Spence Hornby
Interview: Russell Ord
A particular perspective is a specific way of thinking about something, especially one that is influenced by your beliefs or experiences or perspective is the art of making some objects or people in a picture look further away than others.
Now with that in mind, we are going to get Spencer Hornby's (photographer) perspective on five surfing photos of good friend and charger Justin Jughead Allport. If anyone knows these guys personally, they will have an excellent idea the kind of situation they both put themselves through regarding waves of severe consequences.
Spence has been a surf photographer for 13yrs or thereabouts and photographed covers of several publications. Jughead, on the other hand, has surfed most of his life and been the focus of surfing magazine covers they are both renowned for their no-fear attitude. They are mates, live on the central coast, chase waves or death slabs, Spence runs his own gallery and Jug puts cold water on hot fire (Fireman), let's get into it.
To me, this sums Jug up in every way. Cool, calm and composed under what was an incredibly wild moment. This was during the Red Bull Cape Fear at Ours. What you don't see are the rocks just out of frame. He has always thrived in these sort of conditions, and it showed on this day. He got injured on this wave, and it was hard to watch a very close
friend with such a severe head injury right in front of me.
Jug has always had a way with every type of condition. This is a break named Ours located in Sydney a few years after the event where he was injured. A crazy contrast from the above photo, Jug can adapt to every type of wave and make it look good.
Spot X (as all spots should be) a wave we have close to home on the Central Coast. It was just the two of us out in the water, and it was just about as perfect as it gets. There were waves of all different shapes and sizes hitting the ledge. I remember this one jacking up and thinking "you're going to need a ski to propel you into this one (he managed to paddle in). I've had so many great moments with Jug, and these are just a small sample of what we have both shared.
As a water photographer, you are always looking to work with people who lay it all on the line. I have never had to yell out "go!" With Jug, he doesn't need any outsourced motivation to turn and go.
I have always enjoyed working with him because he wants to get the shot as much as I do, and will paddle or tow into anything to ensure you both come away with a keepsake of a crazy moment in time. Mind you; it's come at the cost, numerous snapped surfboards and serious injuries that have kept him on the sideline for extended periods, he still loves it!
Jug is a very good friend of mine and has been for many years. He has so much respect from people around home and also around the world. He is one of the true leaders in core underground big wave surfing and surfings crazier side. Watching Jug grace the covers and pages of magazines all over the world was one of my biggest inspirations,
whilst I was growing up and entering into surf photograph, I will always be grateful for that.
