Nice to Meet You, Mr. Photographer

posted by Stuart Cornuelle / Blogs, Editorial / November 8, 2010

Who are SURFING’s photographers? Who are these artistic gypsies billing us for their bar tabs and plane tickets? It is time we get to know.

Name: Stephen Scott Sherman
Age: 47
Hometown: Cardiff, California
Years shooting: 30
Equipment: Canon, Hasselblads, Century 650 and a 1000 mm lens

Motto: “Learn all the rules, then learn to break them.”

Where are you right now? Puerto Rico

Where have you been over the last six months? Australia, South Africa, France, Portugal

What do you ride? Mostly Al Merricks, from a 5’10” Fishcuit to a 7’6” gun. My favorite board at the moment is a 6’2” Mob model, the “Motorboat” (a wider squash tail)

How often do you surf? Every day if I can (I can’t). I love to shoot early-light lineups and then surf

Favorite wave to surf: Del Mar beach breaks and Burleigh Heads

Favorite wave to shoot: Desert Point

Favorite surfers to shoot: Kelly Slater, Andy Irons RIP!!!

Favorite city: Solana Beach

Won’t return to: Rosarito Beach, Baja

Perks of being a SURFING photographer: A nice tan

Other jobs you’ve held in the past: Drove taxis, painted houses, worked as a darkroom tech for TW Skateboarding

How you deal with poachers: Big hug

Funniest thing you’ve seen a pro surfer do: Gerr’s imitations of pros

Craziest thing you’ve seen a pro surfer do: Kieren Perrow’s Off-the-Wall antics — zero fear

The next Kelly Slater is: Kelly Slater

The next Steph Gilmore is: Carissa Moore

Five people you’d want to have with you on a desert island: Occy, Eddie Vedder, Bruce Springsteen, Christy Turlington, and Che Guevara

Person (alive or dead) you most want to have a beer with: Joe Strummer! Viva la Clash!

If you weren’t a surf photographer, what would you be doing? Surfing a lot more