Work in Progress – Senior Surfers

I am still looking for subjects for this series! If you’re a surfer over 65 and would like to take part, please contact me at dz@davidzentz.com. I am especially looking for women!

Mornings with the dawn patrol. Last summer, after brainstorming for project ideas, I came up with the idea to do a story on senior citizen surfers. I had been kicking around the idea of doing a project on senior athletes, but wasn’t sure what angle I could take that would differ from what’s already been done on the topic, which for good reason, is a popular one these days. That’s probably because the number of senior citizens and the percentage of the U.S. population they comprise keeps rising. Thanks to advances in healthcare, as well as general public awareness of healthy living, seniors are staying fit and active long into their later years. I don’t recall when exactly, but at some point, perhaps while surfing or driving along the coast, I came upon the idea to look at senior citizen surfers and was happy to find little had been done on the subject. So, I started calling surf clubs up and down the coast and before long started to have some luck, thanks to the San Onofre Surf Club. My first subject, Mike McCaffrey, pictured in the first photo below, was 78 last summer and is one of the older surfers I’ve photographed. Though that honor, so far, goes to Frank Trane, who at 82 still paddles out three days a week, seven months a year. After meeting up with Mike, I began meeting others just by hanging out at a well-known break known as Old Man’s. Yes, that’s really what it’s called. This method, which I used most of last year, worked all right, but was very hit or miss. I would often make the 1 1/2-hour drive and come home empty handed. While many possible subjects have the time to surf everyday, they also have the luxury of being picky, so on days when the surf was flat, they were likely to just stay home. So, this year I’ve been making appointments, which has worked out much better. With the help of surf clubs in Oceanside, San Diego and Santa Cruz I have lined up a number of new subjects, some of which you see here and some who have yet to be shot. My initial idea was to only do a portrait series. I’ve never been a “surf photographer,” and didn’t have the necessary gear to get in the water and get the shots I would want. Toward the end of last summer though I decided it was really important to couple the portraits with action shots, so I picked up a water housing and started joining them in the surf. So far, those images are a work in progress. A combination of technical difficulties and sometimes poor surfing conditions have yielded only a few decent action shots at this point. But I’m keeping at it, and I’m sure it will start to come together. As of now, I have photographed about 14 subjects and have 8 more lined up. But I think this project has much greater potential so I am still looking for more! At some point I would also like to take it to Hawaii and perhaps Costa Rica, where I know I will find many life-long surfers. Perhaps that will be a future Kickstarter project?

 

 

 

 

What I love about this project is that I’ve found that it’s more than just an athletes story. Surfing is a lifestyle with a rich history, and these guys have lived it longer than anyone out there. For example, Tim Garrison, pictured in the first two images and toward the bottom, is 69 and has been surfing the Oceanside Pier since he was 11. Frank Trane, Elroy Lang, 77, and Mike McCaffrey have been surfing San Onofre since the State Beach was a private, invite-only, surfing club. Trane talks of being invited by his college buddy, Otis Chandler, of who went on to be a 4th generation publisher of the LA Times. In the early ’70s, the spot was brought into the state park system by Nixon, who’s La Casa Pacifica estate, also known as “The Western White House” is located about a mile to the north on the coast, just beyond the famous Trestles break. There are also inspirational stories, such as that of John Moore, who at 68 has had a full knee replacement and sports a handicapped sticker on the nose of his surfboard as a humorous reminder. I have also had the chance to include surfing legend Robert August, 69, of “The Endless Summer” fame, and have a few more legends lined up to take part. I don’t want this to be just about famous surfers, but love it when someone at the center of the culture is willing to take part!

 

 

 

 

One problem I have had thus far is finding female subjects. So far, I have only shot one and have made an age exception as she is only 60. A possible reason for this, that has been mentioned to me, is that surfing was much more of a men’s sport 50 years ago, owing in part to the culture as well as the fact that the boards used to be quite heavy. Whatever the reason, there are very few active women surfers in this age group, and I would like there to at least be a handful included in the project. I know you’re out there! One thing you notice these days is that there are many female surfers out there, so I’m betting if you revisit this project in another 50 years it will be a different story.

 

 

 

 

The final destination of this project is to be determined at this point. At a minimum, I would like to have it published in surfing, health & fitness or senior oriented magazines. I could also see turning it into a book, once I have a large enough body of work. Though this wasn’t my original intent, I think this also ties into environmental issues. These surfers have been able to enjoy the oceans their entire lives and it would be great if future generations could do the same!

So, again, if you’d like to be a part of it I’d love to include you! Please get in touch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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