The Thoughtful Observer
Morgan Maassen is the visual storyteller of surfing.
Framed
Photos by: Morgan Maassen
Words by: Ben Haggar
“Dane Reynolds, here captured in Oaxaca, Mexico, is arguably the most progressive surfer of all time, having pushed the boundaries of surf in every way to match his energy and ability. Watching him surf is always breathtaking, as he combines a refined style with uncontrollable speed. This was a shot I had dreamed of long before I ever picked up a camera; a vision of looking back as a surfer erupts in all the textures and aquatic chaos.”
“Dane Reynolds, here captured in Oaxaca, Mexico, is arguably the most progressive surfer of all time, having pushed the boundaries of surf in every way to match his energy and ability. Watching him surf is always breathtaking, as he combines a refined style with uncontrollable speed. This was a shot I had dreamed of long before I ever picked up a camera; a vision of looking back as a surfer erupts in all the textures and aquatic chaos.”
Surf photographer and filmmaker Morgan Maassen doesn’t see himself as a storyteller, but as an observer. Behind his analytical, structured, and organized mind lies a calm space of curiosity where his creative vision can flourish and take shape. Maassen’s immersive approach to his surroundings allows images to emerge naturally, beyond the action, noise, and obviousness. ‘Satiated by small moments’, his timeless style in both film and still imagery is grounded in keen observation, exotic themes, and a passion for the new and unexplored. It’s within that mix that the story unfolds.
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Morgan Maassen captured at work.
Growing up in the beach town of Santa Barbara, Maassen’s childhood was spent surfing and exploring the frothy, emerald waters of the California coast. His ocean-loving parents had a profound influence on him, instilling in him morals and a healthy respect for others and the natural environment. “I realized very early on that being polite, timely, and well-organized were the simplest but strongest tenets of opening doors for me to get anywhere or do anything. This is the bedrock of my passion for business,” says Maassen.
“Haunui David riding one of the craziest waves I’ve ever seen. This was during a Code Red swell in Teahupoo, Tahiti, in the summer of 2021. While there were larger and more stunning waves, this one was especially fierce.”
“Haunui David riding one of the craziest waves I’ve ever seen. This was during a Code Red swell in Teahupoo, Tahiti, in the summer of 2021. While there were larger and more stunning waves, this one was especially fierce.”
His journey towards multidisciplinary image making began with a 7th-grade mentorship project, where Maassen teamed up with family friend Jim Knowlton—a cinematographer for National Geographic and the Cousteau Society—to create a surf film with friends. An early adopter of technology, Maassen saved up for a computer and editing equipment and taught himself web and graphic design. Not one for traditional scholastics, in a great leap of self-belief, he left high school to work full-time for influential streetwear designer Shawn Stussy.
“My greatest joy in life is being underwater, with crystal-clear visibility and a camera in hand. There is nothing more spectacular than watching the waves roll over the reef, surfers rushing past, and observing everything in motion. The silent world. This photo was taken by my good friend Ben Thouard, a master photographer with whom I’ve spent countless hours underwater at Teahupoo, Tahiti.”
“My greatest joy in life is being underwater, with crystal-clear visibility and a camera in hand. There is nothing more spectacular than watching the waves roll over the reef, surfers rushing past, and observing everything in motion. The silent world. This photo was taken by my good friend Ben Thouard, a master photographer with whom I’ve spent countless hours underwater at Teahupoo, Tahiti.”
Maassen continued to make films on the side, but using his father’s old Nikon D50 camera, a new creative spark was sparked. The ability to express a concept or feeling through a single frame was like an innovative drug, contrasted with the emotional investment of filmmaking.
“I realize my relationship with image making stems from an inane desire to capture and catalogue everything.”
MORGAN MAASSEN
The 18-year-old was fully committed to photography, having purchased a professional camera and waterproof housing. He then used his savings to embark on a world tour, seeing and exploring as much as possible. “There was no real goal, I just needed to get it out of my system,” he recalls.
Brands and magazines began to acknowledge the vibrant body of work that he developed during his time abroad, prompting Maassen to sign a retainer with surf industry leader Quicksilver. Suddenly, he collaborated with top surfers Kelly Slater and Stephanie Gilmore. Athletes of this level transcend their sports, and the highly skilled Maassen built connections through various media outlets and brands beyond the surf industry.
Unbound by a single genre, Maassen maximized every assignment by shooting both photos and videos, gathering material for commercial, editorial, and personal projects, such as his ethereal Water series. Appreciating the creative nuances of both mediums, stills and motion complement and enhance each other. “Visual storytelling through motion is like constructing a book, whereas photography is like the taxonomy of a single word… In my soul, [photography] exists like a wacky sketchpad for my film pursuits,” says Maassen.
“I spend a lot of time wandering around, just walking and observing. This day was a complete write-off, with foul weather and massive seas. I was taking photos of rain and sand textures when I watched a patch in the storm clear, and it created some of the most surreal lighting I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Luckily, I had a long lens with me, as I watched several stir-crazy surfers down the beach try to make the most of the break in the rain as well.”
“I’ve been capturing these blurry horizon lines since the first month I picked up a camera, when I accidentally left the shutter stuck at around 1/13. I’ve continued photographing them as a way to document simple, unique scenes of color around the world, just sea and sky.”
“I spend a lot of time wandering around, just walking and observing. This day was a complete write-off, with foul weather and massive seas. I was taking photos of rain and sand textures when I watched a patch in the storm clear, and it created some of the most surreal lighting I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Luckily, I had a long lens with me, as I watched several stir-crazy surfers down the beach try to make the most of the break in the rain as well.”
“I’ve been capturing these blurry horizon lines since the first month I picked up a camera, when I accidentally left the shutter stuck at around 1/13. I’ve continued photographing them as a way to document simple, unique scenes of color around the world, just sea and sky.”
The secret to the 35-year-old’s rise through the creative industry is a mix of strategic planning and spontaneous, whimsical moments. In a field where looks often come first, then business—if it’s considered at all—his consistent professionalism makes him stand out.
“I love logistics. I see it all as a system. Creativity is just a tiny mosquito in the jungle of life. Business, money, relationships, time, project management… they all swirl around, making ideas come to life.”
Morgan Maassen
If personal relationships and professionalism form the foundation of business, curiosity and a diverse passion for learning have been his main motivators for creativity.
“I believe the perspective is one of admiration and curiosity. I see beauty in everything. Beauty in simplicity, beauty in chaos, beauty in motion, in stillness, in light, in darkness, in perfection and flaw.”
“This was a fortunate accident when I was photographing Eimeo Czermak from an awkward angle, and I had to push through the wave as he swooped below me. I kept shooting, and as the water wrapped around my camera, I managed to capture one last shot of him zooming past.”
“This was a fortunate accident when I was photographing Eimeo Czermak from an awkward angle, and I had to push through the wave as he swooped below me. I kept shooting, and as the water wrapped around my camera, I managed to capture one last shot of him zooming past.”
Maassen’s images evoke a subtle, calm beauty within the fast-paced action sports genre. “I don’t try to make images timeless, but I also don’t focus much on the who/what/where/when. In the pursuit of simplicity, I think emotion is often what takes hold of the image… ironically becoming timeless,” comments Maassen. His imagery, though recognizable, easily blends into various scenes, including winter.
“The textures of snow and water might be my greatest fascination, often surpassing the beauty of what the riders do,” says Maassen.
“Coco Ho, surfing naked in Hawaii for the ESPN Body Issue. This was a definitive moment in my photography career, both to be trusted to capture a friend so intimately and to be a part of such an incredible editorial project.”
“Coco Ho, surfing naked in Hawaii for the ESPN Body Issue. This was a definitive moment in my photography career, both to be trusted to capture a friend so intimately and to be a part of such an incredible editorial project.”
Despite spending little time in the mountains and only snowboarding three or four times, Maassen was strongly drawn to the bold, clean branding of Korua Shapes.
“I kept pleading with them to include me in a shoot, and when it finally happened in early 2020, I think they were mortified! They really took me under their wing, though, and showed me how to navigate and appreciate their world.”
They have since shot, ridden, hiked, road-tripped, surfed, nearly died, laughed, cried, and experienced everything in between.
” The natural athlete relishes the challenge of new subjects and environments. Like the ocean and the jungle, the mountains are such intense environments that swallow you whole. No other location or subject matter can even compete.”
Morgan Maassen
With a substantial image portfolio, the interdisciplinary photographer’s eternal passion is travel. Since that pivotal journey in his late teens, when he first spread his wings, travel has been a primary focus in his business plan—valued more highly than prestige and financial gain.
“My creativity comes and goes, my love for cameras and image-making too, but my exuberance for the world and life never wavers.”
Maassen’s statement highlights that a life filled with passions—from technology to architecture, image making to outdoor sports—will undoubtedly be rich with intrigue, fulfillment, and wonder, regardless of what the future may bring.
MORGAN MAASSEN , a 35-year-old photographer and filmmaker based in Santa Barbara, California, focuses on water and oceanic themes inspired by his coastal upbringing. His work often examines travel, nature, architecture, and fashion, highlighting lighting, textures, the abstract elements of Earth, human presence, and spontaneous emotions.
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