In the 1970s, Brian Bielmann was one of the first to specialise in surf photography. He became one of the most prolific and influential artists of the discipline. Ever since, numerous photographers have followed his lead. But while the majority of them take shots above the water, Brian Bielmann explored another facet of this art by also capturing scenes from beneath the surface. Alone in this aquatic world, he takes great pleasure in sharing points of view with the spectators that they cannot see for themselves. Whether it be a surfer in full flight or waves unfurling, each moment underwater is unique. His photography bears witness to his continually evolving personal style. With a collection of over 5 000 vinyl records, music is also part of his life. This is why he names each of his photos after a song title, which infuses them with an identity of their own.

**The artist: Brian Bielmann**

Brian Bielmann is a surf photographer well known internationally for having photographed some of the greatest surfers in the world, such as Andy Irons, Bruce Irons, and Kelly Slater. His photographs, for which he garnered numerous awards, made the cover of over 150 magazines such as TransWorld Surf Magazine, National Geographic and Sports Illustrated and have been used for many advertising campaigns (Red Bull, Quicksilver, Volcom etc). After suffering a serious accident in 1978, he decided to devote himself entirely to photography, a leisure activity that he only practiced alongside his career as a professional surfer, it eventually became his raison d'être. Besides the sporting aspect of surfing, he is particularly interested in the artistic form that his shots take, which allows him to express his own vision of the beauty of the world. Roaming the hemispheres of the Pacific Ocean, from Hawaii to Indonesia, Fiji to Tahiti, he captured the most beautiful and impressive waves ever shown.