Surfing’s formative period from 1965 to 1978, as shown through the most complete book of the iconic images of photographer John Witzig.
Witzig was one of the first people to document Australian surf culture. He was not only photographing the scene, he was part of it, a group that included surfers Bob McTavish and George Greenough, and his images reflect both that access and that intimacy.
Witzig was shooting with the only waterproof camera at the time: Nikon’s Nikonos. The camera had a fixed 35-mm. lens and no automatic focus, meaning that it required both technical skills and proximity to the subjects.
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
The Early Days of Surfing From Between the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
(Photos © John Witzig)