John Bilderback

Being 72.8% water, John Bilderback can look back on twenty years of photography in his element.

“Over two decades shooting water shots for SURFER Magazine, I’ve worked with many of the bravest watermen in the world. Fearless, incredible athletes, who I respect immensely. I watched many surfers evolve into prominent figures on the frontiers of other water sports too. Yet of all the amazing things I’ve seen in my life, nothing compares to what I learned a group of totally selfless people were setting out to do in 2013. After two legs following Hokule'a and her crews around the world for a book project, I trained for 18 months and became a crew member. Being onboard was the greatest privilege of my life. It was the culmination of a long career built on a love for the ocean, and an ability to hold tightly to a camera. The stories in this book are behind the scenes of surf photography, managing dangerous waves, aggressive locals, delicate situations and editors in far places, as well as the wild characters who've floated across my course.

Twenty years, three passports, and forty plus countries shooting for SURFER Magazine, John Bilderback makes his home at Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu, with his wife and three children.