Surf Photographer Hugues Oyarzabal, Who Filmed Inside Waves Before GoPro Era, Dies
Hugues Oyarzabal, a pioneering surf photographer believed to have been the first to film himself from inside the wave using a digital camera, has died at the age of 39.
Surfing legend Oyarzabal, famed for his POV barrel shots, passed away at his home in Biarritz, France on February 21.
The French photographer’s parents Charles and Lucette Oyarzabal say he took his own life after a lifelong battle with bipolar disorder.
“His physical and psychological suffering took its toll,” his parents tell The New York Times through a translator. “He has chosen to leave us, to rediscover the peace and serenity he has been unable to find over the last few years.”
Before action cameras became standard gear for extreme sports athletes, Oyarzabal was pioneering a new way to bring surf photography to life. Determined to capture the thrill of surfing from the most immersive angle, he devised a way to mount a camera to his teeth — providing viewers with a never-before-seen view of the sport.
Oyarzabal is believed to be the first surfer to use this unique setup, allowing him to film from a direct point of view as he carved through the waves. In an era before the GoPro was ubiquitous, Oyarzabal was also among the first to record himself inside a barreling wave and to capture the mesmerizing sight of looking backward through one.
According to an obituary in The New York Times, Oyarzabal left school at 16 to follow his passion for surfing. With the support of his parents, he moved to Australia’s Sunshine Coast to train under a private coach.
Oyarzabal began filming his surfing experiences using a Mini-DV camcorder in a waterproof box attached to his board as a teenager in 2001. His footage captured him riding through tubes or barrels — tunnels of air within cresting waves that only the most skilled surfers can navigate.
Oyarzabal’s groundbreaking work in surf photography earned him recognition on the world stage. In December 2012, at the age of 26, he was invited to Hawaii for the inaugural GoPro Awards ceremony. There, legendary 11-time world champion Kelly Slater presented him with an award for his innovative photography and videography.
Oyarzabal also made highly-regarded surfing documentaries, including Peace and Left a multipart series, its title referring to a “left-hand wave,” one that breaks to the left from a surfer’s perspective.
