Luke is one of my best mates. We've known each other since 1993, when the 20 year blagged his way into the position as NZ Surfing's new graphic designer. To be honest he aced the interview process. It was exciting times, printing magazines was not the digital ease it is now. Pages were typeset, bromides were made, film was stripped in, cut and paste was actually cutting and pasting with wax rollers.
Luke made and makes my website. Luke made 09 Magazine with me. He's my go to guy. He's more than that, we've shared life's significant events; family deaths, births of children, relationship dissolutions, marriages.
Luke was born with an underdeveloped left hand. To be really honest, I always forget about his dodgey left, he doesn't let it stop him from doing anything.
Ok scene set, why am I extolling Luke?
Well he's just been selected to represent NZ at the ISA Adaptive Surf Champs in California. That's kind of a big deal, he'll be the first Kiwi to ever do so. The bigger picture being that it will open the door for other Adaptive Kiwi surfers to follow suit in the LA Paralympics.
Luke's not a high roller, dear old Luke is a cruiser, he doesn't have the coin to get to California, at the moment he doesn't even have a good steamer or short board. Well O'Neill NZ [thanks Jason!] and Steve Morris SM Surfboards [thanks Steve!] have generously, no second thought, sorted that. But Luke needs to raise 4G for flights and accomodation, thanks to his Give A Little champaign he's already 25% there.
I've given, can you? Here's the link to the Give A Little page
https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/adaptivesurfingchamps2017
In Other News
NZ Surf; The Collection Vol 1 is going super, super well. The limited edition book has sold through 2/3's of the print run already. Looks like there won't be too many left by the other side of Christmas at this rate aye! This week it featured on the cover of Christchurch's Bay Harbour News... right next to the Freedom Campers ignoring fines.
Last week's final shindig at The New Brighton Club went off too, again, thank you all for coming along, Waz and I were stoked to fill that big room. [and bloody stoked on how many books were bought!]
From The Galleries
Big is best! This week a couple of 1200mm wide prints got commissioned, above is Piha Storm and below is Piha Bar Pano. Of course it's nice 'cos it's more money, but that's not the primary reason. The whole way I shoot is so the images can go at least this big and it being just were the fine detail only starts to pop. I froth out every time is see these printed big and am reminded of how sharp and detailed they are - photo nerding out.
lick on the images if you wanna know more about them...or even how to get your very own.