Sachi Cunningham Shoots Women Riding Giants
(src. Nick Paz)
Riding the Waves: The Pioneering Pursuits of Sachi Cunningham
On the latest episode of Rising Tide, bodysurfer David Helvarg and board surfer Natasha Benjamin sit down with photographer, filmmaker, and journalist Sachi Cunningham — a woman who has spent more than two decades pointing her lens at the pioneers rewriting what's possible in big wave surfing.
Cunningham helped build the LA Times video team from the ground up, producing the award-winning Chasing the Swell series and documenting the historic first women's heats at Mavericks, the legendary big wave break that rises from the deep-water canyon just south of San Francisco. Now living within earshot of Ocean Beach, she's putting the finishing touches on her first major documentary, Big Wave Women — a film tracking the hard-won fight for pay equity among the elite athletes drawn, or perhaps driven, to ride some of the most dangerous walls of water on the planet.
The conversation ranges wide: the cameras she trusts in the impact zone, the technical and physical demands of shooting from inside the surf, and a recent piece she wrote examining the geology and marine ecosystems that make Mavericks not just a spectacle, but a living seascape. It's a session that goes well below the surface.
In the realm of big wave surf photography, where water collides with sky and stories froth from the crests of 60-foot giants, one name stands as a beacon of boundary-defying narratives—Sachi Cunningham. Our latest dive into the oceanic odyssey of Cunningham unveils not just her powerful lens, which captures the symphonies of the sea, but an undying quest for equality and voice in an arena dominated by tidal stereotypes and gendered riptides.
Cunningham's affinity for the ocean is deep-rooted, stretching back to her childhood summers on Capistrano Beach. Her early experiences formed the bedrock of an inescapable connection to the ocean—a recurring theme in her narrative, often juxtaposed with life in landlocked Pittsburgh. "It was a very glorious two weeks," reminisces Cunningham about her childhood by the coast, a testimony to the indelible allure of the sea that eventually led her to plant roots in California.
Possessing a quest for reconnection with the ocean, Cunningham's journey was far from linear. A transition from English teacher in Japan to a dedicated surf photographer was marked by insightful encounters and bold cross-country leaps—literally and metaphorically. A pivotal foray into surf photography began with the encouragement of a San Diego documentary feature about famed water photographer Aaron Chang, sparking a lifelong ambition.
Cunningham's lens doesn't just capture waves; it captures stories of struggle, resilience, and triumph. The production of "Big Wave Women" is as much a testament to the audacity of these women surfers, as it is to Cunningham's commitment to trailblaze in her field. Her documentary focuses on the broader narrative of achieving pay equity and sports inclusion, highlighting the endeavors of female surfers like Bianca Valenti. It captures not just their daring feats on mountainous waves, but also their fight for parity using legislative levers such as those provided by California's coastal access mandates.
Beyond advocacy, surf photography demands technical precision and profound bravery. Cunningham describes the adrenaline-pumped narratives between herself and the ocean—the calculated risks shared with her Nikon icon. Harnessing skills honed during journalism school at UC Berkeley, she combines passion with acumen, effectively changing how female athletes are perceived and portrayed.
Cunningham’s documentary work reflects an intertwined narrative of humanity and oceanography. Yet, the profound story of those like Catherine Breed's epic swim from Oregon to Mexico underscores the ceaseless human-ocean bond. This mythical endurance swim embodies a vibrant declaration towards ocean conservation, lifting Cunningham’s visual storytelling to new shores for activism and awareness.
As Cunningham tides forth, her hopes that "Big Wave Women" can transcend the film festival circuits into public discourse mirror a broader vision—as much a personal odyssey as an invitation for others to navigate these waters of change. Her upcoming film not only seeks to entertain but aims to leverage existing policies for broader social impact and serve as an invincible blueprint for activism. Her work continues to inspire those who watch from the shorelines and provincial corners of surf culture alike. For more on Cunningham's current projects and visual marvels, her website and Instagram offer glimpses into the perpetual dance between humanity and the ocean.
Through her lens, Cunningham pulls the reader and viewer into the heart of the waves, drawing us beneath the surface, where each ripple and swell tells a story of courage, defiance, and the pursuit of justice in every frame. As her career sails on, so too does her unwavering dedication to captivate the world with stories that not only need to be seen but most certainly be told.
