A stunning shot of a surfer skimming a towering mass of water off the coast between Denmark and Walpole has been named a semifinalist in the world’s premier sporting and action photography awards.

Photographer Trent Slatter took the picture of The Right wave, otherwise known as the Black Rainbow, from the back of a jet ski several years ago.

He entered the photo in the 2026 Illume Awards after trying, and failing, to capture the “rare diamond” wave this year, and ended up being selected as one of 750 semifinalists out of 15,541 total entrants.

“It’s compared to three of the world’s most popular waves in Tahiti, Hawaii and Portugal,” Slatter said.

“It’s heaven, but you have to wait five to 10 years where it all lines up.

“I’ve tried three times this year and have probably been out there 120 times in my life over the past 20 years.

“It hasn’t been very good at all recently, but when it happens, it becomes a celebration, an event and people come out the woodwork to see it.

“It’s like the circus has come to town.”

To reach the elusive wave, Slatter is taken out about a kilometre offshore on a jet ski driven by his friend Ben Hodge and waits for several hours to see it break, often returning to shore without a single successful photo to show for it.

The pair, who are lifelong friends, work as a team.

“He’s my eyes and ears and puts me in position of what he wants to see,” Slatter said.

“I’m a reflection of what Ben wants and my job is just to press the trigger.

“We were out there for four to five hours about six weeks ago and I actually got hyperthermia — my hands went blue and the fumes of the ski ate me up — but it’s so much more about the adventure than just the photo.”

Taken with a Canon EOS 7D II, the snap features Margaret River surfer Dan Ryan on what Slatter estimates to be a wave topping 5.2m in height.

“I took the punt entering (Illume) as most competitions charge you but this is a free one and holds heaps of rank,” he said.

“It’s a pretty big deal and every sports photographer from around the world enters at some point.

“We’re just little West Aussies punching up against the big boys and we live for the underdog story, but I’d honestly rather just get the wave again.

“The ocean is what it is but I’ll keep trying to see the Black Rainbow.”

Finalists for the awards will be announced at the end of September.