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I first came across surf photographer Chris Burkard in 2006 when I joined the now defunct publication Digital Photographer magazine in Ventura, CA. At the time I was obsessed with surfing, and my new job afforded me ample opportunities to surf during my lunch hour, which I often surpassed an hour (Luckily my boss allowed me to make up the time).
I would often seek surf photographers, or anything to do with surfing because of my obsession with the sport. One day I stumbled across a press release on a new stock photography website called EppicSurf.com (no longer around) and jumped at the chance to write a feature.
While I was putting the story together the owner gave me contact information of several photographers using his site. One of the photographers I approached was Chris Burkard, a high school student taking surf photographs unlike I had ever seen.
His images weren’t of the average cutback or aerial shot; instead he was composing images of waves and surfers using the location to form a sense of place. I remember one of his photos was a lone breaking wave seen through a canopy of palm trees. The foreground was the wave, and the tree line was framing the shot of the water breaking in such a breathtaking moment.
I remember Chris was such a humble, and hard-working guy, and how much drive he had to succeed. Burkard has since went on to become one of the most well-known staff photographers at Surfer magazine, and has shot several campaigns for outdoor brands. His work ethic and talent has launched him as one of the most premier photographers in the world.
He is the true epitome of a photographer that truly gives himself to his craft, who literally gets off the beaten path to find more than just a surf destination. As he puts it in his recent TED TALK, he gives a piece of himself with every picture.
“I began with the personal crusade against the mundane, because if there is one thing I realized in any career, even one seemingly as glamorous as surf photography, has the danger of becoming monotonous,” he said during his TED TALK.
To see more of Chris Burkard’s work, visit www.chrisburkard.com.
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