Photographing The World Through The Lens Of Surfing

From Tahiti to Russia; from equatorial heat to thick snow; from the Pacific Ocean to the Amazon River; people are crazy about surfing all over the world. Surf Odyssey, an illustrated book by surfer Andrew Groves, aims to capture the most idyllic surfing spots, as well as the most interesting characters and subcultures, all of which make surfing what it is as a sport.

Surfing is set to be added to the Olympic roster at Tokyo 2020, which should make it even more accessible to a global audience. Surf Odyssey takes an encyclopedic look at the sport, and the lifestyle that comes with it. Work by photography legends like Jeff Divine is included; he snapped the sixties surfing scene in California, and has continued photographing surfing stars into the modern era.

Here, we've selected some of our favourite snapshots from Surf Odyssey. Whether or not you're into surfing, it's hard not to appreciate the beauty and plasticity of these images. Likewise, if you've never got on a board before, these might just inspire you to quit the day job and jump on the next wave.