Portfolio: Mark McInnis

This is a regularly surfed outer reef in Oregon. It holds huge surf, but is generally a little soft and doesn’t really heave like Mavericks or Pe’ahi. On this day, however, it was out for blood. Photo: Mark McInnis

Dane Anderson getting shacked near his home on the West Coast. I can’t give Dane enough compliments. He surfs incredible and is one of the nicest, funniest, easy-going individuals I have ever met. Working with Dane over the last few years has been a true blessing. I love this dude. Photo: Mark McInnis

We never get light like this in the Pacific Northwest. If you look at some of the photographers from Southern California, you’ll see this type of light all over in their portfolios. Lucky ducks. Hopefully they know how good they have it because way up north, a moment like this is incredibly rare. Photo: Mark McInnis

I generally don’t surf with people, but when I do, I surf with this guy. Photo: Mark McInnis

This, my friends, is the reward for straying from the beaten path and taking the road less traveled. Try it sometime. Photo: Mark McInnis

When it comes to surfing north of Point Conception, hoods, gloves, booties and beards become increasingly popular in the lineups. Photo: Mark McInnis

Aaron Gold is big-wave charger from the North Shore of O’ahu. This dude started surfing legitimate Waimea Bay in his early teens. No joke. Now he paddles into Cortes Bank, Pe’ahi, and the heavy outer reefs near his home on the North Shore. Here he is in some freezing cold water and a “little” barrel. Photo: Mark McInnis

It’s nearly impossible to nail a lineup on days like this on the North Shore. This Off-The_Wall gem went unridden and I couldn’t be happier about it. Photo: Mark McInnis

Flynn Novak is one of the most underrated surfers in the game today. He has the entire package: barrels, airs, power and a great attitude. This turn blew me away and the fact that he rode out of it was even more impressive. How’s that buried nose? Photo: Mark McInnis

Beach break. Way up here, there is a ton of it and, generally speaking, it is usually the only option. On days like this, you could paddle out just about anywhere and find a peak doing it’s best Ocean Beach impression. And, like their distant cousin to the south, the paddle out and currents are quite daunting. Photo: Mark McInnis

Jeff Lukasik is another humble, down-to-earth, incredibly talented surfer from San Clemente. If you ever surf the Lower’s right, chances are you’ve split a peak with Jeff. Photo: Mark McInnis

The colors of Southern Baja and the talent of Luke Rife make this one of my favorite images to date. Photo: Mark McInnis

In the middle of this stylish wrap, Raph Bruhwiler was probably actually upset that he wasn’t getting a stand up barrel on a heavy, quadruple overhead wave. The dude is gnarly and has fantastic small wave skills to boot. Check out his most recent Innersection submission for some incredible surfing. Photo: Mark McInnis

This is a 35mm film portrait of photographer, videographer, and all around awesome dude, Dean Azim. Dean is an incredibly talented shooter from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Look him up. Killer stuff. Oh, and he loves hot sauce. Photo: Mark McInnis

Just moments before I shot this photo, the gentleman pictured was yakking it up on his cell phone. I went to take the photo and I hadn’t advanced the film in my camera. By the time I did, he had put his mobile device back in his pocket, never to be seen again. Photo: Mark McInnis

This film shot is the antithesis of the typical surf photo and the reality of surfing in the Northern Latitudes: rain, wind, stormy seas, getting skunked. Photo: Mark McInnis

Being above California, one would think the coastline of the Pacific Northwest would be just as littered with waves. Not so. Residents of Northern California, Oregon and Washington will tell you that they pretty much got screwed by the surf Gods. The few gems are heavily localized and fickle to say the least. This wave, however, regulates itself. Photo: Mark McInnis

Few people have built a portfolio as diverse and as strong as Steve Sherman. If you haven’t looked into Sherm’s iconic gallery of images, treat yourself and do so. Photo: Mark McInnis

Josh Mulcoy loves getting barreled in empty lineups. Here he is doing just that in remote Canada. Mulcs is a great dude and has one of the most incredible forehand carves in the business. Just google “Mulcoys World” for proof. Photo: Mark McInnis

If you live on the North Shore of O’ahu and need some trees trimmed, removed, planted or cared for, call my good buddy Ash at Green Hawaii Tree Care. Or you can find him pulling in near the rocks at Pinballs. Photo: Mark McInnis