Eugene Tan has been documenting our beaches for the past 25 years, with the best of his work adorning the walls of Aquabumps, his fine art Gallery in Bondi. A local surfer and photographer, his favourite genre is aerial photography, along with being immersed in the ocean from first light.
To mark our collaboration, we caught up with Uge to reflect on the journey of Aquabumps and what drives him to shoot at first light every single morning.
"I’m up early – sunrise. I’m not a morning person, so that’s not always easy. Monday – Friday for 25 years, but I feel lost when I don’t get up early and take photos. I usually photograph Bondi, where we live and where our gallery resides."
How did you get into photography?
As a teenager, I bought a 110 Kodak Instamatic at a garage sale and started documenting everything in my path. I then turned the laundry at home into a dark room to develop my film. It was a nice creative outlet for me. I wasn’t that into school but enjoyed documenting things and people.
What inspired your vision for Aquabumps?
Aquabumps wasn’t really a vision, but I loved photography and surfing. When I moved to Sydney and was a creative director of a digital agency, I started documenting the mornings before work around Tamarama and Bondi and attaching the photos in an email to my mates. Mates began sharing it with mates, and before I knew it, I had about 10,000 people on our database. That’s when I created the blog and called it Aquabumps (Aqua for water and bumps for waves). People started asking for the prints, and at the time, I thought – what a hassle, not realising that was the business all along! Really, the inspiration for Aquabumps is me just doing what I’m passionate about and love daily.
Can you describe a typical day in your life?
I shoot at sunrise wherever we are in the world. After I shoot, I collate the images for the daily email/blog – which usually takes a lot longer than people think. Four to five hours total is usually spent on coming up some ramble and going through the hundreds of photos I've taken that morning.
Then, it’s the daily running of our Gallery in Bondi with the usual small business pains. We ship artworks all over the world, and we work with global brands in a creative capacity, so every day is quite different, but the morning shoot stays the same.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve photographed?
Gosh, there are many crazy things I’ve seen at Bondi. A bunch of naked people making a pyramid on Bondi Beach. The Australian Ballet dancers underwater. A giant Alien Portal on Bondi Beach to promote ‘Stranger Things’ on Netflix. One of my images, the size of an Iceberg pool shot from a helicopter, at the bottom of the pool.
What gets you out of bed every morning?
The unknown or epic photo that hasn’t happened yet – every day is different down the beach. Is the sky pink? Are the waves perfect – what am I missing out on? Those changes in conditions get me up early, day in and day out.
What inspired your selection of imagery for our LEIF x Aquabumps packaging?
I photograph and have documented Bondi Beach for 25 years. I started Aqabumps and grew our business here with my family, so it’s very special to me. The two images we selected depict Bondi in the peak of summer with thousands of people enjoying the beach and Icebergs, which is synonymous with Bondi and probably the most famous ocean pool in the world.
Available exclusively at Aquabumps while stocks last.
What are you currently reading /listening
Camera manuals and anything I can learn from: I am a geek for this stuff! I'm listening to the new RÜFÜS DU SOL Album (Inhale / Exhale).
Photography gear do you swear by?
Sony Cameras, Aquatech Waterhousings, DJI Drone and a good backpack.
Favourite place to travel?
Indonesia – the more remote, the better.
An item you just can’t live without?
My surfboard. I love catching waves.
Dream subject or landscape to photograph?
Pumping 4-6 foot waves, sunset with an arvo glass off, islands in the background and blue (clear) water.
Any advice for aspiring photographers looking to advance their career?
Pick a genre you're passionate about - stick to it and perfect your skill by shooting every day.
About Aquabumps
Aquabumps is a salt-crusted, family-owned Bondi Business obsessed with our Australian beach lifestyle. The gallery is stocked with hundreds of Eugene’s artworks in various sizes. Most items can be purchased on the spot, ready to take home or given as a gift.
Visit Aquabumps Gallery
