Photographer, Russell Ord recently collaborated with Alex Workman to produce ‘Life Around The Sea’.  The premium quality tome showcases Russell’s expansive body of work, while Alex’s pithy vignettes provide welcome context to the places and characters, which give Australian surf culture its many shades of meaning. Below, Alex writes about his connection with Russell and the journey they embarked upon to capture ‘Life Around the Sea’•

I first met Russell Ord in his home town, Margaret River, during my early days at Tracks magazine. The world’s best surfers were heading to Western Australia for the next stop on the WSL Championship Tour, and I jumped at the chance to leave the office behind and cover the event. Tracks editor Luke Kennedy suggested Ord as a potential host. A phone call was made and without hesitation, Ordy agreed to put me up and show me around. I flew west knowing little about the region beyond snippets of surfing folklore – tales of Margaret River’s Hawaiian-like power, beauty, good wine, and great white sharks. I steered my rental car down a gravel driveway to a house straight out of a Tim Winton novel: a hardwood timber home on stilts, nestled among towering eucalyptus trees, with panoramic views of the hinterland. A Jet Ski in the driveway confirmed I was at the right place as a chorus of kookaburras announced my arrival. After meeting Russell’s wife, Catherine, and their three children – Kalani, Tavian, and Ayla – I set off to explore the coastline. I bounced the rental car down a dirt road until I met the horizon, taking in the vista of the Indian Ocean, its cobalt blue water the most striking I’d ever seen. It was exhilarating to explore a new coastline, and with no one around, I felt like I ...