RC24 Photographer : Ian Grose
Age: 21
Hometown: Goleta, CA
How you got into surfing: Growing up in SB
What lead you to becoming a photographer and where has that journey taken you?
I was always very creative growing up and preferred to be outside over being locked up in a house or classroom. One day when I was about 13 years old I bought my first camera and immediately fell in love with the art of taking photographs. There's something special about capturing a timeless moment and constructing a unique image the way you want others to see it.
Tell the story behind the drone shot and of the line up gracing the RC 24 Poster.
I was looking around for different angles while working the Rincon Classic last year. I felt I had shot everything on the beach, bike path…etc I decided to throw up the drone and ended up having everything line up perfectly.
Who have been your biggest influences?
As far as visual influences, Woody Gooch, Todd Glaser, Dan Scott, Matt Kleiner, and Andy Woodward have been my biggest inspirations because of how extremely talented they are. I really like their styles and how they stand out above all else in the industry. I don’t know Woody and Todd personally, but I know Dan, Matt, and Andy. They all stand out to me outside of just their artwork. I really admire and respect the relationships I have with them, the way they treat others, and the way they go about life.
I am also greatly influenced by Victor Bernardo and Parker Coffin. These two guys stood out to me immediately when I met them and inspire me to get better at my craft and live life the way they do. As they both know, I froth super hard when it comes to filming and it's so smooth and effortless working with them because they are the same way about surfing. Over my years of filming I've worked with countless surfers and individuals and I've never found anyone to top their level of stoke when it comes to what they do. No matter if it's the best day the eye has ever seen, or horrible and onshore, both Victor and Parker have the same level of excitement to just go surf. I think their extreme love for their craft and dedication is what separates them from everyone else in the industry and contributes to their skill/success. I also fully believe what goes around comes around, and have seen these go out of their way for so many people and treat everyone they run into with kindness and respect.
What is it about the Rincon Classic that brings you back each year?
It's the best community event we have every year. After traveling for work anywhere from 6-8 months out of the year it's always special coming home to see our amazing community and where my roots started. I love seeing everyone I grew up with and all the people who have supported me endlessly over the years. My favorite part of the Rincon Classic is that this is the one event we have in town where everyone shows up no matter what. I love reconnecting with everyone and seeing friends from home.
What would you say have been your greatest achievements behind the lens?
One of my greatest achievements is filming the wave that Laura Enever broke the world record for the biggest wave ever paddled by a woman. I went out on a jet ski for the first time in the outer reefs of the North Shore of Oahu during last years Eddie Aikau. I had no idea that day would have turned into me filming a world record wave, but I had a gut feeling that I should just say yes, go, and something special would happen. Besides that I would say, filming for the new Snapt movie, putting out a couple films with Album Surf, or even just accomplishing my original goal of traveling the world has been some of my greatest accomplishments.
Favorite subjects and waves to shoot?
As long as I have a camera in my hands, I love documenting everything no matter the subject. Obviously my heart belongs near the ocean, but I will shoot almost anything and everything. I love the entire creative process and love being able to tell a story and capture the little details in moments one may not see on an everyday basis. My overall favorite subject to shoot is anything revolving around the ocean. I love how the ocean provides a different canvas each and every day. When shooting surfing, waves, or anything around the ocean each day will always be different than the last. The light, tides, winds, swells, surfers, and much more is always different and provides a unique image every time it is captured.
Over the past couple of years I’ve traveled to so many different places and seen countless amounts of waves. It's hard for me to pick which waves have been my favorite to shoot but some of the ones that stand out to me the most have been in Hawaii, Chile, Mexico, California, Australia, and Indonesia. Regardless of all the amazing places and waves I've seen, there's nothing that beats coming back and scoring at home.
Four words to describe Ian Grose.
Driven, Extravert, Creative, Easygoing
Who are your crew?
My crew is very broad since I'm always all over the place and with heaps of people. When I'm in town, the people I spend pretty much every day with is my family and my best friends; Nate Cox, Jordan Bancroft, and Maddie Malmsten. When I'm not with that crew, I spend almost all of my other time with one of my other best friends Victor Bernardo and the crew at Album Surfboards who I also consider family. There’s so many other people that I’ve been blessed with in my life and am extremely grateful for, these are just the ones who you will find me with most.
What is new with Ian Grose?
Right now I am in the process of planning out my next year as much as possible, and writing ideas for upcoming projects. I plan on creating a few big films this year with a variety of surfers and growing my business even more. As of right now, I plan to spend some time this winter on the North Shore of Oahu and hope to find myself shooting some more big wave surfing. I also hope to spend some time in South America, Australia, and Norcal again.
Are you primarily a photographer or would you consider yourself a videographer and editor as well?
I would say I am all three of these things. I don’t really have a specific title for myself other than “artist” or “creative”. I started off primarily shooting photos from age to 13 to about 18 and made the jump over to video a few years ago. I still shoot tons of still images, but most of my work now is mainly shooting video. I enjoy shooting photos, video, and editing all the same and strive to get better in each of these art forms.
What would you tell the next generation of area youth that dream of following in your footsteps and becoming a surf photographer?
I recommend shooting or editing every single day. This has helped me not only get better and grow as an artist, but also continues to keep me consistently motivated and passionate with my craft. As artists we go through waves of ups and downs with our motivation to create. I found that pushing myself to work through these phases has not only made me better at my craft but also has kept me motivated and grown my love for what I do that much more.
The other biggest thing that has helped me get to where I am today is connecting with others, being compassionate, and showing others kindness. Personally, I love talking to people and creating new relationships. The process of constantly networking and meeting new people is good for the soul and helps tremendously to connect with the communities around you. No matter who someone is, I'm constantly introducing myself to new people and telling them what I do. I’ve found that most of the work that's come my way is from people I've reached out to or introduced myself to at some point in my career. Finally, I'd recommend saying yes to every opportunity when you're starting out. No matter if it's something you don't want to do, it sucks while it's happening, or you don’t know the turnout; saying yes to everything will pay off. No matter if it doesn't lead to a job you hoped for or the paycheck you were expecting, it builds perseverance, shows others your willingness to do what it takes, and will pay off in the long run.