Wheels Go 'Round
JB: Is that pureness still the same now as it was when you were a kid?
MW: In some ways the pureness has been lost, but the actual act of riding waves is still pure and it always will be. If you’re paddling into waves unassisted then it is still a pure act in the traditional sense. The reasons why people surf or are involved in surfing can be questioned. More image, more money, more people, more hype, more product: it doesn’t necessarily make surfing better, but that can be said for a lot of things. There are still people out there who aren’t swayed by what is popular or cool. They’re surfing for all the right reasons and following their hearts and that’s a good thing.
JB: How did you get started shooting surfing, was it a conscious effort?
MW: I jumped at the chance to see surfing films at the cinema when I was younger. They weren’t always on and it was a long trip, but the experience was always worth it, to see all your heroes and the latest images on the big screen.
