Mickey Smith-Cornish Surfing Photographer

I come across many photographers I admire and many photographs I really like. My current favourites are the dynamic, powerful images of water and surfers from one of the world's greatest surfing photographers (I didn't know it existed as a genre either!), Mickey Smith. Originally from west Cornwall, Mickey has made the south-west coast of Ireland his second home.

Here are some of my favourite of his photos. I really think he has captured the might and the beauty of the sea accurately.

Here are some snippets of information about him.

Michael Lee Smith grew up on the West coast of Cornwall.

Surrounded by sea and stone, ocean elements were ever present.

The outside whiled away the sunlight hours, and music filled the nights.

Surfing from dawn till dusk, and playing blues and country in bars from dusk till dawn became routine.

Life on the road was soon the only one he knew.

Friends and family called him myriad names, but one stuck, Mickey.

Mick left school at 16 with a bundle of cash stashed from gigging dark corners and headed for the light.

Burning and earning cash on the road to waves with weight and consequence became a way of life.

Cameras held his hand wherever he went, with rolls of super8 and Hi8 tapes in one pocket, and HP5 and Velvia in another.

He followed his heart and instincts, and through the twists and turns of fate, people took a shine to his photography and quirky films.

A way of life became a career of sorts, but after many years of travelling to work, the career of sorts had become the way of life, and it was time for a change.

One day Mickey decided to stay put on the West coast of Ireland, a place he had frequented and loved since the tender age of 14.

The nomads career no longer existed, but strangely enough, his work flourished.

Doing things for love alone over a living, helped creativity flow like never before.

For years he lived this way, and then tragically, his sister Cherry died.

She was his biggest fan, and had always wanted to hear the tale of why and how he did what he does.

So he began to make a film in her memory, for her two sons Kalle and Riley to remember her light, passion and inspiration through.

The film was called Dark Side of the Lens.

Due to many other strange twists of fate and coincidence, people liked his story and felt a connection to it.

Thus Dark Side accidentally opened doors into all sorts of weird and wonderful endeavors, even Hollywood came knocking, not once, but thrice believe it or not.

Mickey knows he only has his sister to thank.

Around that same time his good friend Ben asked him to make a film or two for his songs, so he did.

Since, Ben's music has taken Mickey and his family all around the world on a surreal magic carpet ride.

Indeed his journeys been laced with new horizons and challenges of late.

Most significantly of all, Mickeys girlfriend Rivie recently brought a beautiful baby girl named Eiva into the world.

It was beyond revelation and inspiration to the old hobbit.

He still tries his hardest to trust his heart and his gut each morning, and is more excited by the sea than ever before.