There are artists whose work captures a place — and then there are artists who become part of its story. Brown W. Cannon III is one of them. A fifth-generation Coloradan with deep roots on O‘ahu’s North Shore, Brown has spent decades documenting the people, subcultures, and landscapes that have shaped his life. From summers on his family ranch in Colorado to three decades spent photographing Hawaii’s surf community, his perspective is grounded in lived experience, curiosity, and a reverence for the worlds he enters.
With a career that spans global editorial assignments, conservation-focused storytelling, and his most recent book NORTH — a 15-year portrait of the watermen and women of the Seven Mile Miracle — Brown’s work stands as both archive and invitation. We spoke with him about the influences that shaped his path, the stories that continue to inspire him, and the creative philosophy behind his images.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a 5th generation Coloradan and share my name with my dad and grandfather. We were named after a wandering cowboy named Brown, and our middle name, Woodburn, came from a horse thief. I grew up in Denver and spent summers throwing knives at fence posts at my dad’s ranch in Fort Lupton, CO. I guess that would explain why a lot of my personal work has revolved around horse and cowboy culture. My family has also had roots in Hawaii since the ‘20s, and I have spent part of every year of my life on O’ahu. As a result, I have spent three decades photographing North Shore surf culture and recently published a book about the Seven Mile Miracle titled NORTH.
What first pulled you into your field? Was there a specific moment you knew this was your path?
I guess you could say I was born into photography. My parents were both amateur photographers, and we had a darkroom at my childhood home in Denver. At age 10, my parents gave me their old Asahi Pentax MX 35mm SLR camera, and quickly I became enamored with printing my own images. Photography remained a pivotal part of my life as a younger person, but it wasn’t until 1999, when I graduated from Art Center College of Design, that I began my professional career. Since that time, I have photographed editorial stories in over 60 countries, focusing on far-flung cultures, off-the-beaten-path adventures, and conservation. I have shot a variety of ad campaigns, published books, co-founded a boutique photo stock company, and started a non-profit that emphasized the reduction of single-use plastics to help human and planet health.
Who or what continues to inspire your work today?
I am inspired by people and the unique subcultures and worlds that they live in. This is the core of my work. Photography serves as a powerful tool to tell stories and to archive history. The camera opens up doors into people’s lives, and these interactions and images preserve and shape our understanding of their lives for future generations. It’s what I believe the camera was meant for.
Is there a specific image or project that feels especially meaningful to you? Why?
My book NORTH has been, by far, my most meaningful project. It was published by Damiani in the fall of 2023. The book chronicles the lives of the watermen and women of the North Shore of O’ahu. The work spans 15 years and three Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational surf events. There are over 100 black-and-white portraits that I photographed between 2018–2023 against a 10x20 ft seamless background. The large format of the book (12.5x17”) transports the observer into the inner circle of the North Shore, making the strength of the waves and the people almost physically perceptible. As the viewer, you can study every detail of equipment and their faces and feel their power. This book is first and foremost about the individuals and their stories and is a continuation of how I have always approached my travel photography. I strive to get to know the local people, and oftentimes, in return, they reveal their world.
Any advice you’d share with someone entering the creative world?
There is a place for you, and our world needs creativity now more than ever. Believe in yourself and set your intentions. The hardest part is knowing where your skills will fit, but that will come. And as we become more and more transfixed by AI, don’t forget that human minds and hands created all of the content that AI is generating from. Keep learning, keep growing, keep evolving.
Outside of your work, what’s grounding or exciting you most right now?
That’s easy: family, friends, and surfing.
When you’re seeking fresh inspiration, where do you find yourself turning — a place, a memory, etc.?
I turn to the outdoors — a run, a walk, a paddle, a pedal. From the time I was young, it was being under big skies that opened up my mind. Today, when I venture into the surf, or onto the mountains, or into the river, my creativity activates. This is when my best ideas come forward.
What do you hope people feel or take away from your work?
I hope the work transports the viewer to feelings of authenticity. In a world where you are no longer sure if what you are seeing is real, I want the observer to know that these moments have happened. I want to expose the viewer to remarkable things in our world and for my presence as a photographer behind the lens to be invisible. I want you to walk away with a connection to the subject and an interest to see and know more.
Discover more of Brown's work here
Shop his book here
