Surfing, Skateboarding, Music, Photography, Travel, Culture and general antics of the youth on the run.

Have Surf Magazines Lost their Minds? Collected Thoughts 109

what youth collected thoughts colin moran nate lawrence

Have surf magazines lost their minds?

First off, surf photographers have always been creepy people. Writers, not much better. But it seems in my years dealing with surf magazines that the people in charge are usually pretty turned on. They know how to make a very selfish sport look fun and inviting. I always looked up to the people who put together the magazines. And seeing my name in print was always the driving force for doing this job. Transiting in some overseas airport and seeing an image of mine in Surfing Magazine was such a high.

But this week scared me after I saw two things. First off, Surfing Magazine published a photo of a skim boarder. I know there’s a lot of crazy things happening in this world but I never thought Surfing Magazine, the leaders in performance surfing, would ever run a photo of someone skim-boarding. They don’t even run photos of people long-boarding; Joel Tudor can attest to that. But I can live with that one. Maybe they’re changing their look.

What I can’t live with is something Surfer Magazine did. First I saw a great photo that Ryan “Chachi” Craig took in Santa Cruz of Nat Young bottom turning at The Lane. He posted it on his social media and I thought, “Damn, I would have saved that for print.”
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The next day Nat reposted it on his social media.

Then 12 hours after that, Surfer Magazine re-reposted the photo.

Now most of you might be thinking right now, “Who fucking cares?” But to me this is crazy. What happened to the surf magazines? Surfer Magazine is the bible of the sport! They should be publishing photos that no one has seen before, not re-reposting. Their staff photographers (Chachi is on staff) should be submitting images and not letting anyone else see them first. A+ photos should still be saved for print before posting on social media. Surf magazines should matter!

Critics will say I’m too old (34) and out of touch with the way things are these days. And I am. I hate Instagram. I haven’t had Facebook in 5 years. Never had Twitter. I’m NOT doing this job for people to see my images on a little screen. I’m not doing this job to get more followers. I’m doing this job because I still get that high when I see and hold and smell a magazine that has my image in it. So I’d like for the magazines out there to put their foot down and demand respect from photographers. Set an example and make magazines king again! —Nate Lawrence

P.S. I know we suck as well…

what youth collected thoughts craig anderson surfing in indonesia

Craig Anderson, Mentawai Islands Collected Thoughts 111: Horrible waves in Indo aren’t that bad

“We hopped on the Bintang boat and got the best waves of our year. Shortly after, we got back on that same boat and got the worst waves of our year. Turns out, horrible waves in the Mentawais still aren’t that bad…” —Nate Lawrence

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Gunner Day Mind Pump Collected Thoughts 110

“A three week flat spell led to an over-hyped swell. The over-hyped swell led to a crowded lineup. The crowded lineup led to searching for other waves. Gunner Day. A first timer to the inside-mind-pump section.” —Nate Lawrence

what youth collected thoughts colin moran nate lawrence

Have Surf Magazines Lost their Minds? Collected Thoughts 109

Have surf magazines lost their minds? First off, surf photographers have always been creepy people. Writers, not much better. But it seems in my years dealing with surf magazines that the people in charge are usually pretty turned on. They know how to make a very selfish sport look fun and inviting. I always looked…

what youth collected thoughts nate lawrence photography surfing

Too Much Perfect in Indonesia Collected Thoughts 108

Living in Bali has it’s perks. It’s cheap, warm and has waves all year round. It also has it’s downsides. Traffic, pollution and kooks. But the perfect waves always conquer the cons when contemplating if there is a better place to live. But just recently the perfect waves didn’t seem so perfect. I found myself…

what youth nate lawrence collected thoughts indonesia

Nate Lawrence nearly robbed To get you this Collected Thought Number 107 lineup shot

I nearly got robbed trying to get a lineup shot. I probably deserved it though. After all, I am exposing surf spots. And taking photos of a wave and making it look prettier than it is. The wind? It was onshore. The crowd? It was packed. But that’s the thing with us sketchy photographers, it’s…

Dillon Perillo, Indo Collected Thoughts 106: “Dillon lost his mind out here, which is kind of like finding it for him.”

On an island in remote Indonesia, Dillon Perillo can finally surf again. 5 hour sessions in the middle of the day with no one out. And then again just before sunset. This is not Malibu. —Nate Lawrence

what youth collected thoughts chippa wilson surfing bali indonesia

Chippa Wilson on the “Duo”, Bali Collected Thoughts 105

I was pretty amazed when Chippa pulled out this Neil Purchase Jr surfboard with only 2 fins and decided to ride it at pumping Uluwatu. The takeoffs were late and the drops were steep, but it didn’t hinder Chippa’s surfing. The positions in which he was riding the waves were something I hadn’t seen before.

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The Bukit Peninsula Collected Thoughts 104

The warm water splashes on your toes as you pass mostly naked women on the beach on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula. Left, right, left. Your head can’t stop spinning. Then you see the waves. One, two, three, four. Lines stack up to the horizon and then you pick your time and go. Paddle towards the sun….

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Julian Wilson in Bali Collected Thoughts 103

Still think spraying someone who’s paddling over the shoulder is one of the best things (and brattiest) in surfing. Julian Wilson partakes in Bali recently. —Nate Lawrence

Collected Thoughts 101 Bronson Meidy

Bronson Meidy, 12, Keramas Collected Thoughts 102

There’s a new kid to the surf scene in Bali. His name is Bronson Meidy and he just turned 12 this week. I usually don’t like to say anything about kids this young because you just want them to be kids. Eating candy and shit. Not worrying about sponsors and sticker placement. Just going surfing…

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The Indian Ocean Spotlight: beach parties, waves and Scandinavian women Collected Thoughts 101

The Indian Ocean is back in the spotlight. Swells are stacking up and surfers are busy paying excess baggage on flights. So what’s new? It’s still hot, dirty and full of Brazilians. There’s still corruption and crazy tourists. People are still getting crunched my motorbikes daily. But there are parties every night and Scandinavian women…

what youth chippa wilson surfing bali

Chippa Wilson, Bali 2016 Collected Thoughts 100

“Sometimes it feels so good to dig your back hand in the water and do a nice Larry layback. Chippa in Bali recently unveiling his new Brixton stickers.” —Nate Lawrence

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