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Visual surf stimuli from the game’s best photographers.
Portfolio
Light / Dark
Point-runner imitation on the east coast of New Zealand. “This is typically a scattered beachbreak,” says shooter Rambo Estrada. “But there was so much south in the swell, it was like a Gold Coast right-hander.”The components of standard Tahiti imagery generally include cerulean colors, tropical irradiance, and fervent subjects positioned below sea level. A monochrome loft from Eithan Osborne breaks the form while retaining the constants of intensity and commitment. Photograph by Ryan Craig.
Keahi de Aboitiz at Teahupo‘o, in a much more common interplay of French Poly elements—albeit dramatically elevated by the refraction of light and photographer Tim McKenna’s drone angle.
Harry Bryant, North Shore, Oahu. “There was a lot of water moving due to a fresh swell, without a lot of engagement,” says photographer Thomas Lodin. “Harry found a board that was longer than he usually rides and saw some potential to dodge the rip, get in on the outside, and draw this Mach 2 speed line to connect to the inside section.”
Varied perceptions of time and progress due to varied perspectives and positioning.
A long view into the future in Ventura—and presumably its awaiting surf denizens. Photograph by John Barton.
Chris Ward, occluded high line at Off The Wall. Photograph by Grant Ellis.
Seth Moniz, minus the standard bait ball, in a rare solitary moment at Pipeline. Photograph by Ryan Craig.
Balinese kingfisher Rio Waida, looking for a place to alight at Keramas. Photograph by Hamish Humphreys.
Apiarist Chloe Martins-Keliihoomalu, Big Island. “Chloe’s a beekeeper for the University of Hawaii at Hilo and the community science coordinator for the ‘Ōhi‘a Disease Resistance Program,” says photographer Christa Funk. “Her day job is working with Hawaii community members to find wild ‘ōhi‘a trees that have formed natural genetic resistance toward rapid ‘ōhi‘a death, a new type of fungal disease attacking the trees. She exemplifies the best of Hawaii: talented, intelligent, and committed to her service to the Islands.”Jack Robinson, fanning his tail somewhere north of Perth. Photograph by Russell Ord.
Lachie Rombouts, a few hours south of Sydney. “He’s a local charger and one of the standouts in all the big-wave sessions that go down around this area,” says photographer Lance Morgan.
Uluwatu local Agus “Blacky” Setiawan, geologically framed. Photograph by Nate Lawrence.“I made this photograph with Dave Rastovich not too far from where we live,” says shooter Nathan Oldfield. “I’ve always really appreciated beautiful, wide shots of surfing that include a sense of context: landscape, wilderness, spaciousness. But lately I’ve been interested in shooting tight on the subject to explore the moments when the world and the crowds disappear, leaving just the wave and the surfer.
[Feature image: Aesthetic drive: Jai Glindeman, New South Wales. “Jai’s power and the commitment to the lines he draws align with making good imagery,” says photographer Duncan Macfarlane.]
