STEVE RYAN
PORTFOLIO
Biography
Steve Ryan found his future as a leading surf photographer when he and wife Michele owned and ran the Bird Rock Café in Jan Juc. Steve travelled the Surf Coast to surf and search for shots to feature on the brag wall of the café. It was a great way to keep the diners entertained while Michele cooked up a gourmet delight.
Little did he know one of his trips down the Great Ocean Road would catapult him into the world of a top surf photographer. It was when a “considerable” swell hit the coast of Victoria in 1985, Steve was waiting on the battlelines and got a shot that would leave his customers in awe and give him that feeling of fulfilment he needed.
From that epic day of surf an opportunity came knocking that gradually built his profile as a surf photographer for the acclaimed 'Tracks' magazine, highly regarded by Steve and much of the surfing community.
He took more surfing photos and, as he became better known, other magazines wanted to share in his work --- 'waves', 'Australian Surfing Life', 'Freesurf Magazine', 'Surfing world', 'Deep', 'Chick magazine', ‘Back Door’ and 'underground Surf'. Later, in the early nineties he was approached by international publishers and gained overseas coverage in international surf magazine's as 'Surfer (USA)', 'Surfer's Journal (USA). 'Surfer's Path (UK)', 'Japanese Surfing Life', 'Surf Session (France), 'Surf Saga (France)', 'Surfaholic (Japan)', 'Inside Now (Brazil)', ‘Surfer Rule’ (Spain)' and 'Fine Magazine (Japan)'.
Steve was now known to the readers of more than 20 magazines and he was slowly filling up his address book with contacts all over the globe. He now launched his career into the high profile world of the contests that are part of ASP World Tour. Steve soon discovered the world stage was a very different ball game compared to the not so big town of Jan Juc, and faced the competitiveness and pressure of getting the 'perfect shot' on a regular basis.
He started building up his frequent flyers. Steve’s first overseas trip to Bali with the 'Quiksilver Pro' was a stop-go venture. He was booked to cover the Pro in Java, but the ASP cancelled it due to unrest in Java. But, some surfers were already there and more were flying in. A satellite phone call from Java gave Steve the news: “It’s pumping; get over here!”
Steve went and came back with THE money shot which was used extensively in the US by his new friends at Surfer magazine. The photo paid for his trip!
Next stop was Teahupoo in Tahiti home of the world’s heaviest wave going. Sweating it out all day in hot competition with other surf photographers, it was everything Steve dreamt it would be: “The Greatest Show on Earth". More photos, and more of a commitment to travel to selected events with the ASP Tour.
Combining a family holiday with coverage of the Quiksilver Pro in Fiji, Steve was delighted when Quiksilver bought a photo and exploited it in their worldwide ad campaign for next year’s contest. Steve also was chuffed when The Bulletin, in one of its rare surfing moments, ran as a cover shot one of Steve’s Fiji pics.
Steve’s most memorable recent assignment was to Mexico in 2006 for the Rip Curl Pro Search Contest “somewhere in Mexico”, held at a secret location well east of Ballarat. (and a bit north, too…)
Four days of uninterrupted perfect conditions with an incredible swell produced the best waves ever seen at this secret location. Competitors, judges, photographers and the small crowd lucky enough to be there all said it was the best they had ever surfed/seen in their lives. A photo from this trip to Mexico made it to the front cover of “Surfer” magazine.
Since then, Steve has broadened his photographic style to incorporate the tourist market but his major love is still surfing photography of all forms. From major events to special one-off assignments for individual surfers who want to built up a personal portfolio.
Steve continues with the bread and butter work supplying advertising material to the bigger surf companies like Rip Curl, Quiksilver , Billabong etc.
Contact Steve Ryan
PH: (03) 5261 2868
FAX: (03) 5261 2868
MOB: 0407 040 362
EMAIL: steveryanphoto@dodo.com.au
