Stevie Poterlot - In front and behind the Surf lens

Can you introduce yourself briefly?

Hi, I'm Stevie Poterlot, a 29 years old dad, I'm a plumber (heater repairs), I have my own company and on summer, I love to teach my passion for surfing.

You live in Vendée, can you describe the conditions of practice and the surfing community there?

I live in Olonne-sur-Mer, straight in the middle of all the Vendeens spots. Here, we regularly have small waves and a lot of choice to surf: reef, point breaks, beach breaks,... from beginners to advanced. Only tube sessions over 1.5m are missing sometimes.

The atmosphere is cool in the area, there are clubs and surf schools for young to old people. They are old persons (+40 years, sorry) who want the tranquility of yesteryear, tourists for the weekend who come to change their mind. In short, everything is perfect if you don’t meet a surfer who come to consume and not to enjoy the pleasure of surfing.

There is something in Mauritius too, I think, no?

My wife is Mauritian, so a part of me too, moreover I spent a part of my childhood in Reunion Island.

We try to go there regularly to see the family and also to surf! The waves are incredible, the food too and I do not even tell you how kind are the Mauritians.

You are one of the ambassadors of the Saint-Jacques Wetsuits company. Can you tell us about your appeal for this brand? What’s the piece you can’t live without?

Yes it's been two years now that I surf with Saint Jacques wetsuits. The one I love the most is the polo 2mm neoprene wetsuit for warm places, but for cold water it's really the 4/3 Stan quick dry wetsuit that allows me to surf more than two hours on winter.

You are also passionate about surf photos, so you prefer to surf or shoot? How do you choose?You already had some beautiful appeared I think? Do you prefer to be in front of or behind the camera?

Yes I’m a big fan of surf photos, the choice is often hard. Normally, when I look at the conditions I first take some pictures, and after it is strategically according to the tide, the envy and if there are a lot of people in the water or not.

I have been collaborating with Surf Session Magazine for several years now, I already had double pages, and there, dozens of hours spent in the cold are rewarded. https://www.facebook.com/stevehautphotographie/

Be behind the lens is a sense of excitement and motivation to capture an intense moment shared with the surfer or just with the ocean. Sometimes I like to share the same thing but on the other side of the lens, it happens that I lend my equipment to friends to have my own memories.

What are your plans for this summer and next winter?

We don’t really plan to leave again, 3 months in a warm place last winter was great for me, my wife Lincy and my daughter Malïa. But certainly just a week apart!

A big thanks to Saint Jacques Wetsuits for giving me the chance to be equipped with a reliable and unique equipment.