ADVENTURES IN LIGHT
Welcome to My World of Photography
If you’ve found your way here for the first time, I’d like to extend a warm welcome. I really enjoy sharing my photographic journey with like minded souls. To give you some background and a look behind the scenes of ‘Adventures in Light’, I’ve put together some highlights worth mentioning. Now, I’m not here to offer life advice, but I can certainly share some personal insights from my own journey.
“Ted gets easily distracted.”
Every year, without fail, there's an internal voice telling me, “This year, I’ll write a blog every week, post stories, create killer content, and WOW the world with my photos.” But, as fate would have it and as my primary school report card would say, “Ted gets easily distracted.” And well, that’s how we end up with a well-travelled passport and a skinny bank balance.
There’s always a swell somewhere on this planet calling me and as long as the airlines are flying, so are my cameras. Occasionally, we get an upgrade, but honestly, I couldn’t care less. As long as I make it to the spot before the swell hits, I’m good.
Anyway, back to the story. As promised, here’s an insight into my journey so far.
G-Land - The Early Years
CHASING WAVES - CAPTURING STORIES
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the edge; the edge of waves, the edge of the map, the edge of what’s possible. Photography became my way of not just seeing, but truly experiencing the world. It’s been my constant companion on this wild, unpredictable journey I call Life. Each photo I take is an extension of a life lived in motion, shaped by the pull of travel and the freedom that comes with spontaneous adventure.
“My camera bag is always packed with the essentials: a charger, toothbrush, a spare shirt and a puffa jacket - just in case.”
Some days, my head’s a whirlwind as I try to make decisions based on the weather charts. More often than not, I book flights at the last minute, it’s kinda just the way it all works out. My camera bag is always packed with the essentials: a charger, toothbrush, a spare shirt and a puffa jacket - just in case.
Luxury Accommodation
FROM COUNTRY VICTORIA TO THE WORLD
I grew up in country Victoria, Australia, and never imagined my future would involve a camera. A football injury put me on the sidelines and with time on my hands, I started photographing my mates surfing on weekends. What began as a distraction quickly turned into an obsession - I was hooked. Before long, I was trading in my university economics textbooks for a camera, diving headfirst into the world of photography - I had no idea what I was signing up for.
“…suddenly life became precious and I realised that while we can’t take possessions with us, our experiences stay with us forever.”
Losing my parents at a young age really gave me a sense of urgency. I was in my early 20's and suddenly life became precious and I realised that while we can’t take possessions with us, our experiences stay with us forever. That insight became my driving force, it shapes my decisions, my direction and my entire life philosophy.
Up The Creek, Mentawais
I sold most of what I owned to fund my early trips, hitchhiking across Africa, taking buses across the Americas and exploring the uncharted corners of the globe. It was the ‘80s, so you could get away with that kind of thing. It wasn’t glamorous. In fact, it was a bit ill-conceived, raw and humbling.
“Travel rarely goes to plan, but it’s always an exercise in character-building.”
But I can honestly say it shaped me, not just as a photographer but as a person. Those experiences were gifts and they still are today. Travel rarely goes to plan, but it’s always an exercise in character-building. Wouldn’t swap it for anything.
Early Surf Exploration: Hinako Islands
SURF & ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Early on, I discovered my niche in surf and adventure photography. I wasn’t just chasing perfect waves; I was chasing the stories they told. Immersing myself in local cultures, hanging out, eating local and just day tripping around to get a feel for the place. Indulgent maybe, but it became an essential part of my travels.
“I’ve been locked up, shot at, shipwrecked and stranded.”
From Indo to Svalbard, my trusty lenses have captured moments of both chaos and serenity; waves that roared like beasts and others that whispered like a gentle ocean breeze. These adventures weren’t without their challenges. I’ve been locked up, shot at, shipwrecked and stranded. But those moments are small in comparison to the incredible experiences and friendships I’ve gained along the way.
Rip Curl THE SEARCH, Madagascar
SPONSORSHIPS & SUCCESS
I’ve been lucky enough to work with brands like Rip Curl, Patagonia and Red Bull, travelling the world to capture images that celebrate the human spirit, the raw power of the ocean and the brave souls who dare to ride it. But before the sponsorships and assignments, I was just a guy with a camera and a dream.
“I was just a guy with a camera and a dream.”
I believed, and still do, that anything is possible if you want it badly enough. Corny as it sounds, it’s true. I could dress it up to sound more profound or complicated, but at the end of the day, I do what I do because it’s in my blood.
Mikey Wright Boosts a Massive Air at Rocky Rights
“I believed, deep down, that anything was possible if you wanted it badly enough..”
It fuels my drive for adventure and is deeply ingrained in my soul. To ignore it would be a crime against my own inner wisdom. So every day, I wake up, embrace the sunrise and follow where my spirit takes me. Sometimes, it’s to the camera shop because I’ve just lost all my gear going over the falls. At other times, it’s flying to Hawaii, staying with good friends and shooting Pipeline.
PIPELINE shot from Beach Park - Dec 2024
“The path won’t always be clear and the challenges will always test you.”
The Road Less Travelled
WHAT PHOTOGRAPHY HAS TAUGHT ME
Photography has given me more than just the skills to frame a shot or chase the perfect light. It’s taught me patience, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for the world’s many layers. Through it, I’ve learned that true adventure isn’t found in a guidebook or mapped out on a GPS.
It’s found when you step into the unknown, often with little more than your instincts and a bit of courage. It’s the thrill of camping under the stars without a tent or flying halfway across the world, trusting a hunch about the perfect swell.
Canadian Surfer Erin Brooks, Rocky Point
A WORD TO ASPIRING CREATIVES
To anyone aspiring to build a career in photography or any creative field, here’s some advice - purely from my own experience.
“Follow your passion relentlessly.”
Follow your passion relentlessly. The path won’t always be clear and the challenges will always test you. But the rewards, the places you’ll go, the people you’ll meet, the stories you’ll tell, will make it all worthwhile.
Flock of Flamingos
GRATITUDE AND THE JOURNEY AHEAD
As I look back, I see a life lived through the lens, a journey that has been nothing short of miraculous. Grateful? Yes, if that’s what you call it. But gratitude is too small a word for what I feel. Every wave, every photograph, every encounter - it’s all been a gift.
“A Never-ending Story…”
And the journey? Well it continues. The camera remains my passport, my ticket to the unknown and I shall never tire of exploring it. There’s still so much more to capture, so much more to experience. And so I go, chasing the next wave, the next story.
“There’s still so much more to capture, so much more to experience.”
THE POWER OF THE IMAGE: WHAT MOVES YOU?
If you’ve read this far, congratulations. You’ve survived my ramblings. But I have to ask - what has moved you? Is it the lure of the ocean, the call of the unknown, or is it the way a single image can stir something deep inside? Maybe, just maybe, something in this journey resonates with your own.
North Shore
PHOTOGRAPHY AS ART - THE MOMENT IS NOW
This is where light, shadow and time meet. It is not about taking pictures; it is about living them. Standing in front of an image is not a passive experience. It’s an active one, where you, the viewer, become a part of it.
“It’s the art of capturing the soul of a moment.”
Whether it’s a surfer carving through a wave that’s fuelled by the power of the gods or a quiet moment where light and sea meet at the horizon.
Photography is a portal. It’s the art of capturing the soul of a moment, freezing it in time, so that you and I can share it, understand it, and perhaps, just for a moment - live it.
Speed Blur, Backdoor
BINGO - BOB’S YOUR UNCLE
And so here we are - my world, my photographs, my life in motion - 'Adventures in Light' - a big photography book or a world of photography prints waiting for you.
The website shop is designed with simplicity in mind. Just click on Classic Surf or Ocean Art; then choose from Surf, Wave, Travel or Sea Level photographs. Pick the ones that speak to you; select your preferred size, and Bingo—Bob’s your uncle! Your order will be printed and posted to you and before you know it, your new artwork will be proudly hanging on your wall.
So go ahead, dare to wander, dare to dream. The world is waiting, as is your place within it.
NEXT…
“Caught Inside: A Moment Between Waves and Life.”
Ian Walsh, Grant "Twiggy" Baker & Jamie "Mitcho" Mitchell.
CAUGHT INSIDE: Surfers Face Waimea’s Giants at 'The Eddie Aikau'
In the heart of Waimea Bay, during the intensity of the Eddie Aikau contest, this image captures not just the power of the ocean but the essence of life itself.
Three surfers, three stages of a wave - each one a reflection of the highs, the uncertainties and the inevitable crashes we all face. Through my lens, this is more than just a moment in surfing; it’s a meditation on the constant ebb and flow of fate.
COMING SOON…
MEGA SLIDE SHOWS
And stay tuned for upcoming Mega Slide Shows - dates and locations to be announced soon. Keep an eye out!
