VIEW

Soul Surfer

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS BURKARD

As a senior staff photographer at Surfer Magazine, Chris Burkard has traveled the world in search of the perfect wave. His awards are too many to list and his work has appeared internationally. Most recently, the 27-year-old Arroyo Grande resident has published his third book, “Russia, the Outpost V. 1,” which is an intimate, journalistic documentation of a surf expedition on the Kamchatka Peninsula, a remote arctic finger in northern Russia. Closer to home, Burkard captured the shot you see here. He sets the scene, a local “secret surf spot,” in his own words… “The session that afternoon was backlit and serene, more a mood than anything, viscerally sewn to the theme of the trip: solitude. The women were longboarders of silky catlike precision, nose-riding virtuosos, expertly tuned to the small river mouth waves near our campsite. Mavens of grace, they were relaxing to watch. The moment was so timeless and when I approach shooting these types of scenes I look to portray that. I wanted to capture the grace and style of Crystal Thornburg as she made riding the wave look effortless. Her silhouette, contrasted against the colors of the setting sun, are really what create the timeless moment. I exposed the image to create that silhouette while using a fisheye to really capture the entire scene taking place. I stood in the water as high as I could lifting the housing above my head to give a unique perspective, almost as if you are riding the wave with her.”

SLO LIFE

Equipment and settings: Nikon D300s, 10.5 mm, ISO 200, f2.8, 1/800