The magazine of the art-form of the photo-essay
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film & documentary maker
August 2015 back issue
photographs by Joni Sternbach
text by Lyle Rexer, April M Watson, Chris Malloy and Johnny Abegg
published by Damiani
Over the past decade, Joni Sternbach, a fine art photographer living in Brooklyn,
NY has traveled around the world to create one-of-a-kind tintype portraits of
contemporary surfers using the nineteenth-century wet-plate collodion process
with a large-format camera. In her stunning new monograph Surf Site Tin Type
just published by Damiani Editore, Sternbach gathers the worldwide surfer
community together in a series of fascinating portraits that celebrate surfing as
a sport and way of life.
Evoking our ancient ties to the ocean and the bold individualism of the men and
women who live to ride the waves, Sternbach’s dramatic images capture surfers
of different ages and cultures with their iconic boards, in prized beach locations.
From Montauk and Malibu in the United States, to Byron Bay in Australia and
Cornwall in England, Surf Site Tin Type brings us surfing legends, current stars
and local practitioners portrayed in exquisitely detailed images. They are at home in and part of their surroundings;
the waters of our primordial origins.
In 2006 Sternbach hurried to set up her 8 x 10” camera on a bluff overlooking the beach in Montauk, Long Island.
Hoping to capture a dramatic sky, she noticed a distant group of surfers in the water. Hearing their collective cheer as
the clouds parted and a shaft of sunlight shone onto the water, Sternbach directed her camera toward them to record
their bond with the natural world. From that moment Sternbach has transported her large-format camera and black-box
darkroom to surf beaches, handpouring photo chemicals onto plates that are prepared and developed minutes after
portraits are made.
All tintype images are Copyright ©Joni Sternbach
Len. Ditch Plains, Montauk, NY 2009.
Hannah. Surfrider Beach, Malibu, CA 2010.
Kassia, Donald and Jen. Oceanside, CA.
Kassia Meador, longboarder and lifestyle photographer from Malibu, CA. introduced me to Donald Takayama, an
American professional surfer and surfboard shaper, Hawaiian born. And Jen Smith, Longboard pro now resides in San
Diego, CA.
Mama C. Deep Hole Beach, Matunuck, Rhode Island 2010.
“Mama C” was Janice Causey’s nom de plume.
Rasmus and Kyuss. Main Beach, Byron Bay, NSW, AU 2011.
Kyuss King is an Aussie “phenom-grom” and travels globally to compete.
Dave. Dave’s Farm, Broken Head, NSW, AU.
Dave Rastovich is a pro-surfer, activist and free surfer.
The Mers. Main Beach, Byron Bay, NSW, AU.
John John. Corona Del Mar, CA 2011.
John John Florence is a Hawaiian born surfer who won the Vans World Cup of Surfing in 2011 and 2013.
Mark and Emily. Ditch Plains, Montauk, NY 2012.
Mark is from California and Emily is British though lives PT in Montauk. She is the founder and editor of “The Usual.”
Malloy Brothers. Malloy House, Lompoc, CA 2013.
The Malloy brothers from Ojai, CA are well-respected and professional surfers, filmmakers and environmentalists.
Amico kids. Emma Wood, Ventura, CA.
Chad Amico, father and pastor, mentioned that he had 5 children and a vintage car.
Three Surfers, Morro Rock. Morro Bay, CA 2013.
Corina and Ben Barnick are brother and sister surfers from Morro Bay. The third surfer, Mary is Ben’s girlfriend.
Lily. Ditch Plains, Montauk, NY 2014. Lily Ives is the very
wonderful, creative and lovely daughter of Sonia and Tim
Ives, director of Photography for the TV series, Girls.
Connie. Ditch Plains, Montauk, NY 2014. Connie is a long
time resident of Montauk. [Her board was custom
designed as a gift for her 60th birthday by her husband]
Ben. Perranporth, Cornwall, UK 2014.
Ben Skinner is one of the better-known Cornish surfers. [His family owned brewery, Skinners, is labeled on his board]
