Review
WL Rating
The 1960’s and 1970’s were a very fertile time for the sport of surfing, producing some of the most historic names in surf photography: Merkel, Flame, Divine, Servais and Grannis. In Leroy Grannis, Surf Photography of the 1960’s and 1970’s, editor Jim Heiman has collected from the Grannis archives some of the most iconic photos of the era. The first part of the book focuses on the early days of surfing in California. There are stylish shots of Dora, Mike Hynson, David Nuuhiwa and others all surfing at barely crowded spots in Southern California. Not all the photos are of surfing, however, with a load of excellent lifestyle shots of the personalities, cars and surf shops in the area. The second part of the book documents the same period (albeit a bit later), but in Hawaii. From the first shots at Chun’s Reef and Pipe, it is quite clear that the Hawaii section has a wild side that the more idyllic Calfornia section lacks. That’s not to say that the California section is boring, because it’s not. It’s just that the Hawaiian photos are packed with the beautiful drama and energy that you’d expect from the large, powerful surf of the North Shore. For anyone who grew up reading Surfer and Surfing in the 1970’s, Grannis‘ photos will act like a time machine, transporting you back to an age of soft rail boards and single fins. For younger surfers interested in surfing’s golden age, you won’t be disappointed. A historical book that is definitely a WL Essential. (January 2010)
Leroy Grannis - Jim Heimann & Steve Barilotti
