Swine Flu

Last sunday I found myself getting off a plane in Mexico City and being handed a pamphlet about this "Swine Flu" pandemic. I was on my way back from a 5 day Peru mission. As for now, I'm feeling good and don't think any of those little buggers got in me. Here's a shot of me working on the shots from the trip.

COVER

This months issue of Surfer Magazine has a photo I took of Greg Long earlier this year on the cover! It's one of those "If I told you I would have to kill you sort of places" so don't get any ideas as to where this wave is, because these lips are sealed!hahaha. Inside the issue also has a couple spreads too!

Billabong XXL 2009

I just wanted to say a HUGE congratulations to my friends Derek, Greg, and Twiggy for taking home the big W at the XXL awards last night! Derek won the Monster Paddle in of the year only 6 months after breaking his leg surfing in Tavarua. Greg rented a party bus to take us all up there and the good times only got better. Here are a few shots from the night...
Look for a more in depth review of the night on surfermag.com

Back home after 5 weeks

I am back home in San Diego from a 5 week trip to the southern regions of our world. We started on a 2 week camping/wilderness trip that will be featured in an upcoming Surfer Magazine issue and than flew into an incredible 3 weeks of waves on the Goldcoast of Australia. It's 4am and I've barely slept for the past 4 days...Jetlag and traveling has kept me up. Here's a few photos from my trip and will put a few more up once I get some sleep..

G'day Mate!

Hello friends, I'm checking in from down unda. Yes the land of Oz. Australia is a weird place for me. For one reason or the other it has always been really good to me. The first time I ever flew in, we were surfing perfect Kirra hours after landing. Kirra is one of those waves that rarely breaks and to fly into a swell there is pretty random. Fast forward to my 4th trip (the one I am on now) and here I am having just gotten out of the water from another 2 days of perfect kirra with another week of cyclone swell on tap! I love Australia!!! We've been shooting a ton and I've even slipped in a few sessions myself.

Here's a quick writeup that we did on the Billabong Australia Website and look for new photos soon!

http://www.billabong.com/au/blog-post/284/my-mate-todd-is-tops

Random collection of photos...

sometimes the moments searching for waves, or after a surf are the most rewarding. Here are a few moments that I came across that I shot over the past months...

Caribbean Adventure

I just got back from a last minute trip down to the Caribbean with a couple of the boys from Billabong to shoot alongside there film crew to gather clips for their upcoming film titled "Filthy Habits." It is a sequel to there original film made 20 years ago which featured all of there best surfers surfing at there best around the world. I had less than a days notice to prepare for it and it was a great trip from the get go. We had a ton of fun trying to find waves, dabble in the culture, and make new friends along the way. I owe a huge thank you to the crew at Billabong for inviting me on the trip and look forward to the story coming out in an upcoming issue of Surfer Magazine!

Chris Christenson on Surfline.com

Surfline.com has a new part of the website titled "Surfline San Diego."  It consists of local shapers, surfers, and waves in the San Diego region.  I recently got to go to Chris Christenson new shaping wherehouse and shoot a story titled "Shapers Bay."  What was special about this assignment for me was the fact that Chris made my first ever custom surfboard, a 5'2 twin fin fish that I still ride!  Inside of his factory is black and white zebra painted walls that are inspired by the WWI fighter ships which were painted that way to act as camouflage to prevent being attacked by submarines.  We had a great time shooting and I thank Evan at Surfline for choosing me to shoot the project and Chris for being so generous with his time.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/eclectic-local-shaper-gives-true-meaning-to-the-word-craftsman-shaper-spotlight-chris-christenson--surfline-sa_21744/

Recent Publishings part II

Here is the Transworld Story!

Recent Publishings

2009 is here.  2008 came and went and before I know it, 2010 will be knocking on our door and just around the corner.  It's been nearly a month since my last blog and that is far too long.  I have been all over the Pacific coastline chasing down swells for the past month and a half and am enjoying a moment of rain and wind to catch up, get some sleep, and work on some projects at home.  

The Story that I shot in Europe and Spain for Transworld Surf came out last month and I was so stoked on how it came out!  I owe a huge thanks once again to Chris, Justin, Casey, and Aaron at Transworld for sending me over to cover the 2008 Nixon Challenge and another thank you to Mike and Brandon at Nixon.  I hope to be a part of another project soon!

In Last months Surfing Magazine I had a write up in the front end of the magazine about winning the Follow the Light Foundation in addition to two, double page spreads!  One was from a trip to Baja last July and the other was shot in Oceanside during the fall.

During last Novembers large Mavericks Swell.  Derek Dunfee and I flew up last minute to luck into some of the most perfect 40-60 foot waves this stretch of coast has seen in a long time.  Without the use of a jetski or boat to shoot from, I chose to sit on my bodyboard and get a bit closer to the action.  After 11 hours of shooting, my arm was sore, I was freezing, and am stoked that Surfer Magazine did a write-up on me as a contributor photographer in addition to using one of the images as a double page spread!  There is more on the way...