Planing when there are no whitecaps?

How come I see guys in the magazines planing when there are no whitecaps, and they aren't even on big boards or big sails?

Is it:
a) They are anorexic and weigh about 20kg?
b) New sails and boards are better than my 5-8 year old sails? (surely not!)
c) the photographer has cunningly kept the breakwater out of shot and it is actually 20 knots?

I saw one photo and it said the wind was 4 knots and he was using a sail like 5.6m or something and he was shredding massive waves. How would you even sail out there let alone get cranking fast enough to catch a wave... am I missing something or is it just because Im Australian?