Asian Death-Reef Nearly Deletes Iconic Surf Photographer

As a Category 5 typhoon churned over the South Indian Ocean in late February, Nathan Florence set his sights on another wave most of us wouldn’t walk down the street to surf, even if we lived at the end of it.

Brother Ivan and photographer Daniel Russo joined him on an excursion to a remote, shallow reef somewhere in Asia. Once more, the outcome suggests why his channel’s brand of unmediated, raw, unarranged surfing has found a compounding audience.

The long-lost relative of Teahupoo is perhaps less predictable, but no less inclined to deliver consequence.

In the water, Russo positioned himself for images that resist the signature Nate Florence POV. The footage gives a gripping, realistic impression of the energy, violence, and risk of surfing, or swimming, at the rarely approached location.

It was not without cost. Both Nate and Ivan got slammed, and Russo was caught, rolled across the reef, cut badly, and fractured a few vertebra in his back.

We’re guessing Florence Marine will happily pay a premium for that one still image.