Morgan Maassen enjoys art, music, fashion, traveling, cloudscapes, and the ocean. Given that he divides work between shooting world-class surfers and whales at sea with grand scale commercial ventures, you bet this photographer and videographer has a fairly laid-back approach to his craft. His extraordinary work takes the 25 year old from Santa Barbara, California, all over the globe on a range of projects; AHB locked him down for a minute to understand where it all started.
How did you get started in photography?
In my early teens, a surfing injury saw me out of the water for a month. I used the opportunity to borrow the family camcorder and start filming my friends surfing. This birthed a bunch of short surf/adventure videos that I made all throughout my teens. Around the age of 18, I had saved up enough money to make my own indy-travel film, and decided to buy a still camera to shoot some photos while on the road. I immediately fell in love…
I’ve had a lifelong fascination with the ocean, and I think a large part of my focus in documenting it focuses on my curiosity and admiration for it.
You shoot a lot of your work underwater. They say that humans have only explored 10%. Does part of your interest in underwater photography tie in to the unknown element?
Absolutely. I grew up in and on the ocean. My father is a fisherman, so we have both experienced the extremities of the sea and are constantly aware of how powerful and mysterious it is. I’ve had a lifelong fascination with the ocean, and I think a large part of my focus in documenting it focuses on my curiosity and admiration for it.
What’s your favorite place on earth?
Either the Kimberley Mountains of Australia, being underwater in Tahiti, or at home in the Channel Islands off of Santa Barbara.
What’s the story with this photo?
A particularly strong winter storm blew through Santa Barbara several years ago, washing ashore several junk sailboats that homeless people were living out of off one of the beaches near the harbor. As they couldn’t afford to haul the boats out, they left them to be scuttled by the city…so we went down to check them out before they were torn apart. I thought it wold be neat to shoot a shot simulating a sinking ship with some people on it, and I used a long exposure at night to add to the obscurity of the sand to make the boat look like it was sinking at sea.
I’ve been circled by bullsharks, thrown over the falls at Teahupoo, ravaged by swarms of sea lice, bounced off the reef at Pipeline, had a jet ski thrown over my head in Australia…
I read that you own a Red Camera. I’ve always wanted to try one of those. What’s your experience with it so far?
After several years of shooting almost exclusively photos, I took a leap of faith and bought a Red Epic at the end of 2012. I used it as a kick in the butt to get back into my original passion of filmmaking, and I immediately fell in love with its incredible features and small size. I’m now using the latest Red Weapon, which is as small and light as ever. It’s unbelievable to be able to hold in my hand a camera that shoots motion picture quality. A lot of my work lately has been video; I feel myself being drawn back into that realm and I’m very gladly letting it happen.
Have you had any run ins with sharks, jellyfish, undertow or any other dangerous situations?
I’ve been circled by bullsharks, thrown over the falls at Teahupoo, ravaged by swarms of sea lice, bounced off the reef at Pipeline, had a jet ski thrown over my head in Australia…
What are some of your favorite clients you’ve worked with? Do you have a dream client?
Billabong Womens was one of my first clients, and I’m still shooting with them today. I love their team of women and the way they support them to travel the world and go on amazing adventures. I’m honored to document it and call them my friends! I also love working for massive clients, because it puts me so far out of my comfort zone. Last month I did shoots for Corona and Mercedes Benz, and it was both fascinating and exhilarating to work on such large-scale projects.
What projects are you currently working on?
I’m in post production on my Mercedes commercial, planning the next season of work and travel, opening a coffee shop/art gallery in Santa Barbara, remodelling my house, and trying to make some novelty zines to laugh at. Also, trying to surf as much as possible this month – it’s been absolutely amazing in California.
Interview by Matt Lief Anderson for AHB. Words and images by Morgan Maassen.
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