I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa but moved to Cape Town (on the coast) at the age of 12 where the ocean immediately captured my heart and sparked the beginning of what has become my lifelong pursuit to be in it or near it. The product of divorced parents I grew up constantly packing a suitcase and boarding a plane, something that hasn’t changed to this day.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism Degree, specialising in Photojournalism, from Rhodes University, Grahamstown, a chance encounter with Pierre Tostee the world’s first digital surf photographer presented the opportunity of a lifetime, and I began working for his company Tostee.com in September 2004.
As if life couldn’t get any better, I flew to Hawaii that November to assist the team shoot the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing on Hawaii’s famed North Shore where I learned all about digital photography and work flow, not to mention witness Waimea Bay roar to life at 25ft and see Bruce Irons win the Eddie Aikua event.
For the next three years I was based out of Durban, South Africa handling the media and event photography for South African surf wear brands Lizzard and Mr Price, fulfilling the role of Media Manager at the 6 Star Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series Mr Price Pro, which I continue to do today and traveling to Hawaii each year to shoot the Triple Crown of Surfing.
Working as an assistant photographer on select ASP Men’s and Women’s World Tour events, I was constantly learning and improving on my photography skills until, in 2008, I was offered the position as the lead shooter on the ASP Men’s World Tour for Covered Images. That year I packed my suitcase and never unpacked, traveling full time on tour shooting the ASP World Championship Tour and managing the ASP digital photography team.
In 2010 I was offered the position as lead shooter with the ASP directly and continue to spend ten months of the year on the road, shooting many of the World’s most exotic and wave rich locations such as Australia, Tahiti, Brasil, California, South Africa, France, Spain and Hawaii.
For more of my surf related work check out http://www.aspworldtour.com/multimedia/photo-gallery/.
