I introduced my long-term project, RAISED IN WATER on PHOTOPOLITIC back in 2023, when it was published under the title, “Raised in Water, Working. Through the slow times,” which ranked in the top 10 member stories for the year. Something I was proud of, because it was either the pictures I shared or what I wrote that resonated with others. Hopefully a little of both, but since it was the first time some of the images in the series were published, it was encouraging that others connected with something they liked in the project.
Now a couple of years later and still working on the project, still working through the slow times, (especially during 2024) and still patiently tracking my subjects, but something has changed. The project has taken on a life of its own. The series has self-evolved to give me direction when creating that wasn’t conceived when first started out.
Raised In Water surf portraits by Weston Fuller.
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Portrait of professional surfer Rachel Tilly by Weston Fuller.
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Four years ago, I started the project and knew I was committing to something that was not my normal project deadline driven work, like with my commercial clients. This was a project that I would work on, for me…when I wanted, how I wanted, and if I wanted to. It was a project by me and for me to help me, helping me to create and look at things differently with a pure love for capturing a photograph with its magical ability to freeze time. This has remained true, as I have expanded the project, which occurs only a handful of times throughout the year. With having limited opportunities to shoot, it has helped to focus the project on becoming more intent driven than just pointing my camera towards a subject and filling time.
In May of last year, I presented the project to a group of fellow APA photographers in San Diego, which was the first time I had given a formal presentation about, Raised in Water. Taking the time to try and put the meaning of the project into words was a bit of a challenge, but in taking the time to prepare I reflected on those who influenced the project and influenced me, but most importantly it gave me the opportunity to think about the purpose of the project long after I’m done picking up the camera and creating it.
It’s a project dedicated to one but reflects a culture of many. It’s photographs dancing between capturing a moment but transpires into timeless art through focusing the lens from life’s chaos. It’s photographing what you know and what’s available to you by making it interesting. It’s something that appears simple on the surface but has years and layers of meaning beneath it. It’s a project that could only be created over time by time.
Now when I go out…I know who I’m going to shoot, where I’m going, when I’m going and what I want to accomplish to keep creating the project. It’s not intended to be just another hard drive / shoe box full of photos.
Raised In Water Portraits of the First Light Surf Club in San Diego, California.
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Portrait of professional surfer Liv Stokes by Weston Fuller.
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Raised In Water portraits by Weston Fuller during the Oceanside Longboard Surf Club 2023 Surf competition.
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Raised In Water portraits by Weston Fuller during the Oceanside Longboard Surf Club 2023 Surf competition.
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Raised In Water Photo Project. Pictures by Weston Fuller at the 2022 Solento Film Festival
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Raised In Water portraits by Weston Fuller during the Oceanside Longboard Surf Club 2023 Surf competition.
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The future for this project is for it live in a fine art/coffee table photo book. The date of when the project will be completed and when the book is to be published is TBD. At the moment I like having it open ended know what the end goal is to be accomplished but without an exact date. Giving me the freedom to fill the time with photos of locations, moments, events and strangers that I capture along the way.
