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Grant Mydral

Surf Photographer

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Grant Mydral

North Salem, New York (South African)

Grant is a South African born photographer with a passion for travel, adventure and the natural world. He specializes in adventure sports photography, and his photos and words have been published in numerous magazines including Men's Journal, Blue, Surfer, The Surfer's Path, Surf Europe, Zigzag, Blunt and Surf Portugal. As a lifelong surfer, snowboarder and kayaker, then a photographer for the past 10 years, he has developed a talent for photographing the dynamic, adrenalin infused nature of these sports in a way which reduces the action to a moment of poise and style, suspended against a liquid background. Sam Abell, a veteran National Geographic photographer who reviewed Grant's work during a recent workshop at the Center for Photography in Woodstock, NY, said 'He manages to carve a contemplative image from a high intensity situation'.

Raised on the beach, and surfing competitively for years, Grant won many contests including the prestigious Billabong Classic, a pro contest held annually at his home break, the world renowned Jeffrey's Bay. In spite of these successes he chose between a career of surfing professionally and going to college. He completed a masters degree in urban planning, then worked in the field for 5 years. The work was interesting and socially responsible, but office life was stifling, and repressed a lifelong desire to travel. In 1992, he and his wife, Michal, sold everything and hit the road. Like any would-be traveller, he bought a camera to record the trip. For the next 5 years they travelled extensively through Europe, the US and Central America, including two year-long overland journeys from San Fransisco, through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua to Costa Rica and back. These travel experiences broadened his world-view while at the same time offering him the opportunity to refine his vision through the viewfinder.

At 30 something, faced with a return to the real world and another office job, he reconsidered his career path. He decided to follow his heart and opted for the uncertain route of trying to turn his passion for photography into a profession. The last few years have seen his work being published worldwide, as well as landing exhibitions in New York City, where his work has been been received with critical acclaim and powerful public response.

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