Photographer Series is back. This weeks installment is a good friend of ours we’ve been working along side with since day 1. William Sharp. “Sharpy” as we like to call him. Sharp has been around well before the digital era shooting the worlds best surfer’s and skaters since the mid 1970’s. Below is a little Q&A with the legend we’re lucky enough to of grown up shooting under.
1) DOB/location?…California child some 60 yrs ago…
2) Years shooting?…Got my first camera at age 13, shot skateboarding mid to late ’70’s, full time surf photography 1990 to present. So for a long time…
3) Where did you grow up?…On the back lot of Universal Studios and Toluca Lake environs…
4) Where do you reside now?…Oxnard, CA for the last 23+ yrs…
5) Would you rather shoot in the freezing cold or blistering heat?…Doesn’t really matter as long as there’s good waves…
6) What surf destination could you travel to year after year and never get tired of visiting?…Well I’ve been to Indo 7 times, I guess I dig it there. Love Tahiti and South Africa too…
7) Worst trip you’ve ever been on?…I’ve been fortunate with my travels but I would say the Philippines with a crew of pro bodyboards. The boat was too small for our crew, then the drive chain on the engine broke and we almost got driven into a rock cropping off an island. We were delayed in a harbor for repairs and experienced one of the gnarliest lighting storms of my life, ask Jason Wolcott about it sometime. When we finally made it to where we were going we had one good day of surf then it went flat for the rest of the trip…
8) Favorite surfer to shoot?…Has to be Dane for sure. Conner, Parker and Bobby, as well…
9) Favorite Photographers?…Guys I really looked up to in the early days were Jeff Hornbaker, Chris Van Lennep, and Scott Aichner, I really dig Cory Wilson’s work right now too…
10) What are you currently working on?…Still working with Surfing Magazine after all these years. I’m in the midst of publishing a book on the late ’70’s skateboarding highlighting banks, pools, parks, pipes, and contests of the era. Notable skaters, Tony Alva, Jay Adams, Jerry Valdez, Brad Bowman, Steve Olson, and many more. It’s been a huge learning experience but it should be out Oct/Nov this year…
10) Instagram…@williamsharpphotography
Website…Williamsharp.com
-
- Bobby Martinez
-
- Conner Coffin
-
- Adam Virs
-
- Nick Rozsa
-
- Dane Reynolds
