The Story
Why spend so much time chasing these images?
My love of the ocean started early
Ever since my childhood, getting in the ocean to bodysurf, bodyboard and surf has been a regular part of my life. It goes back 4+ decades, spans thousands of hours in the water (and much time in cars driving to/from), includes wear and tear on my body (too many stitches to count, a torn labram in my left shoulder, torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder, concussions, etc.) and memories of rich times with friends. And many burritos.
Then photography came into my life
As a kid, I remember enjoying taking photos with my little 110 camera, purchasing flashes at the local drug store. And then purchasing an Ansel Adams poster and a print of a glacial lake when I was in High School. Once married, I started taking photos when traveling and then, once we started having kids, I got my first DSLR to capture memories of the family.
In 2015, it all came together
After finishing a grad program in May of 2015, I purchased a GoPro camera with money given to me as gifts. I immediately started taking photos of waves. I was hooked. Before long I had a Sony A6300 and a water housing. Things progressed naturally from there.
Now I am obsessed
Every day I follow the weather like a stock broker watches Wall Street. I am looking for those windows when all the variables line up - the wind, the tide, the swell, the light, the location, and my calendar - to capture these images.
3 Things I Have Learned
Beauty
There is something about the colors, the movement, the lines and the textures that draws us in. The beauty of the ocean stands alone.
Power
A one foot wave can knock you silly if you aren't looking. The pure intensity of the ocean energy is to be respected and enjoyed. Sometimes from a distance.
Wonder
No two waves are the same. No two micro-seconds of wave behavior are the same. The energy behind a wave may have come from thousands of miles away, yet each one has the capacity to awe us with its unpredictability.
