Surf
A Story in Black and White
Surf — A Study in Contrast and Connection
Some photo collections are about color. Surf is about contrast.
It’s about that sharp line where the ocean meets the sky. The silhouettes of surfers, still and waiting. The way light and shadow play across a breaking wave. This series isn’t loud—it’s quiet, intentional, stripped back. It’s about form and motion. It’s about the rhythm of the ocean—and the people who return to it, over and over again.
The Ocean, and Everything It Holds
The beach has always been one of my favorite places—not just for its beauty, but for the memories and the culture that live there. I’ve been lucky to spend most of my life near the coast, and so many of my memories are tied to the ocean. I remember my dad teaching me how to spot a riptide from the shore, how to read the subtle shifts in the water, and what to do if I ever got caught in one—an early and important lesson in respecting the ocean. He showed me how to watch for sets of waves as they formed, how to read their rhythm as I learned to body surf, and how to move with the water instead of fighting against it.
I spent countless hours with my mom walking the beach, combing for shells and sea glass. We’d talk about where to look—how some parts of the beach hold more treasures than others, how the tide and the shape of the shore change what washes up. It’s still one of my favorite things to do. OH! Can anyone tell me why Charleston beaches rarely have any sea glass?
The ocean and the beach still entrance me. Never the same twice, yet always familiar. That duality—of power and peace—never gets old.
Why Surf?
Here’s the thing: I’m not a surfer. But I’ve always been a people watcher. I’m drawn to stories.
And when you’re at the beach, the ocean isn’t just the setting—it’s part of the story. A main character. It shapes everything around it: the mood, the movement, the way people interact with each other and with the water. It’s unpredictable, commanding, and constantly shifting. You can’t ignore it—you respond to it, whether you’re swimming, surfing, walking the shoreline, or just sitting with your feet in the sand.
That’s part of what fascinates me about surfers and the way they relate to the ocean. The patience. The ritual. The respect. It’s not just a sport—it’s a way of being. And it’s one of the few passions I’ve seen that’s so intimately tied to the natural world. You’re literally moving with nature, reading it, responding to it. There’s also this strong sense of culture and community—unspoken, but undeniable.
I’ve spent hours watching surfers out in the lineup, quietly studying the water, waiting for their moment. It’s beautiful. Meditative. Totally absorbing. That’s what I set out to capture with Surf—the connection, the anticipation, the brief flashes of motion that break the calm.
Shooting in Black and White
Just as I’m drawn to the ocean, I’m drawn to black and white. It strips everything down to what matters: light, texture, motion. Without color, you start to notice the way mist catches the sun, the curve of a wave right before it crashes, the quiet intensity in a surfer’s posture as they wait.
Some of the images are sharp and high-contrast. Others are soft, more reflective. They live in that space between movement and stillness—just like the ocean itself.
The Sister Collection: Washout
If Surf speaks to you, you might also enjoy Washout, its sister series. It shares the same spirit—movement, rhythm, connection—but brings color back into the frame.
Washout is about mood. Changing skies. Shifting light. The way water reflects a hundred different colors depending on the moment. Where Surf is grounded in contrast, Washout opens things up to a more vibrant, fluid perspective.
Together, they tell different parts of the same story.
Explore Surf: www.pjmphoto.com/collection-surf
Explore Washout: www.pjmphoto.com/collection-washout
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