Cape Solander is world renown for being one of the heaviest and most dangerous waves on the face of the planet thanks to unpredictably huge thick heaving barrels that break over a stupidly shallow and razor sharp rock ledge in front of a cliff face. It had been on my bucket list to shoot for a long time but the stars never seemed to align… until now.
Read MoreWorld's First Surfing NFT's
I am proud to announce the release of arguably some of the World’s first surfing NFT’s. The release includes a selection of exclusive one of one NFT limited editions. All work is my own original photos/art. 10% of all net sales will be donated to the charity Surfers Not Street Children which is an amazing charity in Durban, South Africa where they assist homeless children with care, mentor-ship, programs and introduce them to the magic of surfing.
Please feel free to check them out here, like and comment. More NFT’s will be added in the near future. Let me know what you think of the initiative, all feedback is greatly appreciated.
Hello, World!
Super Sessions: Southern Gold
The 31st of May 2021 proved to be one of the most perfect swells this past winter absolutely lighting up a undisclosed South Coast reef. With many big name surfers and underground rippers in attendance here is a flashback of what went down.
When I rolled up to the packed car park of this renown South Coast reef my eyes were promptly greeted by solid swell lines in the overhead to well overhead range, perfectly groomed by the crisp winter offshore breeze. I immediately knew it was on within moments of my arrival when I witnessed an unidentified surfer scoop into a large set wave on the outside bombie section. He fearlessly proceeded to backdoor the unnervingly shallow inside rock shelf and was rightly greeted by large hoots throughout the carpark as he exited behind the spit as the wave exhaled it’s last breath with fury. I couldn’t get out there fast enough!
After rocking off into the icy water I was greeted by a hungry but super friendly crew. I took up my front row seat on the end section of the inside rock ledge along side fellow surf photographers Ben Bagley, Zach Bowden and Joel Holland. My finger was firmly poised on the camera shutter button frothing for all the action to unfold.
There were a host of big names in town with the likes of Dylan and Summa Longbottom, Ianacio “Spud” Salazar, Lennix Smith, Laurie Towner, Laura Enever, Ellis Nicol, Ben Dunsmore, Aaron Cox all out in force. This highly skilled surfing crew definitely where not holding back trading off on heavy and thick kegs all morning long.
While not to be out done a strong bodyboard contingent was also out in force to snavel up any barrel possible including Aaron Gilmore, Roo, Joel Stibbard, Big Bip, Craig Archer and the infamous Lilly Pollard. The boogs were definitely in their element taking off late on the heavier double ups on the inside rock ledge before being spat out to the glory of the shoulder. It was akin to a feeding frenzy out there with almost no waves coming through unridden.
It was refreshing to see so many riders coming together to share amazing waves in such a stoked and respectful manner regardless of what board type was being ridden. Drop-ins were rare as everyone was patiently waiting their turn and everyone was genuinely stoked for each other. This is what surfing is really about, good vibes all around!
Over the next exhilirating three hours I witnessed countless perfect barrel after perfect barrel rear up and unload on the shallow rock shelf with most expertly ridden by all the chargers out there. While some heavy beat downs did unfold, none more heavy than when Dylan Longbottom ever slightly miscalculated his line on a solid backdoor bombie wave, potentially the wave of the day to boot. With waves of consequence like this it is a fine line between pleasure and pain as Dylan clearly illustrates below.
Despite all of the big names in the water that day it was local knee boarder Simon “the Sparrow” Farrer and a 16 year old underground charger Lennix Smith who stole the show. The Sparrow was a close contender for surfer of the day taking off deep and back-dooring set after set on the notorious bombie section. He’ has this spot absolutely wired and constantly caught and made the best barrels of the day.
While super grom Lennix Smith almost broke the internet this day. Lennix calmly lined up a perfect bombie section and stood tall with style and poise throughout the barrel to easily claim the wave of the day. I definitely see a big future for this kid who is surfing well beyond his years and is already one of the most renown barrel riders in the region. He comes across as super humble down to earth kid who is doing everything right at the moment. I’m calling it now, I firmly believe that if he can keep his head on his shoulders I would not be surprised to seem him competing on the WSL in the future as the kid has the perfect balance of smooth flowing technical surfing and strong prowess in heavy barreling waves.
I shot until my memory cards were full and my cameras battery exhausted. It was such a perfect session that will forever last in my memory. I had captured so much gold that it took me close to two full days of editing to get through all of the content. It was a truly epic session and it will definitely go down as one of the best of what was a great winter season.
South Coast Solace
We all know that surfing and enjoying the ocean swells is one of the most fulfilling and relaxing of life's experiences. A form of escapism if you may, it sounds cliche I know but while we are riding that wave nothing else seems to matter and all of life's problems seem to magically fade into nothingness as we are caught up solely in the moment. No more have we ever need a positive form of escape than during the past year couple of years that have been plagued by the Corona Virus.
With countless illness and unfortunate lives lost around the world, strict lock-downs and border closures, to say that this period was challenging is a massive understatement in itself. Across the entire planet we are all facing unprecedented challenges never seen in our lifetimes. During these trying times I am eternally grateful to call Australia home.
As a nation Australia has weathered the Covid maelstrom better than most largely thanks to our geographic isolation as an island smack bang in the middle of the Pacific ocean and also as a result of strict border controls and regulations from our Government. While life has been far from perfect especially with the recent outbreaks, lock-downs and social unrest attributed to the Delta variant I am still highly thankful that we have mostly been able to dodge the Covid bullet down-under. It still does not mean the situation here has been a complete bed of roses as the pandemic and long lock-downs has created numerous challenges to our mental health and physical well being as we all fight our own battles and personal demons day to day.
From a personal perspective the past 18 months have been some of the most challenging of my life from having high risk family members directly impacted by the virus (thankfully they are now safe and healthy), long multiple lock-downs and the added stress uncertain job security pressuring me to working seven days a week in an attempt to stabilize the financial boat... all of these pressures were starting to take a toll on my health and well being. When 2021 finally came around I found myself completely burnt out and borderline depressed. For my own personal well being I couldn't carry on like this. Something needed to change and needed to change fast. My soul needed rest and it was time to regain my happiness.
One thing that has always been a constant in my life is the sea. Mother nature’s soothing ocean vibes have always been a positive influence in my life and have been there for me when I have needed them most .Yet unfortunately during this challenging period it was one key area that had been distinctly lacking in my life. I decided that a drastic change was needed. It was well and truly time to bite the bullet so I aptly resigned from my jobs and made the the pilgrimage to relocate to South Coast of NSW, one of the most wave rich locations in Australia in an attempt to spend much more time in the salt by documenting the endless winter swells with my photography.
It has only been four to five months since I made the move but having locked into numerous perfect swells at world class locations it is panning out to be one of the best decisions of my life which is also directly reflected in the capturing of some of the best images of my life to date. You can see some of the fruits on my labour here. Being located far from city life I am strongly relishing the calm, friendly, relaxed and slower vibe here. Already I am seeing massive positive impacts on my mental health where I can focus 100% on the pursuit of happiness.
How feasible this lifestyle will be in the long term... who knows? But for now I know that I am the happiest I have been in years and my good old friend the ocean is largely responsible for that. It is good to have you back my friend.
The Pursuit of Happiness, the Pioneering Surfers of Papua New Guinea
As surfers in our constant pursuit of the perfect wave, a selfish act at times, it can become all to easy to lose sight of the true spirit of surfing and the associated happiness it brings not only to ourselves but to others. Recently pioneering Australian surfers Peter Noone, Ben Strangeways and Joseph O’Brien embarked on the adventure of a life time to Papua New Guinea in a quest to bring the life changing joys of surfing to this isolated region. This is their story.
Read MoreProduct Review: Kpaloa Swimfins
When selecting the perfect swim fin it is difficult to find the perfect balance between power and comfort yet the swim fins offered by Brazilian company Kpaloa have come very close to achieving this rare balance. Read on as we offer a detailed full product review of Kpaloa Homem Peixe Flow and Tritão models. Is it time for some Brazilian flair in your life?
Read MoreThe Beast Awakens, Deja Vu in Rio de Janeiro
While Rio de Janeiro may be most renown for its world class night life and vibrant culture but those surfers in the know quietly keep to themselves knowledge of top quality waves hidden there if you only know where to look. The true quality in Rio lays in the handful of near dry slabbing reef breaks oh so quietly scattered throughout this beautiful vibrant city. At one such reef I was about to score some of the best waves of my life.
Read MoreSydney's Sculptures by the Sea 2018
Sculpture by the Sea held at Bondi beach, is one of Sydney’s and in fact Australia’s most popular events being the largest annual sculpture exhibition in the world. Each year over 500,000 visitors from throughout Australia and the world view 100’s of sculptures by artists from all corners of the planet.
Read MoreThe Viking Surfer, A Norwegian Arctic Tale.
Mention the country of Norway and often the first thing that comes to mind is visions of Ragnar Lothbrok and bloodthirsty Vikings, harsh Arctic landscapes, long winter nights and savagely freezing temperatures …. the last place you would expect to find world class waves. Yet for the brave few like Australian Chris King the thrill and adventure associated with challenging such extreme conditions is precisely what draws them to the rugged Norwegian coast in the search for liquid treasures in the land of the Vikings. This is the tale of the Viking surfer.
Read MoreGoing Out With a Bang! New Years Eve Sydney 2018.
The midnight fireworks display in Sydney harbour is one of the most popular New Year's Eve celebrations on the planet with over one million Sydney residents watching the amazing event in person and with over one billion viewing it around the world. I was super keen to capture some images of this highly anticipated event as I had never tried my hand at firework photography so I was pumped to give it a nudge. Come see how I got on.
Read More10 Reasons Why You Are Crazy NOT to Visit Colombia!
When I first told my family and friends of my plans to visit Colombia most thought I was crazy and some even went as far as attempting to talk me out of it. On the contrary I firmly believe that you are crazy NOT to visit Colombia and here are my top ten reasons why.
Read More10 of the World's Best Surfing Destinations for Beginners
When was the last time you packed up and left for a new destination, leaving routine way behind you in the search for waves? But if you’re going to learn to surf, make sure you do it the right way! Read our complete guide to find out where to begin your awesome new journey and catch your first wave.
Read MoreLobitos, Perfect Waves in a Peruvian Ghost Town.
Hidden in the middle of the Peruvian desert in the most Northern reaches of Peru lays an abandoned ghost town named Lobitos, the unlikely home to some of the best waves Peru has to offer. If you are in search of a truly unique surfing and cultural adventure then look no further than the famed shores of Lobitos.
Read MoreProduct Review: Sea Frogs A6xxx Salted Line Water Housing for Sony A6000 - Test Run
With rapid advances in camera technology surf photography is no longer reserved for professional surf photographers and cash laden individuals as affordable high quality camera equipment has made surf photography accessible to the masses. Unfortunately expensive surf water housings have remained out of the financial reach of many... well that was until the recent release of the new Seafrogs A6xxx Salted Line water housing. Read on as we put new Seafrogs water housing through it's paces with a test run at one of Sydney's heaviest beach breaks
Read MoreAn Evening at Vivid 2018, Sydney, Australia
Sydney is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful modern cities on the face of the earth today. Over the course of three weeks in May and June each year this stunning city becomes arguably even more beautiful during the Vivid Light Festival. During this vibrant festival Sydney becomes a rich canvas of brilliant light installations and projections making this period one of the best times of year to visit this amazing city.
Read MoreProduct Review: Sea Frogs A6xxx Salted Line Water Housing for Sony A6000 - Unboxing & First Impressions
The newly released Salted Line A6xxx water housing from Sea Frogs designed specifically for the Sony Alpha A6000 camera range (A6000, A6300 and A6500) has been creating waves within the surf photography industry largely due to it's feature packed offering and highly affordable price tag. We offer a detailed product review and low down on this fantastic new product so you can find out what all the fuss is about.
Read MoreFlorianópolis, Brazil, a Surfer's Paradise Island.
Sitting just off the mainland in the deep South of Brazil lays a beautiful paradise island that is home to some of the best beach breaks in the entire country. Welcome to Florianópolis, a surfer's island paradise. Many who hold the opinion that Brazil lacks quality surf obviously have never laid their eyes on the stunning beaches of Floripa.
Read MoreProduct Review: SurfEars 2.0 Ear Plugs
Commonly known as surfer’s ear (exostoses) is a common issue faced by many avid surfers but if left unattended can create some serious health problems down the track and in the worst case scenario permanent deafness can result. In recent years SurfEars have established themselves as the market leader in surfing ear plugs designed to prevent surfer’s ear. It was about time I found out what all the fuss is about.....
Read MoreA Day in Beautiful Paraty, Brasil.
Come take a walk back in time along the gorgeous cobblestone streets of old Paraty. Paraty is a stunningly gorgeous Portuguese Colonial town located on the Costa Verde in the South of Rio de Janeiro state. This quaint and romantic little town is a photographers dream, a city of a million postcards.
Read MoreThe Favela Life, AK's and Bodyboards. Bodyboarding in Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro.
Located in Rio de Janeiro, nestled in the valley between the imposingly beautiful peaks of Dos Irmãos and Gávea lays the infamous sprawling Favela of Rocinha, home to some of the most talented bodyboarders in Brasil. Despite the numerous challenges associated with the Favela life nearby Praia São Conrado has become a positive escape and a hotbed for talent for the bodyboarders of Rocinha. This is their story. This is their life.
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