Life Around the Sea: Capturing the Heart of Australian Surf Culture

- An essential book for anyone who lives and breathes surfing or delights in the splendor that nature -- in particular, the ocean -- has to offer
- Displaying full-color and black-and-white photography of breathtaking scenes from surf beaches across Australia
- Photographs are grouped together by region, providing a visual journey that begins and ends in Western Australia, the home of photographer Russell Ord
- Profiles in narrative form are scattered throughout the book, providing glimpses into people’s lives - from professionals in the industry such as known legend Tom Carroll and Olympic champion Shane Gould, to everyday people who feel the call to the sea and surf for the pure love of the sport
- The book features people who live close to the water, as well as those who travel to seek the waves their hearts desire
- A key theme in Life Around the Sea is the connection shared between surfers and the ocean, and the bond surfers therefore have with each other. A sense of peace, harmony, and community is felt among surfers far and wide
- This book is a beautiful tribute to the surfing culture in Australia and the awe-inspiring waves its beaches can conjure

Life Around the Sea explores the iconic Australian coastlines, surf, and the wave-seeking community captured through masterful photography by Russell Ord. Intimate personal stories written by Alex Workman celebrate surf culture and the indelible connection to the sea.

Life Around the Sea is an odyssey of Australia and a deep dive into some of the remarkable individuals who have been transformed by the sea’s enduring embrace. There are individuals all around the country whose hearts beat in unison with the rhythmic swells of the sea; people who have found solace in the ocean and pursue a surfing lifestyle because of their unbreakable bond with the water.

You’ll encounter people from all walks of life, from fearless big waver riders, and surfers who first felt the tender caress of a wave in their childhood, to artists drawn to the coastline to bring its ancient beauty to life, and shapers who expertly craft boards for wave seekers around the globe.

Be transported to Australian coastal villages, hinterland hideaways, remote beaches, and solitary shaping bays that form the backdrop to the unique lives of these people. Their personal stories, told by surf writer Alex Workman and captured by Russell Ord’s evocative and breathtaking photography, are a testament to the boundless beauty, mystery, and inspiration that the ocean bestows upon us all.

Russell Ord is an Australian photographer best known for his striking surf and ocean photography. Ord grew up playing rugby league, surfing, and working as a firefighter. He began pursuing photography seriously in the early 2000s and quickly made a name for himself with his intense, dramatic images of big-wave surfing and ocean landscapes. Russell’s work is regularly featured in numerous publications, including The Surfer’s Journal, Tracks, and Australian Surfing Life, and he has won multiple awards for his photography. He is particularly well known for his willingness to take risks in pursuit of the perfect shot, often putting himself in dangerous situations to capture the power and beauty of the ocean. Russell’s unique talents culminated in his documentation of a violent twist of the Indian Ocean. The hard-won and career-defining image, known simply as ＂The Right,＂ was the focal point for his celebrated documentary One Shot. Alex Workman is a surf journalist from Australia. His love of surfing has taken him around the world covering stories on the world’s best surfers and culture shifters, working for Tracks Magazine and the World Surf League. A published writer and documentary producer, his career has given him access to hang with world champions, shapers, artists and a band of surfing misfits who, like he, have hitched their lives to the rhythm of the waves. He resides in Byron Bay with his young family where he regularly pushes them into waves of their own.