Suburban Kook by Courtney Blythe

Growing up with a huge interest in surf was a lil’ bit harder, when you lived in the suburbs. A suburban kook, weekend shredder…never a local.

 

You learnt to live for summer holidays & the rare weekend getaway. Every year the fam would pack the campervan to the brim & head around two hours south from our Eastern Melbourne home to Phillip Island, Victoria. A two week stint that felt like months. Forty degree days, endless mangoes, and of course – surf. I began more of a boogie boarder myself. But the surfing dream always remained strong.

 

I think after all these years I have found the silver lining of being a suburban kook.

 

 It’s that appreciation every time you get to the beach or coastline. It’s that extra spark of excitement. Never would I take for granted a beaut’ day spent with sand between my toes, salt in my hair….yep definitely starting to sound like a cheesy quote your Auntie Sue would share on Facebook. Don’t lie, you know the one. But the point remains.

 

I guess that’s what inspired my interest in photography. I was always drawn to the images of surf & the culture that so effortlessly follows it. It felt like a dreamy, faraway land oozing with naturally born grommets, “locals only” nooks & perpetual good times.

 

I can now see those dreams I had as a kid reflected in my images. I adore shooting surf, female long boarders especially. Maybe because I hope to get to that point one day? Who knows. Either way, no matter how much I practise my surfing, or choose to live by the sea – I think the inner suburban kook inside will always remain. And I think I am ok with that.

 

Enjoy a glimpse into the dreamy world of female long boarders, forever my muses!