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John Florence and Mick Fanning, halloween press conference, Santa Cruz

It’s Halloween time and everyone gots the fever. With the O’Neill Cold Water Classic looking to set off at Santa Cruz in a coupla days, the traditional pre-game press conference went down yesterday. There were some big hitters there but for a while, no one knew who one particular surfer was. That mighta been because he was wearing a Game Face Basketball Mask in celebration of All Hallows’ Eve.

The man under the mask was someone who can kinda do whatever he pleases right now, and that’s John Florence. “I’ve never ever been to a WT press conference and this was my virgin experience,” says photog Ryan Miller, who was ultimately glad he tagged along to this particular one. “It was a good one with JJ wearing his Halloween costume for the beginning and everyone wondering who was under the mask. I might clock out of all press conferences from here on out as I doubt any will be able to top this.”


Photographer profile

Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller, 33 years old, does not know how to write a bad email. Your pals at Stab have learnt to live vicariously through Miller’s red wine-fuelled letters from the road. His travels take him to some dreamy locales and, in those places, he scores all-time photos: “My favourite photo I’ve shot was of Benny Bourgeois in the Caribbean, with a fisheye. Often I just take photos, but rarely do I get to make one.” In an age of tail-highs and released fins, Ryan still most likes to shoot someone who can lay-down a big backside turn. Namely: Jordy Smith, Dane Reynolds, Gabe Kling, Kekoa Bacalso, Damien Hobgood and Peter Mendia. Like most photogs, Miller misses Scott Aichner’s work. But, as far as contemporary inspiration? “Trying to see things through my daughter’s eyes. It’s wild to think about someone experiencing something totally new on almost a daily basis when, as adults, we rarely get to experience something truly new.”

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