Surf photographer Daniel Russo captures the awesome power of shore breaks
- Text by Alex King
- Photography by Daniel Russo
Photographer Daniel Russo has swum in some of the world’s most powerful waves to capture surfing’s A-listers like Nathan Fletcher or Joel Tudor destroying Puerto Escondio, Pipeline, and Cloudbreak.
Hawaii-born Russo is the only photographer to have the cover of Surfer, Surfing, and Transworld – all in one month.
When he looked back towards the beach after the action had passed him by and focussed his lens on the waves exploding against the shore, he discovered how to capture the awesome power and the mysterious beauty of the ocean.
In this edit for California eyewear brand SALT Optics, Daniel explains his relationship with the sea and the story behind this incredible series of photos.
You might like
The stripped, DIY experimentalism of SHOOT zine
Zine Scene — Conceived by photographer Paul Mpagi Sepuya in the ’00s, the publication’s photos injected vulnerability into gay portraiture, and provided a window into the characters of the Brooklyn arts scene. A new photobook collates work made across its seven issues.
Written by: Miss Rosen
The heady bliss of Glastonbury Festival after the music
Not Done Yet — While the weekend’s headliners and stacked line-ups usually draws the majority of the attention, much of its magic occurs after the music stops. Mischa Haller’s new photobook captures the euphoria and endless possibilities of Glasto’s “in between” moments.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Confronting America’s history of violence against student protest
Through A Mirror, Darkly — In May 1970, two separate massacres at American college campuses saw deaths at the hands of the state. Naeem Mohaiemen’s new three-channel film memorialises the brutality.
Written by: Miss Rosen
The cathartic roar of Vietnam’s hardcore punk scene
Going hardcore in Saigon — In a country that has gradually opened up in recent decades, a burgeoning youth movement is creating an outlet for youth frustration and anxiety. Frank L’Opez reports from the country’s biggest city’s underground.
Written by: Frank L’Opez
New film champions women surfers tackling the huge waves of Nazaré
Undercurrents — Filmmaker Maddie Meddings’ latest documentary focuses on big-wave superstar Laura Crane as she helps prepare 16-year-old Imari Hearn to take up big wave surfing.
Written by: Sydney Lobe
Defiant photos of New York’s ’80s & ’90s queer activists
Arresting Images — Dona Ann McAdams’ photographs document the AIDS crisis, lesbian organising and civil disobedience from one of the most fraught eras in American LGBTQ+ history. A sale of her archive takes place later this month.
Written by: Sydney Lobe