Flow State

Shot during the South African winter off a rugged stretch of coastline, this image captures a moment most never see-what a wave looks like from underneath, just as it folds into a perfect barrel. It's the reward for persistence in an environment that gives nothing away easily. In these months, distant ocean thunderstorms send heavy swell toward shore. When the angles align just right, the coastline transforms into a machine of symmetry and violence. The water rolls with power, precision, and clarity. To photograph this from beneath, I position myself exactly where the wave is breaking-no safety zone, no still moments. Just impact after impact. Clad in a 5mm wetsuit, you're tossed, held down, and battered for hours. You may shoot thousands of frames-5,000, 6,000-and still walk away with nothing. The ocean doesn't always cooperate. But on the rare days when conditions align, when the light pierces the surface and the wave hollows into a perfect cylinder, the payoff is extraordinary. What you see here is one such moment. A brief symmetry of chaos and calm-when the wave curls overhead like glass and the ocean holds its breath. You have to choose: above or below the surface. You can't have both. The violence of the wave's impact will shatter the opportunity in an instant. But if you're in the right place, at the right time, and willing to stay there long enough-you might just catch it.