Capturing the Wave

It’s pitch-black out when Sachi Cunningham leaves her house at 4:30 in the morning. She’s headed toward Mavericks, a world-famous surf spot in Northern California.
 
When she gets to the beach, it’s time to gear up. She puts on several items to keep her safe: a wet suit, fins, and two vests—one padded, one inflatable. These precautions can’t be skipped. If she’s not careful, the infamous swells at Mavericks, which can rise as tall as a four-story building, could crush her like an ant. Finally, before heading into the water, she grabs her most essential piece of equipment: her camera.
 
Cunningham is a big wave photographer and filmmaker. She regularly risks her safety to showcase the beauty of the ocean—and the strength of the surfers who ride its biggest waves. 

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cunningham wasn’t often near the ocean. But she loved to swim. At 16, she discovered another passion: photography. After studying art in college, she moved to California and started surfing. She also purchased her first waterproof camera. She used it once and knew she had found her career.

Cunningham has now been photographing big wave surfers for more than 30 years. She’s traveled all over the world, and her work has appeared in countless publications, including Surfer magazine and The New York Times.

But Cunningham’s success has not come easily. It has taken her years to master getting the perfect shot while battling one of the most powerful forces of nature.

“I’ve spent a lot of time swimming and surfing, getting to know the dynamics of the ocean,” Cunningham says. “Every wave is different. They’re like snowflakes.”

Cunningham has also trained extensively in water safety. She’s learned how to hold her breath for long periods of time and how to stay calm underwater, for example. The two vests she wears are to protect her if she gets hit by a wave or pulled under for too long.

One of Cunningham’s main goals is spotlighting female surfers, who are outnumbered four to one by male surfers. She’s spent the past decade working on a documentary about female big wave surfers fighting for equal recognition in the sport.
 
Cunningham explains that seeing photos of women riding gigantic waves can change the way people think: “It makes them realize that women are capable of doing anything they want to do.”
 
More than anything, Cunningham wants to share the majesty of the ocean with the world. “There’s a saying that we’re not divided by land, we’re connected by water, and you really feel that when you’re in it,” she says. “I want to share that beauty with people.”