A Swim with Billy Ficke

Words by John Streit. Photos by Billy Ficke.

It’s always rad to see creativity arise and expand rapidly in an individual; especially when that talent applies to surf photography. That’s certainly the case for Virginia Beach’s Billy Ficke, who you may remember from our first “Surfer Snapshots” feature from earlier this summer! He recently began swimming out into the lineup with his Canon in a waterhousing.

He almost immediately came back with some awesome photos from a place we all want to be: in the lineup when it’s lined-up and barreling like it was at Avalon Pier last week! I’m stoked to see where Billy’s talent and ambition take him in the surf photography world. With an eye for capturing surfing’s critical moments, I’m sure the future is bright! Enjoy his most recent Outer Banks surf photo gallery.

Backlit shots of barreling waves are always among my favorites. Avalon Pier, N.C. Photo: Ficke.

An unidentified goofyfooter races in front of Mr. Ficke.

Shooting with a waterhousing takes surf photography to another level. Out here, the waves often become the stars of the shoot. Photo: Ficke.

Incoming. Photo: Ficke.

Walled up and running, this goofyfooter digs in for the ride. Photo: Ficke.

Another backlit beauty at Avalon Pier. Photo: Ficke.

Derek Boney in a goofyfooter's dream on the Outer Banks. Photo: Ficke.