Photographer Sachi Cunningham’s surfing images are stunning—not only because of the composition and skilled surfers depicted in them, but also because she dares to get shots nobody else does. One of the only photographers to swim at Mavericks (the infamous surf break in California known for its dangerous waves), Cunningham braves the impact zone, currents and sharks—all with a 20-pound camera—to get the shot before diving under to escape the powerful, crashing water. She also stands up to gender inequality in a space where men are paid and represented more than women. “I started shooting photos of women on waves because I never saw photos of women surfing. You don’t have to know anything about competitive surfing to know that when you see an image of a woman on a big wave for the first time, it changes what you think is humanly possible,” the photographer tells The New York Times, where you can learn more about her methodology and how she advocates for women in the surf space.
Image courtesy of Sachi Cunningham