About the Artist
Hey there, I’m Joe Flowers. Growing up on California’s west coast, I spent much of my days in the ocean; surfing, free-diving, SCUBA, and volunteering with various marine conservation NGOs like The Marine Mammal Center, Monterey Bay Marine Life Studies, and The Pelagic Shark Research Foundation to name a few. Wildlife and landscape photography’s been a lifelong thing, but in 2017, inspired by ocean photographers like Ray Collins, Warren Keelan, and Clark Little, I grabbed my first camera housing and dove into wave photography. Most days I’m in or by the water, chasing its fleeting beauty. The sea’s my sanctuary, teaching the wisdom of constant change.
In 2018, I purged most of my belongings and moved into a converted Sprinter van. For the next year or so, I traveled all along the west coast, capturing the raw power & beauty of ocean waves and how light ignites them. Taoist and Zen teachings have shaped me deeply. They guide me to see the ocean as a mirror for reflection, a living reminder of balance and constant flux. My photography is an attempt at capturing the ancient wisdom I feel in, and near, the water.
Often wandering California’s coast, I chase moments that capture the sea’s intensity, stillness, and harmony. The ocean is still my temple. Through my photos, I invite you to find peace in its endless motion, to see the dance of light and shadow, power and surrender. A mirror for life’s deeper truths.
