You can own this iconic, award-winning image from photographer Scott Aichner!
At the peak of his career, legendary surf photographer Scott Aichner packed up his water housing and left the industry. He had just won Photo of the Year at 2007’s Surfer Poll for his dizzying shot of Hawaiian Robert Hennessy tucked under a cascading blue lip. He had over 80 covers at Surfer magazine under his belt. And he had revolutionized the in-the-water POV shot, placing groms right there in the water with their favorite pros while they flipped through the mags. But old Ike was over it.
“I was feeling like I had hit the ceiling and there wasn’t any room for advancement,” he told me over the phone. “At the same time, I felt like I was doing the same thing over and over. I was ready for something else.”
That something else was surfing. As a photographer, Aichner was always in the water or on the beach shooting while everyone else scored perfect waves. Without the constant pressure to shoot, he was free to surf when it was pumping. “It was a huge weight off my shoulders,” he said.
Beyond photographer’s fomo, Ike was disillusioned by a changing industry. He was the seasoned vet; he was accustomed to using film instead of digital; he was a traditional rockstar amid a sea of electro DJs. With the rise of digital and GoPro’s world domination, Scott saw monotony, a death of originality. Anyone could become a photographer and mass-produce their work. The tech advancements and widespread access made the practice feel cold and lifeless versus the, “inherent specialness of actually owning and holding an image in your hand.”
But nostalgia aside, alas, Scott Aichner is not invincible to the childlike amazement with gadgetry. “The technology is moving at Mach 20…it’s insane!” he said. Whereas before a photographer would have to lug around a 20 to 30-pound camera, today the equipment only weighs about 5 pounds. And it shoots in much higher quality.
Which is why Aichner is making a triumphant return to the industry. He’s not trying to usher in a resurgence of the glory days of film (although he’s not opposed to shooting with his preferred medium). Instead, he’s interested in shooting video on a hi-def slo-motion camera. And to fund his new purchase? Scott’s taken to Ebay with original slides and prints of some of his most iconic images. Andy Irons on a crystalline blue Teahupo’o bomb. Tom Curren pulling into a heaving Pipe barrel. And, of course, the award-winning shot of Hennessy is up for grabs as well.
“These are my best images,” Scott said. “I’ve handpicked about 40 of my absolute best photos. And I’m not holding anything back.”
Own a part of surf history and browse Scott Aichner’s pictures here.
