Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Massey.
Hi Eric, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in the San Fernando Valley but grew up mostly in the Ventura County area. Having grown up in a surfing family, I developed a strong love for surfing and the ocean from an early age, and as time went on that grew into an affinity for all things outdoors; skating, snowboarding, camping, fishing, hiking, and eventually photography. While living in Hawaii in the early 2000’s I decided to combine my obsession with the ocean and surfing with my growing love for photography, and upon moving back to California in 2008, I started a web-based surf photography business named WestCoastSurfShots.com. That website no longer exists, but that was the starting point for my photography obsession and love for shooting anything from surfing, landscapes, seascapes, astro, long exposure and even weddings, family photos & portraits. I love shooting and sharing, and my work has been utilized and seen in a variety of publications and online; Surfline, Surfline Local Pro, Deep Magazine, Canon USA, Tokina USA, The Inertia, VC Star, Hawaii Magazine, Smugmug, EarthOfficial, Raw California, Gentleman Modern, Desillusion, Adorama, 805 Beer, Tillys and many others. Some of my work is on display at businesses and residences throughout Southern California.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
For me, photography has been a long road that I know I need to be on… but one that has lots of hills and valleys. My real passion is for shooting the ocean, landscapes & nature stuff, but that can be a major challenge these days if you aren’t able to travel 24/7. There is so much talent out there now, it’s insanely competitive and you have to be really, really good to make a decent living from it. I have a non-photography related full time career and a family to support, so I’ve really needed to be smart and planful with my limited shooting time and make the most of my local travels, but fortunately, we live in an amazing part of California with lots of inspiring scenery.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love photography, but it doesn’t pay the bills for me. I found my passion for it a little too late in life to make the commitment to dive in full-time and take the risks. The good part about that though is that gives me the freedom to shoot whatever I feel like and focus more on subjects that inspire me without a lot of obligation or pressure. I think anyone who knows my work would say that I shoot with a lot of love for nature and its fleeting colors and moments. I’m trying much harder these days to capture the “feeling” of those moments. It’s a work in progress but I think I’m improving! It’s all about the journey.
How do you define success?
Being happy.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @masseyfoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Masseyfoto
