Lose Yourself Somewhere fires up in Perth

The first stop of O’Neill’s Lose Yourself Somewhere National Photographic Exhibition lifts off in Perth on November 15, which is like, in a minute. The 60 Years Of Innovation Art Tour was a gas, and this year O’Neill have decided to roll with their Lose Yourself Somewhere vibes and curate a collection of photos that really do make you wanna go lose yourself somewhere. It’s a sentiment any surfer digs. The first stop, Perth, will enjoy the work of five photogs we dig, including Russell Ord and the Tungsten brothers, to name a few. Five images each, all based around their unique interpretation of what ‘Lose Yourself Somewhere’ means to them. The exhibition opens at the Free Range Gallery and is certainly worth your time. It’ll then burn through Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. For more info on the stops, head over here. Below, Russ lights up about where he’s at shooting-wise, and what to expect from his work at the show. How’d it all start? Did you always wanna be a photographer? Russ: I started taking photos in particular surf related images when I received an injury surfing myself, it was great for rehabilitation and then it just grew from there, passion, lifestyle and then career. How’d you interpret “Lose Yourself Somewhere”? My first thoughts were exactly what I’ve been trying to do for the last few years, give away following so-called big names and just going back to the basics of shooting what I love, and that for me normally means some secluded part of the coast, a type of serenity. Describe your style. I was not enjoying photography for a few years and just went back to surfing all the time, it was during those down times that I moved away from what I felt at the time to be my boring photography work and just capturing the moments to being more in the moment, not worrying about missing a surfer’s wave of a life time but having my own moments in the water. The word “raw” comes to mind. What do you shoot with? I’ve recently moved into shooting with Phase One medium format housed by Aquatech. And, inspiration? People that have pushed their boundaries and not focused on what the masses expect or want. I’ve met so many amazing people, everyone has a story to tell, the recent retiree who’s worked for the last 40 years and is now traveling solo around Australia, a life long dream, the rescue at Mavericks which has turned into a friendship that families would be proud of, story after story which have transpired from the camera, documented moments and experiences in time that have become far more than a print on the wall and a cover of a magazine.