Another Great Moment in Surf Photography

Steve Sherman looks a raging bull in the eye and does not flinch.

Say what you must about Steve Sherman but his tireless work ethic and unparalleled enthusiasm for the Sport of Kings is something to behold. There are those who don’t appreciate, of course, like Kaipo Gomes-Balzer but these few are generally anonymous, or recently outed, Internet trolls who prefer to lob insults from far away, or Manhattan Beach. They are not brave.

But Steve Sherman is. He is as brave as he is handsome and, as evidence, just examine this great moment in surf photography right here!

It is 2009 and the North Shore is alive with feeling! Sunny Garcia, Hawaiian darling and powerful surfer, in the lead for the coveted Vans Triple Crown. He had done very well at Haleiwa. He had done very well at Sunset. All he had to do was ok at Pipeline and the honors and the glory would be his.

But he was late to his heat, mere ten minutes because he was getting fins from the Rothman house. Contest director Randy Rarick said “Alo-nah” though and Sunny was not allowed to surf, Torry Meister taking his spot, and Sunny did not win the Vans Triple Crown.

I was not ten yards away when this scene played out. Sunny was enraged. Furious. A stung tiger. Randy was hardened. Unmovable. They tugged of war over the contest jersey. Sunny screamed swears. Randy folded his arms. It was very uncomfortable and I wished I was elsewhere.

And Steve Sherman was not five yards away but he, brave and handsome, did not wish he was elsewhere. He waded even closer, in fact, capturing Randy’s stoic but more importantly Sunny’s hurt.

Look at Sunny’s face. Look at the rage and the resignation and the frustration and the pain. It is a beautiful shot, a great moment, but also look at his surf trunks. Affliction. A mixed-martial arts brand. Sunny could have just as easily waltzed over and taken his hurt out on Steve Sherman’s face. This great moment is what separates the boys from the men. And Steve Sherman is the man.