Gallery: Award-Winning Surf Photog Shelves Shipsterns for Shamrocks
Éire Noire, a moody photobook by Nick Green explores the surprising symmetry between Ireland and Tasmania.
Nick Green, if you’re unfamiliar, is one of Tasmania’s sharpest surf photographers — a chronicler of the cold and the wild.
He’s spent the last decade pointing his lens at slabs like Shipstern Bluff and other remote Tassie coastlines, often shooting surfers who don’t mind being manhandled by 20-foot steps. His work has appeared alongside big names like Dion Agius, Craig Anderson, Chippa Wilson, Mikey February, Russell Bierke… and worked on projects with clients from Patagonia, to BBC to Guinness, balancing the brutality of the southern ocean with a fine-tuned artistic eye.”
Recently, Nick shifted hemispheres, publishing his third photo book, Éire Noire, after Dark Hollow and Oahu, a 156-page, 185mm x 260mm perfect-bound love letter to Ireland’s western coastline. A place that resonated deeply with him despite it being damn near the antipode of his home in Tassie.
“Just with less trees and more churches”.
A keen eye will recognize some familiar faces: 2023 Stab Surfer of the Year Nathan Florence, and SEOTY winner Russell Bierke, who shot much of Outer Edge of Leisure with filmmaker Andrew Kaineder at the same locales Nick was swimming around.
Nick’s approach to photography still leans on the slow burn — a counterpoint to today’s endless content scroll.
“Surf photography’s changed a lot and not all in ways I connect with. These days, everything’s shot and posted instantly, often before the swell’s even over. There’s so much out there that it can start to feel a bit disposable. I miss when a photo had more time to live, when it would sit in a magazine or be part of something physical. I feel like that slower pace gave images more meaning. Still, there are people doing really thoughtful work. I just think it’s harder for those moments to cut through now. Making the photo book was a way to hold onto that slower, more intentional side of surf photography — something you can sit with and come back to, not just scroll past. It’s also kind of just a personal visual diary, a body of work tied together by place and feeling.”
Home for Nick will always be Tasmania, a place as brutal and beautiful as any surf destination on Earth.
“The ocean has always been my main inspiration. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel a fair bit for work and personal adventures, but my island home, Tasmania, has captivated and inspired me creatively, consistently for over a decade now.”
As for what makes a great surf photo, Nick doesn’t get too lost in romanticism — it’s a stew of good ingredients cooked just right.
“I think a lot goes into a great surf photo: lighting, action, composition, timing, context.”
Ireland, meanwhile, offered a rugged mirror to Tasmania’s gothic sprawl — one that clicked with Nick almost immediately.
“Yeah, for sure; the landscape, the rugged coastline, the way the weather shifts so quickly — it reminded me of Tasmania, in a way, with its raw beauty and isolation. There’s a real connection to the land and the ocean in both places, and it felt like a natural fit for my work. It’s hard to explain, but I felt like I could tap into the same rhythm I know back home — the calm, the chaos, the beauty of it all. The people were so warm and welcoming, which made it feel even more like a place I belonged, even if only for a short while. Ireland’s kind of like Tassie, but with more churches and barely any trees.”
Fittingly, Nick decided to put 10% of the book’s profits toward Home Tree, an Irish charity focused on rewilding the land through grassroots efforts.
“I had the chance to volunteer with them, and it really gave me a better understanding of how important community efforts are when it comes to environmental restoration. What started as a small garden project in 2014 has turned into a movement, restoring native woodlands with the help of volunteers and landowners. Their passion for nature is inspiring, and it’s clear they’re having a real impact.”
And for the behind-the-scenes fiends — yes, surfing (and shooting) with Russ and Nate was every bit as heavy as it sounds.
“The local surfers are definitely the heart and soul of the place; they’re deeply connected to these spots and they’re not just ripping; they’re also keeping the community tight and vibes high. The whole setup is so core and a true reflection of how the surf culture in Ireland respects the ocean, the waves, and each other. There was a bit of an unintentional Tasmanian takeover at one point, with six of us in the same small town chasing waves, but the local lads were so good to us. We got along in the water, but perhaps more so in the pub, good craic.”
In a world addicted to speed and scrolls, Nick Green just went old-school: one shot at a time, printed, bound, and brimming with salt.
