36
I shot this with film, back when I was staying in California for a while, and was pointing my camera more at mountain bikers than I was at surfers, due to the fact I would rather surf than miss out while taking pictures of everyone else enjoying the waves. It was a heavy day at The Wedge, with Kelly Slater, Christen Fletcher, Danny Kwock, and Strider out. I like this image from that day because it focuses on the bodyboarder, and the body surfer on the edge of this monster that demands respect from anyone who challenges it. You go out and you’re going to take a beating. Photo: Mark Wilson
People love staring at waves, because waves are beautiful. When was the last time you saw someone staring at a soccer field when there was no one running around kicking a ball? Big waves have that terrifying beauty, while small waves are just pretty and serene. Put someone on a surfboard on top of those waves, and you have a recipe for splendor. Or in this case, a recipe for 82 of them.