The joy (and perils) of photographing big wave surfers | Sachi Cunningham | TEDxManhattanBeach

In her talk, filled with her own breathtaking and heart-stopping ocean photography, photojournalist Sachi Cunningham shares how immersing herself in some of the most dangerous ocean conditions in the world has given her strength, grit, and resilience to face personal tragedy and trials over her life. Sachi also documents the world’s most accomplished female surfers advocating for their equitable recognition in a male-dominated sport, revealing the potential of the ocean to give us all strength to overcome life’s challenges.

#surf #mavericks #equity #waves #healing #photojournalist

Sachi Cunningham (she/her) is a filmmaker, water surf photographer, and Associate Professor of Multimedia Journalism at San Francisco State University. Her award-winning work has taken her from the deserts of Iraq to the shores of the Amazon. She was recruited to start the first video team at the LA Times, where she covered news around the globe, from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to chasing big wave swells down the coast of California. She has been featured in PBS Frontline, the New York Times and on the Today show. She has also been included in top surf magazines – on Surfline’s list of top filmmakers and on Surfer Magazine’s list of top photographers.

She has a B.A. from Brown University and a Master of Journalism from UC Berkeley. A mental health advocate, cancer survivor and mother, Cunningham lives with her husband and 10-year-old daughter in San Francisco, CA. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx