There’s this idea that when you start something new—especially something as iconic as surfing—you should aim to be good at it right away.

Surfing might look like a physical sport from the outside—and sure, it is. It’s about paddling strength, balance, technique. But anyone who’s spent time in the ocean knows there’s something deeper going on.

When you see surfers on social media gliding effortlessly down the face of a wave, it’s easy to believe that’s how it’s supposed to look.

Surfing doesn’t give you a choice about failure. You fall. Constantly. Sometimes in front of a crowd, sometimes alone with just a seagull watching.

There’s a special kind of freedom that comes from being in the ocean. It’s not just physical—though gliding across water on a wave feels like flying.

When I left the UK with a backpack and a camera, I didn’t have surfing in mind. I was chasing light, landscapes, and stories. But while working as a photographer in coastal Australia, the waves were impossible to ignore.