Spotlight on
Aaron Chang
RENOWNED INTERNATIONAL
PHOTOGRAPHER CALLS SAN DIEGO HOME
A waterman, surfer and artist, Aaron Chang ocean, he displayed a willingness to take
has melded his passions into a lifelong career risks to get the shot. Respected as a creative
of exceptional ocean, nature and fine arts force who helped visually define the sport
photography. His love for photographic arts of surfing, he spent 25 years as a senior
started at age nine when his father handed photographer at Surfing Magazine, traveling
him a Bellows camera and taught him about to the far reaches of the globe. His epic
the wonders of photography. Soon after, the shot of a perfect arcing wave at the Bonzai
family moved to San Diego County, landing in Pipeline was one of 38 impressive covers he
Imperial Beach where “the ocean became did for Surfing Magazine.
my obsession.” A strong competitive Today, as a fine art photographer, he owns
swimmer, Chang also discovered the beauty
of surfing. After high school graduation,
he sold everything to pursue his dream of
moving to Oahu where he shot tourists at
luaus in Waikiki and scenic postcards on
The North Shore, happy to be local in a
global surf mecca.
Soon after his work was discovered by photo
two thriving galleries in San Diego and has
collectors all over the world. His work has
been published in hundreds of magazines
and books, including the “Day in the Life”
projects. And while you may find him
photographing waterfalls in Bali, Teahupoo
thunderous waves in Tahiti or surfing legends
like Kelly Slater in Hawaii, Chang lives in
editor Larry Moore from Surfing Magazine Carlsbad with his wife and two sons, so
who put Chang on staff at the magazine in San Diego is also a favorite subject.
1979. At that same time, surfing was taking Whether it’s the fiery red and orange winter
off competitively as a sport in The North sunsets reflected in the sea, glistening gold
Shore, but only a handful of photographers light illuminating a crashing wave, or the
went into the water with their cameras. Chang electric cityscape at night from a helicopter,
made it his mission to be the best of that Chang captures the soul of San Diego
handful. A maverick both in and out of the through his lens.
AARON CHANG OCEAN ART GALLERY
415 S. Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach
AARON CHANG OCEAN ART GALLERY
The Headquarters
789 West Harbor Dr., San Diego
AARONCHANG.COM