"All the photos in the exhibition were taken within an hour of sunrise or sunset," said photographer Steve Wall when I asked about his first solo showing. "And because I'm shooting from a ski or in the water it means I'm often launching the ski or dodging waves - big waves - in the pitch black."

Yet despite the maelstron happening before and after, Steve's photos are paradoxically tranquil. Thus the title of the exhibition: Unlikely Oasis.

Those fleeting moments of serenity are what Steve has been seeking for over two years now and he's taken his share of barbs along the way. "People thought I was mad when I started doing this," says Steve with a laugh. The only person who believed in Steve's crazy ideas was his lighting assistant and right hand man, Dom Dixon.

To capture the images Steve bought a studio lighting rig ("Which wasn't at all cheap," was his obvious understatement) and got it water-proofed. You see, the kit is not made for water - it's wholly out of place anywhere near the ocean. He then set about figuring out how to use the damn thing via a long and expensive process of trial and error. This was Steve's own trip, there was no instruction manual to download or user group to join.

He's got a tonne of stories about close calls and opportunities missed. Steve was making his way into unknown territory, shining a light as he went, yet gradually he began to master the dark art of flash-filled photography.

The best of Steve's work captures colours rarely seen in surf photography; deep navy blues highlighted by brilliant whites that give the waves a brittle quality. Gilded light stretches over the far horizon signalling the end of Steve's outdoor studio work for the day. This is what will be showing at Unlikely Oasis.

"These photos lend themselves to enlarging," says Steve. And to that end he's reproduced many of the photographs up to 1.3 metres wide. "I want the exhibition to be as immersive as possible." Steve makes no secret that these works justify the best materials and the best presentation.

The planning doesn't end there. "The last photo is taken in the lowest light," says Steve. Yes people, they have been hung in a particular order and he expects - or at least, hopes - they'll be viewed that way. Just pick up a beer and start walking towards the left.

There is, after all, a method to Steve Wall's madness.

Unlikely Oasis is showing at MAF Gallery, 3 Market Lane, Manly, from the 3rd to the 6th March. Opening night is this Thursday 6pm-9pm.