Bry

I just wanted to say that i really enjoyed this essay. It most certainly had an impact on me, there were some proper ‘decisive moments’ in there (see the dog in the hula hoop, the surfer beteen two buildings, the surfer framed in wave as it wraps around the camera). I really like your style too, i find it very pleasing on my eye.

I hope to see more in future, many thanks

David

I am just back from 3 weeks away on Europe… I had a computer that for reasons that I still do not understand would not allow me to post any comments…. weird…the “submit” buttom is simply not there….Any way, not that important. What IS, is that I absolutely love your essay… I must have watched it 20 times… I put the music loud, the big screen and I feel I am there, on the beach, feeling the waves so strong that these almost penetrate into the town, the sand, the freedom, the frienship, this feeling also of being small in front of nature, the elements… Thank you Chris for sharing this work. Love love it!!!!! On a more personal note, I have been wondering if you still plan on going to Brazil??? Have you been yet? Is this still progressing? Hope to see you sometimes my friend!

Cheers,

Eric

Jeremy, you’re right; it’s always a tough call, to be a “participant” or an “observer”. You’re always riding that edge; being a participant gives you the appreciation for the subject matter and gets you “in”, but you’ve always got to be standing outside of yourself looking down on the situation and know when you need to break the flow just enough to grab the shot. Or, you just go in guns blazing and strike up a conversation afterward so everybody walks away cool…I learned that one from Harvey…I think his actual quote was, “shoot first, make friends later”…with surfers it’s actually pretty easy because they all wanna be rock stars anyway, and if you’re clearly working the situation, they figure they may get their photo in a mag or something…

I fully understand what you have said here about it being “one or the other”, you can’t just bring a camera into every situation in life, for one reason or another. Often you must make the choice, I think this was an excellent decision; one that will bring the act of surfing, and all that surrounds it, that much closer to your being!

You do terrific work Chris, look forward to seeing more!

Cheers, Jeremy

Best wishes,

Mike.

The prints you showed us at the bar in DC were the subject of conversation in the line-up. Everyone’s still raving about them. Of course they’re all art collectors, so that makes you an “art photographer” !! Be proud, my brother. Celebrate your “artsy-fartsy” superficiality!!

And keep making pictures