ABOUT

RUSSELL ORD

Russell Ord is an acclaimed Australian photographer renowned for his striking surf and ocean imagery. Initially, Ord was deeply involved in playing Rugby League, surfing, and working as a firefighter. He began taking photography seriously in the early 2000s and quickly gained recognition for his intense and dramatic images of big-wave surfing and ocean landscapes.

Ord’s work is regularly featured in prominent publications such as The Surfer’s Journal, Tracks, and Australian Surfing Life, and he has received multiple awards for his photography. He is particularly noted for his willingness to take risks in pursuit of the perfect shot, often placing himself in dangerous situations to capture the ocean’s power and beauty. One of his career-defining achievements was documenting a violent twist of the Indian Ocean known as ‘The Right,’ which became the focal point of his celebrated documentary, ‘One Shot.’

Beyond his photography, Ord has collaborated with organizations like the Surfrider Foundation and serves as an ambassador for SurfAid, helping to improve the health, well-being, and resilience of remote communities connected to surfing. Along with his wife Catherine, Russell now dedicates himself to providing education, mentoring, and training in photography to young people facing location, financial, social, and health disadvantages through the Desert Light Foundation.

VIDEO LINKS: One Shot Documentary / Project Real - FujiFilm

 
Photo: Dan Hayward

Photo: Dan Hayward