15 Career-Changing Frames

This was from the second largest swell ever surfed at Teahupo'o last May. Every time someone lets go of the rope, you are holding your breath. These surfers are gladiators and deserve all the credit in the world. This was one of the larger waves of the day, and Alain Riou put his local knowledge to the test. Photo: Seth de Roulet

This image of Adam Lambert came from a trip I did with him to Mexico in 2007. He wanted to get some Trestles-like waves before the NSSA Nationals and I convinced him Mexico was the perfect spot because it always has waves. Once there, I persuaded him to make the drive to a beach break that was guaranteed to have waves everyday and just left out the part that it is known as one of the heaviest waves in the world. His ignorance paid off and we scored perfect A-frames for 5 days straight except they looked nothing like Trestles. The reflections in this shot are one of a kind and will probably never be repeated. I will never forget the reaction I had to this image the first time I saw it. Photo: Seth de Roulet

I will never forget the first time I saw a ten-foot wave explode on the reef at Teahupo'o. My stomach flipped and knotted with excitement and fear while my jaw dropped to the floor. Words, pictures and videos don't do it any justice. Until you have felt the power first hand, you don't have a clue. Most people will never understand the love/fear relationship that comes with Teahupo'o and it's probably better that way. Photo: Seth de Roulet

Discovering this angle was a highlight of my career so far. A similar shot ran as the opening spread in The Surfers Journal, and it gave me great joy. In the digital age, it's not often that you get to be the one to do something for the first time. Photo: Seth de Roulet

This was the first print-worthy shot I ever got of Bobby Martinez. This marked the beginning of what has turned into a great friendship. Bobby is the most honest and straightforward surfer I have ever worked with and I respect that more than anything he has ever done on a surfboard. That being said, he is still the best goofy-footed surfer on the planet, bar none. There isn't even a close second. Photo: Seth de Roulet

There is not much to say about J-Bay that has not already been said. The best point and my favorite wave in the world. This might not be the best shot from the trip, but it reminds me of the feeling J-Bay gives you. Endless speed on endless walls. Photo: Seth de Roulet

Kevin Givner, one of Ventura's best kept secrets, hanging ten at Rincon. This shot is from the very first roll of water film I ever shot. At the time, I was still trying to figure out what my path in photography was going to be. Whether it be chasing surf, skate or snowboarding. After this roll, it wasn't even a question. Shooting from the water changed me and my perception of photography. Everything became boring in comparison. Thanks, Kevin! Photo: Seth de Roulet

Without a doubt, other than my parents, Ron Smith was the most influential person in my teenage years. I first met Ron at the skatepark in Vail, Colorado, the summer between 8th and 9th grade. I asked him if I could shoot a photo of him blasting out of the mini ramp and boardsliding the deck railing and he said, "absolutely." He did the trick, and I shot the photo. My image sucked but it didn't matter. He had stoked me out beyond belief and a bond had formed that would alter my life forever. Ron is probably 10+ years older than me and one of the best and most stylish snowboarders of all time and, for some reason, he saw something in me and we connected. That following winter, he took me under his wing and taught me so much about life, board riding and friendship. This image hung over my son's crib so he could fall asleep to perfect style every night. Ron is the the real-life Yoda. Photo: Seth de Roulet

Andrew Bennet is a tube hound and that's why I love to shoot with him. This is from the same trip as Adam's shot and it was my very first swim at Pascuales. It was the second wave of the morning and the sun had just crested over the palm trees. The moment I came up from under water, I was yelling with excitement and for a good reason. It became my first cover and provided me with a lot of confidence in heavier surf. Andrew broke three boards that morning on seven waves. Photo: Seth de Roulet

Shooting nature photography is probably my second favorite thing to shoot after board sports. This shot came during a lunch break while on Safari in Tanzania. One thing I have learned is never put your camera down. This happened in a split second, and I could not believe my luck. As the saying goes, "Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good." Photo: Seth de Roulet

This isn't necessarily a defining image, but skateboarding is how I got into photography as a kid. In the early '90s skateboarding was dead. There were only four kids in the surrounding area that even skated and we wanted to progress. At the time, those VHS shoulder pack personal camcorders were just too big for a 10-year-old, so naturally we turned to still cameras. We would divide up the roll of film and each person would take turns shooting and skating for their 8 frames. I still have all those images in a drawer at my parent's house. Great memories and horrible images. Photo: Seth de Roulet

I shot this on my first international commercial job. I was there to shoot fabrics for a new linen company and they also wanted some lifestyle work for marketing purposes. We spent three days shooting fabrics in the workshops and then traveled the country for two weeks to gain lifestyle material. This is in Varanasi, which is one of the most emotionally draining but culturally beautiful places in the world. One day, I would love to go back. Photo: Seth de Roulet

New Zealand is a magical place for so many reasons. Both islands are so picturesque that you never get a chance to put your camera down and, for that reason, this image almost didn't happen. We were at the end of a two week road trip across both islands and everyone in the car was sick of me saying, "Pull over. I need to shoot that." We still had a few hours of driving to get to our destination and the sun was on the horizon line when we passed this broken down barn. I pleaded my case that it would be the last stop and we had to turn around so I could shoot that barn. Once everyone saw the final image, they understood and it's my favorite shot of the trip. I always think back to that moment to find motivation when I am on the road and see something that's going to require a little extra effort and my lazy side is telling me, "Fuck it. Keep driving." Photo: Seth de Roulet

It's impossible to evolve as a photographer and a human without support and reassurance. For me, that comes from my wife Kelly. She is my rock and biggest supporter and I owe her everything. When I get a call saying, "Pack your bags, we are leaving in 24 hours," she never says anything other than, "You have to go. How can I help you pack?" That is such a rare and selfless characteristic and it makes me the luckiest man alive. Not to mention, she blessed us with the most amazing son: Smushie T. Wobbleson. Photo: Seth de Roulet

Architectural photography is such a different animal than any other kind of photography. Great images rely on great lighting and inspired composition and, as a photographer, you need to be in complete control. Photoshop and digital have made it a lot easier, but when I first started doing architectural photography, it was still large format and 40-50 lights a shot so you learned finesse and patience. Photo: Seth de Roulet