Australian photographer Ray Collins on waves, art, and change.
Even over the phone, Ray Collins exudes an approachability that belies his status as one of the most influential marine photographers of the last twenty years.
Collins, 42, grew up in Wollongong, New South Wales, about an hour south of Sydney. He retains the spirit of a 20-year-old, unsurprising given his candor, but all the more remarkable considering the career-altering knee injury he suffered during a mining shift in 2007.
He describes the ocean as a constant in his life, especially through a tumultuous childhood, so it was the natural place to turn. He picked up a camera and began shooting waves and surfers not long after the accident.
"The ocean has always grounded me. I spent my whole life swimming and surfing around it."
Whether it came from that lifelong connection or from the forced shift into a new path, Collins clearly has a gift for finding extraordinary viewpoints of waves in action. Much of his work captures waves at their apex, a singular moment revealing both the power and the fragility of the ocean's flow.
On style
How do you describe your photography?
"My photography is emotive. I'm looking for and trying to convey a feeling. I do this by showing up and observing. I'm not trying to force something, but rather let whatever is there present itself. I try to increase my odds with maps, swells, winds, because that's when I've found the moments to happen."
Every wave has a passport
Do the waves change depending on where you are?
"Each wave I capture has its own characteristics. Each location in the world has its unique signature. Hawaii doesn't have a continental shelf, so those waves act differently compared to Australia, which has a shelf that slows things down. In California, the waves are much more drawn out, almost like a ruler's edge."
"When I see a wave, I can usually tell which part of the world it's from."
Art that leaves room
You work with large corporate partners. How do you help them make a meaningful difference in ocean conservation?
"I'm trying to make art, and the beautiful thing about art is that it's open to interpretation. If I leave little narration behind the images, a company, an agency, or an environmental cause can utilize that visual impact and insert their own narrative."
As he approaches twenty years in the trade, Collins has a long roster of corporate partners past and present, and he's starting his third book, the first he hasn't self-published. He talks about this with a childlike excitement, never tiring of getting back out on the water to find the next great shot.
"I'm looking back, but I'm also super motivated to add fresh and new things into the mix. It forces me to grow and to try and reset each time."
Adapted from "Through the Lens of the Sea" by Geoff Nudelman in Beach Happy Magazine, Spring 2025, Issue 20. All photographs by Ray Collins. See more at raycollinsphoto.com or on Instagram @raycollinsphoto.
