Love of the water only grows as you spend time in it. The feeling of freedom it provides and the sense of playfulness within is hard to match.
Whether it was at the pool, beach or on the river, I spent almost every day of my youthful summers in the water. But it was only recently that I started to truly appreciate the ocean in all its beauty and strength. As a surfer you become very in tune with the water around you. It’s very alive, always changing, moving and reminding me to go with the flow of life. Each time as I paddle around, sometimes alone, sometimes joined by dolphins and otters or thousands more people in California, I learn something new. I am continually humbled by the waves, some days they make me feel glorious, while other days it’s like I have no business out there.
It is difficult to explain the connection with waves that keeps myself or others going back. But I thought Mickey Smith, a charming, humble, creative and passionate surfer/ photographer did an exceptional job. In his recent appearance at the DO Lectures he shares a poetic story and the magic of waves in his film Darskide of the Lens, along with a few valuable lessons to live by…
DO arm yourself with a grin.
DO embrace being out of control.
DO let your weirdness flow free. Go mad and be yourself.
DO trust in the things you love.
DO get primal with nature.
DO trust your instincts and run with them always.
DO use your fears and failures as fuel.
DO what you love for a living. But be wise with it.
“Fires of happiness, waves of gratitude for everything that brought us to that point in life at that point in time to do something worth remembering with a photograph or a scar.”
His words are inspiring. Take 20 minutes to watch this talk and steep yourself in some of the wisdom that Mickey has to offer.
MICKEY SMITH
Photographer, film maker & surfer
Mickey Smith is a lad that has lived a life a little less ordinary. He grew up amongst a family of fisherman and mariners, so the ocean and the elements were inevitably where he was drawn. At the age of 9 he was given a disposable camera and an acoustic guitar and cameras and music combined with the magic of waves eventually led him to become a photographer and film maker. From Iceland to Tahiti, Ireland to Japan, Mickey’s love for waves of consequence and isolated environments has left him with many a fine tale to tell and worldwide acclaim for his groundbreaking creative endeavours.
10 People, 250 Mile Drive, 18 Mile Hike and a Protected Surf Break.
You are never alone in California. The surf breaks are crowded, the campgrounds are booked a year in advance and there are few places you can escape with out reservation.
For month’s a group of friends had been talking about making the trip up the Lost Coast in northern California. Supposedly one of the best point breaks lies off the protected land. Best, if not for its giant peeling surf and surrounding scenery, then for its lack of competing surfers. The break, called Big Flat owes its emptiness to inaccessibility. The only way to get there is to hike 9 miles along the beach that is impassable at high tide. That is a long way to lug a surfboard on your back, in addition to camping equipment and 5mm wetsuit.
Although there were times when I questioned our sanity, like when I was bent over charging a head wind with a 7″ wind sail on my back, the black sand, cool, wet air, empty beaches and nothing but the sound of waves crashing along the way provided a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The weekend consisted of yoga on the beach, rainbows, uncontested surf, bonfires, and bears who made off with more than half our food.
Here is a short video of our epic adventure up the Lost Coast.
Which is why I want to invite you to join Vivanista in a collaborative photography project to share the ‘Love of Philanthropy’ with communities across the country on Valentine’s Day, February 14. Together we’ll create a photomontage of what you love about doing good.
Since so many Americans are passionate about giving back, we decided this would be a way to let volunteers, organizations and philanthropists tell their own stories, unfiltered with digital photographs of the people, places and things that are making a difference in their community. Our photo contest brings a new opportunity for Vivanista to see the world through your unique lens.
Challenge: Go out and create a visual love story. Share extraordinary images of everyday philanthropic life. All it takes is a vision, digital camera, and five minutes time.
How it works?
Photographers of all ages and experience can express their love of philanthropy through photos
Crowd sourced voting on Facebook to determine three category winners from 75 finalists
The grand prize winner, photo with the most votes will get $1,000 to be donated to their favorite charity
What makes a photograph a Vivanista winner? Technical quality, clarity and composition are all important, but so too is a flair for the unexpected and the ability to capture a picture-perfect moment. Need some ideas?check out all the contest submissions.
