Marcus Paladino has made a career out of what he loves. His work, however, is anything but easy. Harsh conditions and unexpected weather can make things tricky, but taking the risk has always paid off. Follow along to see Marcus' paradise in Tofino.
"At the edge of the world blows an offshore breeze, Tofino on Vancouver Island is where I call home and my paradise. Not only is this rural community easy on the eyes being surrounded by the luscious Clayoquot Sound, but the community itself welcomes, encourages and supports one another as if a family of 2000+ people. Surfing is why I first came here and it’s why I’ve stayed for almost a decade. I surf as much as I shoot, if not more. It keeps me grounded, like most of the avid local surfers. The cold water isn’t much of a bother anymore, a 5mm hooded wetsuit has become a security blanket overtime. Winter is when we get the most storm systems hitting our rugged coastline and when my work becomes play. I’ll always proudly label myself an “Action Sports Photographer” but in recent years I’ve begun to search for an additional creative surf outlet. Focusing solely on the cold water of the Pacific Ocean that’s brought this surfing community together. An abstract challenge to project the ordinary as extraordinary, whether the waves are breaking 6 feet high or a mere 6 inches. I want to take an instant out of time and project this beauty that crashes along our shoreline at the end of the road."
Camera: Canon 7D Mark2 & Canon 5D Mark4
"I had been planning this photo for a few months. I hiked to the top of a mountain adjacent to the beach and shot this speed blur during one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen in my life."
"I love the lack of scale with this image. To me, it looks deep and menacing if you look close enough, but in reality it's no bigger than my camera."
"BC's wildfire smoke in the summer made for a lovely color pallet during the sunsets."
"A glassy sunrise session at one of my favorite beaches to shoot."
"Surges like this don't happen often around here. I remember being disappointed at the time that I wasn't using a wider lens, but now that I look back I love the details appreciated from shooting tightly."
"The moments before the moment are the most exciting for me."
"As it stands, I've never heard of anyone swimming out here to shoot. Most images you see of this wave are shot from the safety of land. Needless to say, my heart was pounding harder than usual."
"I used to draw waves like this in elementary school."
"Always hard to tell how good a wave actually is from looking at the back of it."
"I'm still picking sand out of my hair after shooting this session."
"The weather around here has a hard time making up its mind, it really keeps you on your toes while shooting."
"This photo makes me happy. A small bump of swell rising above the rest toward the light. So simple, yet so beautiful."
Check out more of Marcus' work here.
