laughs)
I’ve seen on Wingfoilshots that you’re now photographing more and more from the water. How did this step come about?
I bought a water housing a long time ago, but only now have I got round to getting to grips with it. I mentioned that I had switched to a new camera model, but unfortunately it doesn’t fit into the water housing and I can’t operate the camera with all the setting options. The water housings are always adapted to the individual camera bodies. In general, I find the perspective from the water very interesting, you are right in the middle of the action and not just an observer on land.
However, I have realised that luck often plays a part. Sometimes you think, oh, now I’ve got a few good pictures and then there were drops of water again that interfere. It’s a bit reminiscent of photography in the days of film, where you only knew what had come out after developing. It’s similar here, I only know if there was anything there when I get the camera out of the case and look at the photos on the screen. That makes things more exciting again.
Are you also planning to take photos out of the water in extreme wave conditions?
I haven’t thought about it yet, so in Hanstholm, for example, I don’t need to be in the water between windsurfers, kiters and wingfoilers, but if there’s a good spot somewhere with experienced wingers and a big wave, why not?
Would you like to tell us about your water equipment?
Gladly. I use an Aquatech water housing and have a dome port and a flat port. The dome port is the one that I am usually using so that I can put on a wider range of the lenses. I then either put my old Canon 5D MK III in there, which is then fully operational, or my new Canon R6 MK II, but I have to set everything up beforehand and can then only release the shutter. Unfortunately, these water housings are very expensive and there isn’t much of a second-hand market here to sell the “old” one. That would certainly be different in the USA or Australia.
Are you now able to earn part of your living with wingfoil shots or photography?
Oh, that would be nice! No, I’m not there yet. However, I can finance my own wingfoil hobby better and invest in my photography equipment.
My Wingfoilshots account still only contains pictures that I’ve taken myself. I’m pretty sure that if I were to go down this route and also post other people’s content, my follower numbers would increase quickly and I might be able to monetise the account a bit more. But then you’d be just another wingfoil account out of so many…
I noticed on Wingfoilshots that you were at the Youth World Cup on La Palma. Was that a coincidence or were you booked?
We went there together with the Christahls (Hubert, Wilhelm, Konrad, Biggy & Timo) and spent some time together on holiday before the event.
I then accompanied the DUOTONE / FANATIC team as photographer at the Youth World Championships. There were 11 riders from very different countries. The event was really remarkable to watch. To see Malo Guenole or Chris MacDonald live, how they shoot themselves into the 3rd floor and then smash out a front 1440, is quite an experience. The trip was definitely worth it and La Palma is definitely worth a visit!
In which direction do you think wingfoiling will develop?
If I knew… then I would keep it to myself (laughs). I hope that the material battle will become a little less and that we can perhaps get by with a front wing that has a wide range of use. A slightly larger wind range for the wings would also be nice. But it also depends on what you want. Which conditions you like and which spots you go out to.
What’s the next event on the programme for Wingfoilshots?
If the forecast is right, I’ll go up to the GWA Wingfoil Worldcup in Hvide Sande from 03.09.2023 – 09.09.2023 to hopefully get some decent action shots there.
Enno, thank you very much for the interview! We wish you continued success with Wingfoilshots.
If you want to have really nice pictures of yourself wingfoiling, you can also book Enno for an individual session. You can find contact details on Enno’s website wingfoilshots.com .
