"Surfing is about battles won and lost, communion with a mysterious and elusive energy force of nature, and meditation as deep as that of the most devoted Zen monks. Look closely at this beautiful collection of portraits by Stephan Vanfleteren and see the warrior, priest and philosopher in each of these faces. Imagine the experiences, the thoughts, the feelings. When Stephan has captured something, look deep into its eyes and behold an unfathomable world.
Surfing is all about surfers, even though surfers always say it's about the waves first and their surfboards second. That's why this portrait collection is so provocative. Getting surfers to articulate what drives them is a fool's errand. Surf Tribe invites readers to fill in all the blanks themselves. Look deep and enjoy!" - Gerry Lopez
In Surf Tribe, photographer Stephan Vanfleteren shows that surf culture is much more than just competitive sport. Surfing is also about a deep respect for the ocean, and about that moment of nothingness that surfers feel when confronted with the forces of nature. It is about battles won and lost, both with other surfers and with themselves.
Vanfleteren looks beyond the traditional surf spots of California and Hawaii, searching around the world for people who live in places where sea and land meet. He documents a fluid community whose only leader is nature.
He photographs talented young people as well as living icons and revered legends, both competitive surfers and free surfers. In this book, no action shots on azure waves, but serene black-and-white portraits in Vanfleteren's well-known, haunting style. He reveals the real person behind the surfer, in all his or her strength and vulnerability. This series of images penetrates the true heart of surf culture: the love of the water, the addiction to the waves, the passion for the surf.
Features more than 300 portraits of Kelly Slater, Gerry Lopez, John John Florence, Laird Hamilton, Bethany Hamilton, Greg Noll, Stephanie Gilmore, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Mickey Munoz, Filipe Toledo and Tom Carroll, among others.
Specifications
Author: Stefan Vanfletteren
Publisher: Hannibal
Size: 285 x 220 x 44 mm
Size: 400 pages
Weight: 2057 grams
Language: English
Material: Hardcover
ISBN: 978 94 9267 736 5
