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Portfolio: Doug Falter

I decided to leave my career as a mechanic behind. I gave everything important to my family and sold my car and packed up some clothes and all my camera gear, then moved to Hawaii. As of now... that was the best decision I ever made.

BY Doug Falter |

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    This was an amazing day to shoot. This photo is one of a whole sequence of good shots. This is David Suhadolnik. Photo: Doug Falter

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    This is Garrett Mcnamara, I showed him the shot later that day and he said it was his first ride on his new board and he didn't make the wave. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Small barrel at Pipe containing an unknown grom. Photo: Doug Falter

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    View from a photographer's perspective. This was after a set wave just passed over us. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Air time as Off The Wall. Photo: Doug Falter

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    This is a rare moment on the North Shore during sunset. The air was filled with mist and vog and this was one of the first good days of the winter season shortly after most of the best surfers in the world arrived for the triple crown. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Random surfer ready to get waves. Photo: Doug Falter

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    One of my favorite shots. The beach had a wierd shaped allowing me to shoot at this angle. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Rocky Point during a dark sunset. It was hard to get this shot but id say it turned out pretty cool. Photo: Doug Falter

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    This was taken just over a week ago here on the North Shore of Oahu, This is Pipeline and it was maxed out. I love getting in the water and feeling it's power. Photo: Doug Falter

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    This is Alex Gray at Off The Wall. I remember this wave perfectly. Pipe and Off The Wall were both offering rights and lefts. This day was epic. Photo: Doug Falter

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    I believe this is Masatoshi Ohno. Love this shot... Taken at Pipeline maxed out. Photo: Doug Falter

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    This is a typical sunset here in Hawaii. In the winter the sun breaks over the mountains. Photo: Doug Falter

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    This is one of my favorites yet. Keiki beach break so big it's dwarfing everyone on the beach. Id say 20 foot faces. Some Hawaiians would probably say ten though. Photo: Doug Falter

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    I just love the way this shot turned out. Not sure who it is. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Pipeline through the trees from a tall view. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Still can't figure out who this is. He obviously didn't make it. Photo: Doug Falter

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    This is Stephan Figueiredo. He charges Pipeline on it's biggest day with a 5'8". Photo: Doug Falter

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    This is classic Pipeline- Grabbing rail and sliding in. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Getting ready to paddle out. Photo: Doug Falter

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    John John Florence in his backyard playground. He knows this wave so well. Photo: Doug Falter

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    The size of this wave and the surfer shown really puts it into perspective. Photos still don't do this place justice. Photo: Doug Falter

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    This is an empty closeout at Off The Wall. Pretty big eh? Photo: Doug Falter

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    Off in the distance this guy is catching a sick barrel! Photo: Doug Falter

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    This is the longest gnarliest backdoor waves I have witnessed. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Shattered Glass- This is an awesome shot from Pupukea surf spot. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Talita Faria - A Brazillian model I was able to shoot at Waimea Bay one day. When she went to the beach... the beach stopped. Photo: Doug Falter

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    The sun was set and the sky was grey. This made for a beautiful shot. No color- just a cool shot. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Small wave I found one day between Keiki and Log Cabins. Photo: Doug Falter

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    Small day at Pipeline. Photo: Doug Falter

I always liked photography, but never took it seriously until last year. I took two photography classes while attending high school and did pretty well at it. After graduating I put my camera down and took up working on cars as a career. Five years ago, while I was living in Tampa, FL working as a mechanic, I took up surfing. It all began when moved in with a roommate that surfed. Before I moved in I had already purchased my first used board for 50 bucks. I was hooked from day one. We loved surfing so much that we would drive two and a half hours one way just to get to the east coast of Florida when swells came.

After five years of poor economy and tough work with no room for growth, I finally decided to leave my career as a mechanic behind. As of now… that was the best decision I ever made. After going on a couple surf trips and getting more into it I decided to buy a decent camera and pack up to visit Hawaii. I came for a few months without any expectations and realized I loved it. After returning to Florida, I made the big decision to pack up and move. I gave everything important to my family and sold my car and packed up some clothes and all my camera gear. Since I have moved here, I have been shooting so much it’s impossible to not learn more and improve. Every day I have breakthroughs. I have been swimming in bigger waves and tuning my camera better.

I’ve worked for many different clients, and I just scored my first magazine out of Brazil, Revista Surfar. I’ve also been selling fine art wall prints on my facebook fan page.

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