Surf

I have been a surfer since I was 5 years old and caught my first ride to shore on a rubber mat. Since that fateful day I have pursued good surf with an unrivaled passion, and have dedicated my life to living near the ocean. There is no other sport like surfing. In what other sport can you ride a wall of moving water in a delicate balance between grace and destruction? Surfing is more like a religion. Its devotees are as fanatical as any religious fundamentalist, often shunning a life of wealth (and responsibility) to pursue the doctrines of this bizarre sport. To me, it’s no wonder: surfing provides one of human beings’ most direct and exhilarating communions with the natural world.

I never thought of myself as a sports photographer, but then again, surfing is much more than a sport. Surf photography is more difficult than most people imagine. Waves frequently break a long way from shore, so a photographer either needs a huge lens to get close to the action, or a water housing to swim out into it. I use both. I am fascinated by water, and this is just another way for me to experience it and explore it visually.

I try to approach my surf photography much like I do a good landscape photograph. All photography falls under the same scrutiny when it comes to good images versus mediocre ones. The surf magazines are inundated with average photographs taken by an army of surf photographers who want to make a living off of their habit. (Not many of them manage, by the way). What I enjoy most is shooting line-ups, which are pulled-back perspectives on a surf spot that show everything about it: the shoulder, the channel, the shoreline, the landscape around it. I compose them with the same care that I would give to any landscape photograph.

My surfing habit often takes me to faraway destinations, where I am hoping to find quality surf, minimal crowds, and a cultural experience to spice it all up. During my two decades of wandering the globe, I have discovered some places that have warranted repeat visits. In this portfolio are some of those places, as well as some of my favorites from right here in California.