Next Previous

Julian Wilson, frontside hurl in Reunion Island

After being battered with the kinda swell that renders all but a few secluded corners unsurfable, the Red Bull x Stab x Surfing team in Reunion Island (starring Julian Wilson, pictured, and Jordy Smith), was treated to a slight drop in swell and favourable wind. “The waves actually started to look like something a mere mortal would want to ride,” says photog Ryan Miller, who’s documenting the whole thing.

And as y’could imagine, the presence of two of surfing’s greatest was quite an attraction for the younger local populous. Especially after the run of bad luck the area’s had. “We went from surfing alone to surfing with twenty groms,” continues Ryan. “It was pretty fun cause the groms were that fired-up to surf with the big boys. This place has been hospitality-central. Everyone’s pumped that we’re here. Reunion had a bad run with surfers being attacked by sharks and surf tourism has fallen almost completely off. But having some big names come to town got the local surfing community fired-up after being so down on the shark attack situation.”

Reckon the groms were thrilled to see Julian throwing heat like this frontside number? That’s how to spread the love.

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.”

More photos from Ryan Miller
Visit Ryan Miller's site here