Vintage Surf Posters and Surf Art by LeRoy Grannis
LeRoy Grannis grew up living beachfront. He was in the water from the young age of 5, swimming and body surfing with his father. Once he was bored with swimming, Grannis made himself a wood bellyboard which he would ride at his mother's house in Florida.
LeRoy started kneeboarding in 1931 with a board he made from a piece of pine. Once he masters the kneeboard, Grannis started borrowing stand up surfboards from mates in Hermosa beach. An avid surfer, Grannis joined the Palos Verdes Surf Club.
Balancing the surf lifestyle with family and work was a challenge for Grannis. He attended UCLA during the Depression, but eventually had to drop out due to lack of money. He then took on jobs as a carpenter, junkyard de-tinner and a stint at standard oil.
Pacific Bell is the next place Grannis found himself working, thanks to some surf buddies of him arranging a job for him. With the new found income, Grannis had the time and money to start practicing his photography craft, which would later become a new career path.
The first photos of Grannis to be published were put into Doc Ball's book, California Surfriders. This success brought Grannis closer to the surfing community and he started surfing in contests and working with the United States Surfing Association.
Leroy was working too hard at his job and eventually found himself with an ulcer. His doctor recommended that he take a break in order to recuperate. Durring LeRoy's time away from work he began photographing more and ended up getting his work published in magazines such as Surfer, Reef, and Surfing Illustrated.
As his photography work progressed, Grannis became one of surfing's most important photographs, documenting the times. What made Grannis stick out from other photographers was his invention that allowed him to change film while out in the water. Other photographers would have to go back to land to change the film.
Grannis's photography career took off and he spent 10 years photographing the world's best surfers in Hawaii and California. His command over surfing photography resulted in him becoming the photo editor to Surfing Illustrated and a c-founder of International Surfing.
LeRoy was elected to the International Surfing Hall of Fame and the best photographer in 1966. He was also awarded a lifetime achievement award in 2002. He was also the the subject of a Surfer's Journal article ode to master photographers.
Recently Grannis's photos have been featured in surf films such as Riding Giants and in a limited edition book titled LeRoy Grannis: Birth of a Culture.
Title: A Visit to the Shaper Artist: Leroy Grannis
Title: Surfing in the 60's Artist: Leroy Grannis
LeRoy started kneeboarding in 1931 with a board he made from a piece of pine. Once he masters the kneeboard, Grannis started borrowing stand up surfboards from mates in Hermosa beach. An avid surfer, Grannis joined the Palos Verdes Surf Club.
Balancing the surf lifestyle with family and work was a challenge for Grannis. He attended UCLA during the Depression, but eventually had to drop out due to lack of money. He then took on jobs as a carpenter, junkyard de-tinner and a stint at standard oil.
Pacific Bell is the next place Grannis found himself working, thanks to some surf buddies of him arranging a job for him. With the new found income, Grannis had the time and money to start practicing his photography craft, which would later become a new career path.
The first photos of Grannis to be published were put into Doc Ball's book, California Surfriders. This success brought Grannis closer to the surfing community and he started surfing in contests and working with the United States Surfing Association.
Leroy was working too hard at his job and eventually found himself with an ulcer. His doctor recommended that he take a break in order to recuperate. Durring LeRoy's time away from work he began photographing more and ended up getting his work published in magazines such as Surfer, Reef, and Surfing Illustrated.
As his photography work progressed, Grannis became one of surfing's most important photographs, documenting the times. What made Grannis stick out from other photographers was his invention that allowed him to change film while out in the water. Other photographers would have to go back to land to change the film.
Grannis's photography career took off and he spent 10 years photographing the world's best surfers in Hawaii and California. His command over surfing photography resulted in him becoming the photo editor to Surfing Illustrated and a c-founder of International Surfing.
LeRoy was elected to the International Surfing Hall of Fame and the best photographer in 1966. He was also awarded a lifetime achievement award in 2002. He was also the the subject of a Surfer's Journal article ode to master photographers.
Recently Grannis's photos have been featured in surf films such as Riding Giants and in a limited edition book titled LeRoy Grannis: Birth of a Culture.
Title: A Visit to the Shaper Artist: Leroy Grannis
Title: Surfing in the 60's Artist: Leroy Grannis
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