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“Every time Marlon paddles out he brings an elegance to the session. Even though he charges like a madman, he always looks graceful and at ease. They say making it look easy is the true sign of a great surfer. There’s no struggle in him. He’s the quiet storm and one of my favorite subjects to shoot. I don’t think I have ever taken a bad shot of him.”
Italian by birth, Balinese in spirit, water photography specialist Federico Vanno is never in the wrong place in Indonesia. And he’s having a hell of a year. Thanks to the non-stop swells that have been hammering Bali and the Mentawai during the pandemic. With pinpoint local knowledge, technical mastery and an artist’s eye, Federico is the go-to photographer for locals and visiting surf stars alike. The following is a collection of his favorite moments of this season and his insights about them.
Editor’s Note: Photo captions as told to Matt George.