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 heard...it'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)
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 heard...it'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)