Photographer Daniel Russo captures a perfect moment.
We live in a video clip world but I’ll tell you what, it’s still the surf photo that stirs my loins most. I don’t want to spoil the above masterpiece with too many words here but I will give you some bare bones. For context etc.
It was taken by, I think, the world’s greatest swimming photographer Daniel Russo. I don’t know that “swimming photographer” is an actual category but we don’t operate in the “actual” here. We operate in the “what should be.”
And swimming to one of Oahu’s many and scary outer reefs is… something very special. Swimming with a heavy camera wanting to pull another friend to Davey Jones’ Locker. Swimming while monstrous swell churns and boils, while surfboards shoot like rockets is… well, it is truly something very special.
Russo said of the shot, “Serious egg beating and arm extensions.”
I don’t doubt. I will also never try.
The shot itself is framed perfectly and captures the horrifying/exalting moment all surfers know so well, even if most surfers know it so well only from peering over the ledge of 3-4 foot beachbreak.
Would you mine sharing one of yours? Either a story or photo of you on the edge maybe going or maybe not?
I love that moment surfing. Absolutely love it while having no idea if the surfer in this particular masterpiece, Evan Valiere, went or not. Maybe that’s what I love most about it. I don’t ever want to know if he went or not.
But I do want to know if you went or not.
IB is a bit of a Meanie, but the photos exist
pics or it never happened!
I have no photos of this.
IB might dig some out if so inclined.
Me? Nothing.
I speak in metaphor.
IB is the opposite of a kook.
“We are all kooks in our own way”
that is a way to late your are fucked moment. Wait sorry. Am I too late? Should I pull back on this? fuck . see you after the wipeout and vomiting
Was out at 15′ Lanikeas in 89 or 90. I was in the inside with everybody else when Brad Gerlach paddled past us to the outside. He caught the wave nobody wanted and as he paddled back out, he passed us with our heads looking down at our boards just about,smiled and looked towards the outside as if to say it’s out there if you want it.Haha..um no, I was shitting my pants as it was. I’m in Melbourne, I found out Bradd was in Torquay last year and emailed this story to him and he laughed. Nice guy
go back to Kansas, kook
I think you are in dangerous waters with that talk.
I really hope you are making a funny.
it was getting pretty late but there was time for one more. in hindsight a bad decision. but bad decisions seem to occur in the latter stages of solid sessions. 12 to 15 but relatively short period. it had been getting a bit messy for the last hour so, when I committed to the last one, my vision blurred. I teetered on the point of no return, it all felt like slow motion. I tried to react but nothing responded. I went straight down backwards. as the bar stool toppled over, I went with it, beer in hand. I passed out, pissed my pants and got 16 stitches in the back of my head.
Surfed that place 10′ to 12′ late afternoon with a sixer of Heineken in me. My friend lived right on the beach and had a party on his deck and i got carried away.
Bad move but 10′ is a lot different than 15′ to 20′ so it wasnt a fatal move.
I have a similar photo my girlfriend took with her Nokia 8210. It was maxed out North Steyne, 2-3 ft low tide, draining so hard I had to eject my 5’8 SciFi onto the poor tourists standing in the shallows below me. Lucky I was wearing my fluro rashie on top of my springy, so she knew who to photograph. I almost got my hair wet
off the pipe? coaching surf school ?
I know Russo is good, but levitating 6 feet above the water is next level.
How much acid before seeing this,did you take?
looks like he is pulling back, not dropping in. Not that he wouldn’t go. Evan charges
damn that’s beautiful. also, this is why i still love print magazines so much. photos on paper make me so very happy.
IMHO the special thing with this frame is that it stirs up an emotional response… deep down in the ticker… and that’s the difference. (chasing big ones at dusk… oohhhh spooked)