Chris Sembrot's Urban Surfers Continued

"Motivated by a beautiful woman and through the help of three close friends, I learned to surf so I could one day say "I surf". 

This project is a portrait series that Chris Sembrot is shooting to document city dwellers who make the trek to the nearest shore with each passing swell. 

Finding surfers in the Tri-State area isn't as easy as finding them on the West Coast, but that's exactly what Chris Sembrot wasn't looking for when he began the project.  He specifically wanted people in the NY, NJ, Philly/PA areas that had their own board, wore whatever they wanted, and were willing to hit the water & be photographed by 6am. Each location is no more than a block from each subject's home.

Chris has been using social media to find some of his subjects.  He initially posted on Facebook, followed by Instagram, and uses those same platforms to post the photographs as well, but the overall project was directly inspired by three friends of his who took him under their wings and withstood with the humiliation (that he still brings when I go out with them) of helping a newbie.  Chris can now say that "he surfs" as easily as he can say "I am a photographer."

Some examples of the project below, more at www.chrissembrot.com.

Shaun Fenn's Surfer Portraits featured on Liquid Salt

©Shaun Fenn

 “Surfing is a special kind of madness, a feeling for the sea, a combination of love, knowledge, respect, fear- instinctive perception gained through repeated contact.”
-Tom Curren - three time World Surfing Champion

Locals and Legends is a series of over 50 portraits taken by photographer Shaun Fenn of the many personalities that inhabit the San Onofre surfing area. Some are legends, some just regulars – but all have an interesting story and are full of stoke.  The work is a collaboration between Shaun & Glenn Sakamoto, of the online pub Liquid Salt.

This project was very close to Shaun's heart since he grew up in Dana Point and spent time surfing Lower Trestles.  Many of the locals were household names Shaun knew from growing up, and with the help of Barry Haun and Dick Metz from the Surfing Heritage Museum in San Clemente, they compiled an organic list of individuals that surely had to be part of the project.  

With any personal project, there are a variety of emotions a photographer goes through when creating the work.  Read more about Shaun's focus, passion, & perseverance in the interview on Liquid Salt.