Pursuit In Motion

How I learned to relax and let surf photography take over my life.

- Marcus Paladino

My godmother and I have always had a really powerful connection, almost as if we’re the same person. She’s like a drinking buddy and a motherly figure all rolled into one, which is why I’ve considered her as my second mom. She is the person who got me my first camera. I never asked for one, nor did I have any previous interest in photography, but she got me a plastic point-and shoot film camera anyways. It’s as if she knew.

In my teenaged years, that camera ended up being used mostly to hide my illegal paraphernalia. Where the roll of film would be, I’d hide my stash and no one could investigate because they would “expose the film and ruin my photos.” The only reason I signed up for photography in high school was because my older sister said it was an easy A. Considering the only A I ever got in school was in PhysEd, I thought I could use the GPA boost. All my friends were in another class so I ended up with the artistic outcasts who actually payed attention to our lectures and assignments. My mind was always hard to keep up with, which is part of why I never did well in school, but working with 35mm film and creating timeless art slowed everything down and gave me a sense of calm. With no distractions, I found myself in a peaceful bliss quietly working away in the darkroom. At the end of the term I was granted an Outstanding Achievement award in Photography. For the first time in my life I had legitimate recognition for something that I enjoyed.