Follow Andy: instagram.com/shrk_bait/
Creativity is what makes surfing tick and Carolina Surf Brand is stoked to have our boy Shrk_Bait in our camp to capture the moment. He ain't old but he's got roots. Sharkie, as we call him, takes a unique approach to surf photography and prefers to shoot with his collection of, dare we say, vintage, film cameras. Appreciating the element of surprise, his images come out anything but traditional. Read on... you'll love him, just like we do.
When it came to deciding on where to go to college, the beach was a no brainer.
Where are you from?
I’m originally from Western Mass, as land locked as it gets! I remember listening to the Beach Boys as a kid, which eventually lead to me getting really into surf rock and tiki culture. So when it came to deciding on where to go to college, the beach was a no brainer.
What got you into photography?
I always wanted to take pictures but never had access to a camera until my friend Bailey gave me a film camera (Canon FTb to be exact) for Christmas one year. After having CVS loose one of my rolls of film, I started processing film myself in my closet. From there it was a slippery slope, buying short ends of movie film, bulk loading my own rolls, researching alternative film processes/dark room techniques, repurposing old cameras, modifying lenses, etc. Since I’m self taught, I never had a “rule book” which I think really helped me discover my own style, anything went, nothing was “wrong” in my eyes. I’m sure classically trained film photographers would shudder at some of the things I do haha.
What’s your favorite place to shoot? Favorite surfer to shoot?
I love shooting coastal NC, because it’s something we are all so familiar with but I feel like I manage to present it in a way that is different from what people are used to seeing.
I love shooting single fin loggers and alternative shape riders. I think it just tends to jive with how I approach photography. They just “get it”. They surf from the heart, just out there to have fun in the water! Erik Paulson and Nicole Morrisette are two surfers I love linking up with, they are both super talented wave riders and have really unique styles. I don’t think I’ve met anyone as dedicated to eat, sleep, surf as they are.
I’m kind of a gearhead so the list of equipment I use would be stupid long.
What equipment are you using?
Oh man, where to start…. How much time do you have?? Haha, I’m kind of a gearhead so the list of equipment I use would be stupid long. I have about 20 film cameras that are on my short list ranging from 8mm movie film to 4x5 large format. I don’t like being tied down to one specific system, it’s part of what makes it fun and drives my passion for experimenting and learning. I will say that the Smena 8m is probably one of my favorite cameras (I have 4 or 5 of them). I think I like it so much because its an absolute piece of s**t and a nightmare to use, but the images that come out of it are magical to me. I even went so far as to design and 3D print a grip to make it more ergonomic haha.
I’m a tinkerer for sure with as wide a range of hobbies as my film equipment…
Any other info that you’d like people to know? Any odd behaviors and obsessions? Haha.
Another doozy of a question! I’m a tinkerer for sure with as wide a range of hobbies as my film equipment… so I easily get myself in trouble. From working on old VWs to conjuring up tiki drinks, to RaspberryPi powered projects to playing music, I keep myself busy. As far as odd behaviors I’m willing to share haha, I do tend to wake up unusually early compared to most people. It makes me feel like I get two days in one!
