coffee
Coastie WITH A
BLAKE WILTON
SURF PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRAPHER Welcome to Coffee with a Coastie. As we chat with Central Coast local Blake Wilton. Who at 21 has been behind the camera lens capturing local surfers since the age of 14 and more recently working with Kyal and Kara on their Blue Lagoon build that aired on Channel 9.
We were grateful to have been given the opportunity to sit down and chat with Blake about his journey, growing up on the Central Coast and his advice to the next budding 14 year old. For any younger members of the family or older for that matter that want to be inspired by more of what Blake had to say, be sure to listen to the full interview online at onthecoastpublications.com.au/coffeewith-a-coastie-podcast/blake-wilton You recently had the opportunity to share your creative journey live on stage at the adobe make it event in both Sydney and Melbourne. Can you tell us a little bit about how that opportunity came about? When I first started out filming, I would go to the local North Shelly board riders event and do lots of filming. It was there I met Jamie Ragen who works for Adobe. We developed a great relationship
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ON T H E C OA S T – FAM ILIES
over the years. He invited me to share my story on stage at the first Adobe Make It event in over 2 years since Covid. It was cool to share my journey since the age of 14, though very nerve racking and scary at the same time. I watched the show reel you did for the adobe make it event and understand you watched it over 250 times. At the beginning is a long haired little dude saying ‘I’m Blake Wilton, I’m 14 years old and I’m a surf photographer’. How do you feel when you watch that moment of you at 14 saying that? It’s really cool to look back on that. I think it was from a school project at the time. I was encouraged to put it in there albeit I found it cringe worthy at the time I’m so glad I did. Jamie wanted me to put something together that really showed where I’d come from. It’s a moment that shows I was as committed and passionate about it then as I am now.
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I like to think that’s half my success, being able to talk to people and communicate with people You obviously don’t have a problem saying yes. Where do you think the ability to just say yes comes from and what is your advice to someone who is afraid to say yes? I’m not sure, it might have come from my parents not being so outgoing. So, at 14, I was being a bit rebellious. I was a very outgoing kid. I was always happy to talk to adults when all my friends wouldn’t. I like to think that’s half my success, being able to talk to people and communicate with people. I think you’re going to be bummed if you say no. Saying
