Wall Hangers

Gerry Lopez says that with surfing there are no prizes to bring home after a trip—no antlers to hang on the mantle to remind you of great sessions or amazing waves. He says that’s the reason why surf culture has developed such an amazing array of storytellers, because, “Sometimes the only thing as good as surfing is talking about it afterwards.”

I have to disagree with Gerry a little there. I’d say that surfing does have its version of antlers, and to keep that analogy going, Mr. Pipe is a big game hunter. Photographs and videos of surf trips are undeniably the deer heads we hang on our walls to bring back memories of our surfaris, from the harrowing drives down half-dry riverbeds to the rich colors of suspect street foods to, of course, the waves that we all go on these crazy quests to catch. And Gerry Lopez has collected some of the most iconic and prized images of the sport of kings—tangible, true souvenirs from a life well-spent. That’s not to say “talkin’ story” isn’t great as well, or that memories of certain waves won’t stay with you in the first person for the rest of your life, but man, it’s nice to have snapshots to go along with the words and reflections.

As I mentioned in the last post, we surfed with Ed from Quality Peoples a few days in Mex and, aside from being an all-around great surf chum, he also recorded our adventures on film. Like any good photojournalist, he takes pictures without being intrusive or making a big deal of it. He just gets his share of waves, then, when you least expect it, pulls out a camera and snaps away for a few minutes. The quality of his images are incredible, as you can see from the pics here and on his blog and photostream, really capturing the experience of surfing with friends in foreign lands.

So this post goes out to Ed, a true marksman and sharp-shooter when it comes to helping a band of motley surf dogs score some quality antlers for the mantle. Your blog, your designs, your photos—hell, your LIFE—is an inspiration. Looking forward to surfing together again, wherever that may be.

All images above copyright 2008 Ed Fladung, Quality Peoples.