Today we’d like to introduce you to James Ferrell.
Hi James, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a surf photographer and videographer from Southern California. I have been shooting for surf for about seven years now. I started in high school with a GoPro I got one year for Christmas. From there, I fell in love with filming and capturing memories. From there, I began going into the water with my GoPro and shooting videos of surfers down in Newport. A bit later, I discovered the wedge. The wedge is what truly sparked my love for surf photography. The power and beauty of these massive waves at the wedge show is insane. I began shooting there with my GoPro and in 2018 I bought a camera housing and a real camera. Ever since I have been completely intrigued by capturing the beauty of the ocean and the people that surf it. It has brought me to amazing places like Tahiti and Hawaii. Seeing the most famous breaks in the world like teahupoo and pipeline, and being able to swim out in those waters is truly a blessing. I am very happy to be able to capture memories and build my photography and videography brand along the way.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a surf photographer is very hard. There’s not much money in the industry. People always want videos and photos for free, so making good money is not easy. The people that are at the top are in a small connected circle with all of the major surf brands, and breaking into that industry is definitely tough. By building out my own brand and creating consistent surf content, I have been able to work with a few amazing brands as well as many awesome surfers. Getting to feature my work along publications such as surfline, the inertia, stab, catch surf, and GoPro has made me grateful for all the hard work I have put in. Growing my TikTok account @surftok to over 120k followers has also been a success. Overall, getting your work out there is always a struggle and continuing to push out relevant and engaging photos and videos is a struggle. But by staying consistent, I think that I have been able to overcome these challenges.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in creating many different things. On my TikTok, I create all original surf content. On Instagram, I mainly post surf photography along with a few videos. On my YouTube channel, I also create original surf content and videos. I am most proud of all of the amazing places I have been to such as Tahiti, Hawaii, Mexico, and many more. Being able to photograph these famous surf spots and famous surfers like mason ho, Jamie Obrien, Kelly Slater, and many more has been a huge achievement for me. What sets me apart from others is my drive to work hard and stay consistent. Sitting in places others won’t at my home break, the wedge is what I strive to do. Getting the best photos in the most crucial and dangerous zone at these waves is the goal. So that my photos will stand out among the rest.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success for me is being happy and feeling accomplished with the life you are living. Having a work/life balance is key and being able to enjoy your passions while getting paid is my dream and vision of what it would look like to be “successful.”
Contact Info:
- Website: jamesferrellmedia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesferrell_/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-ferrell-2808ba221
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPqpJgRWQHD0LB0s5vdM29w
Image Credits
James Ferrell
