Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Surf shop | Stu Sharpe

Spring Break brought the most relaxing break I've ever had...seriously, I've never slept so much on a trip before. Yup, I went on the surf-trip my school put together and we made our way down to Florida for a week full of surf 'n sun. It was pretty sweet because I learned how to surf! (That would be #18 on my bucketlist). I know it was supposed to be for 2010, but I'm just rolling over the ones I haven't finished, lol. It occurred to me as I was looking through it just now that I have a good 15 or so that I can check off, lol, eh we'll get to 'em, and update that list.

As for THIS post though, it was a pretty spontaneous (and serendipitous) photo-op. We were dropping off our boards at the end of the week and were perusing the surf-shop when I decided to ask the guy about board-making. Long story short, how advantageous that at that very moment, a board-shaper was there and yours truly got to hover over his shoulder for the next hour with my camera in his face, haha.

Stu Sharpe has shaped over 30,000 boards in his career (crazy, right?). This time, he was shaping a waveski (it's a sport that's pretty big in Australia, so I've's kind of a cross between kayaking and surfing...the kayak shape, the surf-board weight...kayak technique on a surf-board's playground) Here's a video if you're curious.

It had always been a silly little dream of mine to go off on some little island and learn how to make boards. Now that I've seen Stu do his thing, I've come to appreciate the fact that even if I can't do, I can photograph. Lol, it might be like that for a long while, we'll see, haha.

He was super chill about letting me take pictures of the process. I'd had some reservations in asking if it was okay...didn't know if it was a huge trade-secret betrayal or anything. But it was probably the best time I've had taking pictures in a long time :) But without further ado, here are some favorites from my Happy Hour:

I think this little guy was getting shipped to Japan (?) Some far off country, lol.
Lol, before we left he let me hassle him one more for a portrait. Cool guy :)

So yeah...pretty much after this + the past week + our "Surf's Up" movie night...I'm hooked. Lol, can't wait to try it out on the West Coast! (Or, of course, my little island)


  1. I LOVE that picture of him sanding, with the pipe above him. Great composition and colors. Good work, as always!

  2. Lol, Thanks Missy! Truth be told, that pic is my favorite too :-P

  3. I love your ShutterTrips (sweet name too)! I'm curious, do you just ask these people if you can shoot em up and thats it? Do you get some kind of release signed? Give them your edited shots? Just wondering.

    1. Thanks Jason! Lol, this seriously made my day because I'm wanting to do more of this type of stuff and it's always awesome to hear feedback on it.

      As of now, I'm the one that approaches them -- If I see them do high quality work and is interesting to me, I ask them more and more questions about their life, haha (In a non-creepy way). Since I ask them, I offer them the shots; I take it to the published level for Christmas presents, and if they like the completed designed book, then they can purchase it. If I went to selling them, then it'd get a bit more complicated and I'm not even sure what type of lawyer I'd need to ask, but I'm sure I'd need to get some sort of release and/or work out a contract.

      Thanks again!

    2. Awesome sauce. Here in Columbus we have some cool mom and pop shops and I've been wanting to get some shots, I've just been a bit nervous about asking. I get really insecure shooting people but I think I'll take the leap in the next month or so.

      Can't wait till your next ShutterTrip!

  4. It never fails to amaze me how photos of such a mundane task (sanding something) can turn out so well and be so amazing.

    Sarah | Florida Riding

    1. Seriously, it must be the bits of passion flying into the air, haha. Whenever I take pictures of people doing something they love, there's magic.

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