Of all the surfer-photographer relationships, you’d be hard pressed to find anything that comes close to connection between Kelly Slater and Todd Glaser. Their story goes back to a serendipitous encounter at Rincon, when Todd was just 16 years old and starting out as an intern here at SURFER.
It wasn’t long before he was on his first flight with Kelly, where they scored an iconic image at a wave that neither has ever disclosed to this day. Over the years, a deep sense of trust was established — one that cut both ways. Kelly knew Todd could keep up and swim for hours in challenging conditions to get the shot, and that he also knew when to pull the camera back and let life happen naturally.
Todd Glaser
This batch of images, shot during Kelly’s incredible performance in Tahiti — where he knocked out Gabriel Medina in wild, unruly, and pumping conditions at Teahupo’o as a 54-year-old — reveals a side of Kelly only a few people see, and only one is able to capture.
Todd Glaser
Todd Glaser
Between heats, the fierce competitor shifts into a family man. From hanging on the dock with his son Tao, to playing a jam by the late Glen Hansard called “A Song of Good Hope” before his heat while Raimana watched and analyzed the previous match. After Leo Fiorvanti lost his heat, Leo came by the house for a full breakdown, having known Kelly since he was a wee little grom, his stepdad being one of Kelly’s close friends for decades.
Todd Glaser
Todd Glaser
In an interview with Todd for the release of his coffee table book, Kelly Slater: A Life of Waves, he shared that, “When it comes to contests, I always approach it differently. I’m not trying to shoot the heat, I focus on the moments in between.”
Todd Glaser
These images are exactly that, a candid look at the GOAT, taken by the only person who’s given that kind of access, Todd Glaser, a GOAT in his own right.
Todd Glaser
Todd Glaser
For more of Todd’s work be sure to follow him on Instagram.
Related: Inside a Moody North Shore Winter in Black and White (Photos)