Grandpa gets Fin to the face!
WARNING: THIS PHOTO IS GRUESOME. I received a cryptic email from my friend Chris aka ‘Grandpa’ yesterday. In the email was a short note, “You may want to put this on SickShots”. That’s it. No explanation. No story. Nothing. I really need to hear the tale, but understand that Chris may be getting medical attention. [...]
A warm wave for the Holidays
As the winter solstice and the holidays approach, I thought we could all use a warm summer wave (even if you live on the other side of the equator you can always use a warm wave). This one is courtesy of one of my favorite places to shoot – Padang Padang. I remember I was [...]
Big Wednesday – Waimea Bay
I think everyone knows I love me some Waimea Bay! Today looks to be pretty good over there and I am really missing it right about now. I tried to see it on the surfline cam and it is too busy- drats. I tried to call Sean Davey for a report and he didn’t answer [...]
Surfer’s Path Feature
I don’t contribute to the surf mags much any more. This is mostly due to the low editorial rates they are paying these days. In fact, I don’t know how some of these magazine surf photographers live from the checks they get. I just saw the new Canon Mark 4 camera is going to be [...]
You should have been here (Pipeline) yesterday!
I saw that the North Shore was pumping this weekend, so much so that Surfline put the Pipe cam on the front page! It gets me thinking, ‘Hey there’s gotta be a wave from that swell on our beaches somewhere!’. So, I go and check the forecast- 2 to 3 feet. I know what that [...]
Surf Contest at Swamis?
I just got this email and wanted to pass along the link to those of you that may be interested. Here is the explanation from the website calling for a petition: It has come to our attention that a professional womens longboard contest is being proposed for Swamis. We think it is a bad idea, [...]
Billabong XXL update
Well the Big Wave hype is upon us with this winter expected to be El Nino big and powerful. I hope so. I received this update today from Billabong with a link to an insane video of Mid Season highlights mostly from down under. It’s our turn now. Let’s see if this big Pacific can [...]
I went surfing today.
I went Surfing today. It was wonderful. The last real surf session I had was in the Mentawai’s on the Indies Trader 3 way back in July. Martin Daly and I were surfing an unknown left that he discovered years before. It was just us. The guests were surfed out and watching TV, reading or [...]
Winter Season kicks off with a bang!
Words and Photo by assistant, Jobi Manson It’s a regular thursday in mid-October. Dave had told me the night before that there maybe was surf on the horizon… I shrugged my head and said, “Ha, yeah I’ll believe that S@#$ when I see it.” The night before the first big swell of the season is [...]
“The board’s gotta look like the guy!”
You may have seen this shot in Surfer Mag’s ’50 greatest Surfers’ issue. I would have been stoked to have it in their mag, but they never gave me the courtesy to tell me, used it in the mag without photo credit and tried to get away without paying me! They also didn’t identify Jimbo [...]
ASP Hurley Pro
Photo and words by photo assistant Jobi Manson 3:45 am the alarm goes… I leave my apartment in West Hollywood to venture slightly farther south to Lower Trestles, to witness the only ASP event located in the continental United States. I met my friend John at Carl’s Jr. where we proceeded to make the journey [...]
Billabong XXL update
Looks like they have been getting some great waves down in Africa for the XXL. I see the usual suspects charging Dungeons including Grant Baker and Andrew Marr. I really like this image and want to compliment Kimi Stewart for capturing this moment. Check out how the shot is pulled back and includes the jet [...]
Sea of Darkness
Last night I saw Martin Daly’s new movie ‘Sea of Darkness’ at a screening in Santa Monica. The documentary tells an amazing story of surf discovery and drug smuggling in the 1970′s. Quite simply, it is one of the most compelling movies in the surf genre I have ever seen. The stories are so unbelievable [...]
Shark stories
When I was up in Stinson beach this past week I saw this sign. Most people will skip right over the part about rip currents (which in my opinion are far more dangerous to your average beach goer) and read about the great white. Hard to blame them. There is the menacing shark picture and [...]
Grandpa update – week 5
I got this email a few days ago. For those of you following the ‘Grandpa’ story (original post here) or know our friend Chris, he is having a tough go of things after his motorcycle accident. I was going to write this email into a story, but it speaks for itself. This shot is Chris [...]
Surfing Java, Indonesia
This is G-Land. It’s not an epic day or a bad day. The place always seems to have waves. I have ridden some of the best lefts of my life here. The atmosphere is what a surf trip should be- a dense jungle with basic accommodation, offshore winds and nothing to do but surf! While [...]
Padang Padang, Bali
I have been going through my archive of surf images lately in hopes of someday getting it all online. It is a long process. Lately, I have been working through the Bali section and keep finding some epic images that I forgot about. This shot is just an average line up photo taken from the [...]
Rory Russell in the Mentawais
I am a big fan of the 70′s surfing scene and the history surrounding that era, so I was pretty stoked to run into Rory Russell in the Mentawais a few weeks back. We chatted about waves, his life and his most recent near death experience- heart failure. A history of partying led him to [...]
Out to Lunch…
Hey Everybody. Thanks for checking out Sickshots. I will be on assignment in the Mentawai Islands for the next few weeks returning May 15th. When I get back I promise fresh content and cool photos from one of my favorite places in the world! I have some new gear to try out including remote flash, [...]
Return to Mentawai…
Hey everyone I just wanted to start by saying that my opinions weren’t too far off on the Billabong XXL. Check out the last post and compare. I missed the event again, but heard it was a great time. Truth is, I would rather be with my family and shoot the surf they are all [...]
Billabong XXL – my picks
So I sat down this beautiful Easter weekend and watched the videos/photos of the Billabong XXL. Although we didn’t get many XXL entries on this side of the planet (except for Mavericks), there were some whoppers to be had elsewhere- namely Tasmania and South Africa. So here are my picks with a brief explanation: Ride [...]
Mentawai trip- Baggage fees
I am less than a month away from a Mentawai surf charter and I am really looking forward to it. My office looks like some kind of mad scientist’s laboratory. I have some new gear that I am experimenting with and can’t wait to use it on the trip. Packing it all and shipping it [...]
Bye, Bye, Surf Mag
An unfortunate fact of my surfing life is that I grew up in Florida. When I was a late teenager I spent a lot of time around Daytona/New Smyrna Beach surfing and partying. It was the 80′s- Mtv Spring Break with Martha Quinn by night and Ponce and Smyrna inlets by day. Good times. Bad [...]
South Swell approaches
It looks like our first south swell will be visiting this weekend and it is predicted to be at least head high. Here’s one of your options – Malibu! Just don’t expect it to be a solo session! ha ha. Wherever your south swell spot is, check it out starting Saturday (probably more like Sunday/Monday). [...]
