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“From the water, sometimes I like to pull back and give it that paddling perspective. With guys in the foreground you really get the feeling that you’re scratching over a set while some guy rips by. You’re stoked, inspired really. Rio Waida can be that kind of inspiration. Hottest guy on the island of Bali right now and taking a shot internationally too.”
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.