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Issues | Santa Cruz Vibes Magazine

<h3>The Catalyst</h3>
The photo that changed my life.  This shot was taken right after I had to upgrade to the iPhone 14 Pro and it gave me an unexpected gift.  It lit a fire inside of me to make photography my passion.  It’s incredible how one instant moment can be so explosive and put you on a path that will redefine your life.  To say it was serendipitous to have to upgrade my phone at that time is an understatement.
This particular photo has always been mine and many others most favorite.  To me, it’s because it’s also extremely rare to get a shot like this, especially in your own back yard.  They say timing is everything in life, and with sunset photography, it’s proven again and again.
I hope everyone has the opportunity to find their “catalyst” that can change their life.
&#8211; Darrick Gitomer
@d_gitomer_photography

Experience the transformative power of photography through Darrick Gitomer's lens. A single sunset shot, taken with an iPhone 14 Pro, ignited his passion for capturing life's fleeting moments.

LOCAL PHOTO VIBES : DARRICK GITOMER

When I first started competing in the mid-to-late late nineties, there weren’t many ways for aspiring rippers such as myself to actively hone our surfing under the watchful eye of a mentor with a depth of competitive knowledge and technical know-how.
Nowadays, things have changed. Parents are investing in video equipment to document their kid’s every session for post-surf review, and it’s not uncommon for amateur surfers to incorporate meditation, journaling, weight training, yoga, and mindfulness into their training regimen.
Furthermore, there’s also currently a number of professional surf coaches, such as Omar Etcheverry and Matt Myers, who are providing up-and-coming athletes with the support and in-depth mentorship to help them achieve their goals.

Andre Giorenelli, of Wetsurf Training, has, over the past decade, made a name for himself as a passionate and dedicated surf coach, helping countless local groms elevate their game to the next level. He films every session and reviews the clips immediately after with his surfers, going over their technique with honest scrutiny in order to provide valuable insight and advice. 
Some of the competitive standouts he’s coached include Brody Price, Maddie and Olivia Storrer, and Kai Wolsbeck, just to name a few. It’s become clear to many parents hoping to invest in their children’s surf careers that Giorenelli has what it takes to help them gain that competitive edge.
While Giorenelli enjoys working with these gifted groms, he also loves taking youngsters, who might not have the inherent natural ability of his top athletes, under his wing. One such aspiring youngster is 13 year-old Kai Dollar, son of Pleasure Point standout and celebrated big-wave surfer, Shawn Dollar
In this interview, I asked Giorenelli about his approach to coaching, touching on his feelings regarding what parents should realistically expect when considering investing in their children’s surfing development. Then, I gave young Dollar the floor to express his thoughts about having the opportunity to work with Giorenelli in order to bring his surfing to the next level. Enjoy!
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Tell me what a typical session with Wetsurf Training looks like from start to finish?
Usually, for my intermediate surfers, it&#8217;s two-and-a-half hours of training, consisting of two hours in the water, followed by thirty minutes of video analysis afterwards. My job is to tell them the importance of wave selection, instruct them in how to keep their surfing as clean as possible. I also help them with their equipment and work on their mindset after their session, whether it was a good one or a bad one. I try to encourage them to try big turns even if they go down, as safe surfing is not going to help you if you want to be a pro in the future.
We also use skateboard training to work on simulating technique. It&#8217;s also great for improving mobility and coordination. My higher level training includes mock heats in the worst possible condition to make them ready to compete down in Southern California.  The pace of the waves down there is completely different and our local surfers need to improve their skills in these types of conditions.
What else do you try to instill in your clients?
The number one rule for anyone to be good in anything in life is that they need to love what they do. The effort and dedication needs to come from the kid, and not from anyone else. It takes many years of hard work to get good at something and many more to be great. Plus, you need to surround yourself with good and honest people who will share the hard truths about their work ethic, nutrition, mindset, sleep, and moderation with social media.
You&#8217;ve got to show respect to others, accept positive criticism, and be able to evolve as both a person and athlete. Even if you do all of this its, you&#8217;ve got to understand that it&#8217;s not going to be easy. Surfing is an international sport right now and there is great surfers everywhere, so it&#8217;s important they have realistic expectations.
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Other than competition and free surfing skills, what aspects of being a well rounded surfer do you try to have your students concentrate on both in and out of the water?
I try to tell them a little bit of everything. Respect is a big one, and it starts at home with your family and siblings. When we go surfing there is always a hierarchy in the lineup, and we need to show respect to the older people who&#8217;ve been doing it longer than us. I never tell my students to paddle around anyone if it&#8217;s not their turn as things will be so much easier for you if the local guys like you not just because you&#8217;re a good surfer, but because you&#8217;re super polite and respectful at the same time. If you can do this at your own home-break, you will never have any problem around the world because you will carry this respect everywhere you go. School needs to be number one priority and finding this balance is the key to success
What should every parent know about surfing to keep their expectations for their kids realistic? What should they avoid? What should they hope to get out of sending their kids to train with you?
They should know that surfing is one of the hardest sports to be good at. It can be a single-minded and selfish sport, and unlike other sports with a fixed playing-field, with surfing, everything moves and nothing remains the same. This includes where the best waves are, what the tide is doing, the wind direction, and so on. Understanding these ocean mechanics is a life-long study.
They should avoid putting  pressure on their kids. The kids have to do it because they love it and have the desire to improve themselves. My job is to do what I can to help make them become a better surfer, but in reality it&#8217;s up to them to put the effort, and parents should understand this.

Tell me about working with a kid like Kai Dollar. What are you guys working on right now? 
We&#8217;ve been working together for about a year and he&#8217;s a promising young surfer We&#8217;ve been working on his stance, arm placement, and rail game. He&#8217;s been improving fast because he&#8217;s been putting in a lot of his extra time in the water, plus his father is a great surfer which really helps.

How do you like working with Andre? Has his coaching helped with so far? If so, how?
I really like working with Andre! His training has been very beneficial to my surfing. To have all your waves recorded then to be told what you did right and wrong is so helpful.
Do you get nervous during coaching sessions, especially with someone filming and analyzing your performance?
I never really get nervous doing the training but it is a little stressful when I don’t catch a lot waves.  I always have something to learn and improve from now matter how many waves I catch and we film.
What are your surfing strengths? What parts of your surfing would you like to improve in and why?
My surfing strengths are that I’m good at long, right-hand point breaks with bigger crowds.  I would really like to improve my barrel riding and air game because they are both so technical and fun to watch.

What is your favorite maneuver? Why? Are you interested in surfing bigger waves like your dad? 
My favorite maneuver is the round-house cutback because it is such an underrated move and a really good roundhouse with good style is fun to watch.  I’m not all that interesting in surfing big waves but I have a feeling that might change.
How is your Dad as a coach? How are he and Andre different in their approach to coaching you?
I don’t think of my Dad as my surf coach, but the feedback he gives me helps a lot.
How do you like surfing in contests? Why? Is that something you and Andre work on? If so, what are you guys working on?
I have more fun free surfing, because contests are stressful when you&#8217;re going up against your friends. Andre and I work more on maneuvers and technique.

Why is being a grom in Santa Cruz hard? Does it have any advantages?
A thing that is challenging is that there are not many lefts so when you go to a comp and there is a left you don’t get much practice.  The advantages are you get to really understand point breaks.
Who is your favorite grom to surf with and why? Favorite local to watch surf? What do you admire about them? 
My favorite groms to surf with are Zander and Caz because Zander really pushes me to be a better surfer and Caz get’s me psyched up to go big.
Why should other kids consider working with someone like Andre and why?
I think it’s really helpful to get your waves filmed and get someone to point out what you did right and wrong and ways to improve. I&#8217;ve progressed so much faster because of it.
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For more information about Wetsurf Training, visit <a href="http://www.wetsurftraining.com">www.wetsurftraining.com </a>

Wetsurf Training

One of my best friends growing up, FJ Anderson, was raised in a beautiful A-Frame house overlooking Sunny Cove. It was a place where kids like myself could congregate by the dozens to surf, shoot pool, drink endless sodas provided by his parents Buzz and Jenny, and lob water balloons at unsuspecting sun-worshipers relaxing on the sand. The Anderson household was truly the ultimate seaside clubhouse.
As time went on, Anderson evolved into a highly gifted artist, under the tutelage of Shoreline Middle School art teacher Mark Marengo. It was clear, even in those early days, that Anderson had what it took to take his gift to the next level. 
Anderson’s room, located on second floor of his beachfront home, had a balcony that provided the perfect vantage point to take in the beauty of the ever-changing moods of the sea, which has undoubtedly inspired his artistry. This private portal to the sea instilled in Anderson a strong desire to create art that reflected its beauty.
After studying Scientific Illustration at UCSC, Anderson embarked on a career as a full-time painter, with his primary subject matter being, you guessed it, the ocean. His ability to produce hyper-realistic oil paintings of waves and coastal vistas has made him a standout in the talent-saturated pool of celebrated local artists.

What’s even more impressive, is that he takes all of his reference photos himself. Whether it be in the water amongst the chaos of lurching barrels or from the safety of the sand, his eye for the dramatic has birthed some truly unique artwork. His current project, a series of moody storm-surf scenes, expertly captures the majestic essence of an angry ocean in motion.
Here’s what he had to say about one of these mesmerizing masterpieces, taken just mere miles from that storied balcony that started it all.

Currently, I&#8217;ve got three different ongoing series of work that I&#8217;m working on. This one comes from the series in which I provide viewers a perspective of stormy ocean vistas from the vantage point of the shore. I’ve always loved big storms growing up and still do today. I was able to get some good reference photos over the past couple winters and this comes from one of my favorites.

The vibe I’m trying to evoke here is one of, &#8220;calm amidst the chaos&#8221;. With paintings like this one, I want the viewer to feel a deep appreciation of the ocean at its angriest, and to find the beauty in its limitless power.
I’m quite pleased with it so far, but still have a long way to go. Every painting goes through an “ugly stage”, and I think i’m past that part&#8211;hopefully (laughs). Now, it&#8217;s simply a matter of building up layers to get the depth and lighting just right
While working on &#8220;Marine Labs&#8221;, I&#8217;ve been listening to a lot of instrumental music. It seems to keep me focused and gets meinto a flow/trance state. It&#8217;s nice to go into to autopilot, and these tunes help me not think about anything besides what I&#8217;m working on at that moment.
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My process starts by taking a ton of photos from both the ocean and shore. I’m always ready to run to the end of the road to snap some shots during a storm or when the lighting shifts. Once I narrow them down to a cohesive series, I’ll start them all at one. I’ll sketch it out with either pencil or just paint then do multiple layers, working thinner and thinner, glazing over the top.

I’d say the most enjoyable part of working on a series of paintings like this is seeing the finished product, hanging them up, and seeing them all together for a cohesive show for the public to enjoy
I feel extremely fortunate to have grown up by the ocean, surrounded by creative friends and family. You can see more work at <a href="http://www.fjartwork.com">www.fjartwork.com</a>. Come say hi, and see my work in person at the Capitola Art Wine Festival and at my childhood home during Open Studios this October!
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