Short Films & Visual Stories

“Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Living Water is a collection of revelatory thoughts and creative vision, poetically woven into a visual expression of Thurston's passion for the artistic nature of the breaking wave. It explores thought-provoking concepts about the common words we all identify with in the human experience and immerses the viewer in a world of powerful, captivating ocean energy and creative prowess.  Thurston's artistry and poetic philosophy are designed to stir the reader's imagination and inspire the heart, shining light on new perspectives while, at the same time, challenging and even confronting one's own mindsets and ideologies. “When I’m immersed in nature, I see intelligent design, I see intentional beauty, and I see irrefutable purpose in every aspect of every detail. Still, above all this, I see a very clear, artistic flare woven throughout the natural world, with beauty often being the primary objective." The photography and concepts in this book reflect my observation of this phenomenon.  The book takes familiar words we can all relate to in the human experience, like love, faith, hope, purpose, purity, passion, eternity and many others, words that can often seem too lofty to truly comprehend, and explores them through a lens of wisdom and divine revelation. I’ve been on a journey to discover the real meaning behind them. I wanted to know the real power of love, what does it actually look like, what does it mean to have faith that can move mountains or a hope that sustains us through the most tumultuous of storms? It is written, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." So I did. I asked; what does it mean to find a purpose that I’m willing to die for, and to receive a grace that transforms my heart? And I didn’t stop there. "I’ve dove deep into God’s own heart, fervently desiring a divine perspective on life, so that I might receive a deeper and more fulfilling revelation of the human experience, not just for myself but for every single person that has been entrusted to my influence." But such a request was too weighty to just receive like it was some advice, instead, I found myself walking through the valley of death to learn what it was to live, and losing love to realise how it can break open the heart. I found myself in places where I was afraid beyond my ability to cope alone to really understand what it was to trust. Indeed, these words are imbued with my own personal journey not just as an artist but as a human being experiencing the ups and downs, ebbs and flows of life, which have been shaped by the experiences I’ve had in the wild places, in the broken places, in the outer oceans, and in the depths of my own soul. Everything I heard, felt and received I articulated into an elegant poetic format and pensively married it to a vision of the breaking wave. Now, Living Water book has become a resource that has flowed out of my own heart, as it is promised: “He who believes in me out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Regardless of one's beliefs or background, may this book inspire your heart to be wild, your love to be courageous, and your eyes to be open. There's beauty all around us, and I don't want you to miss it! Life is a journey and equipped with the gifts and passion I have been entrusted with, I invite you to come on this adventure with me to the place where the living water flows."  160 pages of beautiful 157gsm Matte laminate photo paper, containing over 80 images and 60 unique, prayerfully discerned revelatory passages of Thurston's insight, all binded together in a lay-flat format for uninterrupted viewing pleasure. The cover wrap is a silky ocean blue, Matte machine varnished scuff-free laminate, enclosed in an elegant gloss white box with foam inserts protecting the publication in a timeless fashion. It truly makes the perfect gift.

It's a rare thing to have a perfectly smooth ocean in the afternoon, even more rare to have powerful waves consistently rolling in.

If a wave breaks in the middle of the ocean, and no one sees it, does it make it any less beautiful?

I can almost guarantee you've never seen waves like this before! How can I guarantee? Read on..

Some of these dazzling flares will question the law of gravity, at the same time as bringing peace and a strange sense of relief..

Over the last 2 decades of documenting the breaking wave, I've certainly had a few Sessions to remember..

“The main vision for my work has always been to pursue and learn more about the relationship between water and light.”

Whether it’s a rainy, winters day or for whatever reason you’re stuck inside for the day, it’s no reason to not get creative. In fact, I see these days as an opportunity to challenge myself and think...

2020 has been an interesting year to say the least.. I literally caught the last plane outta Sydney and never went back. Those who know me, know the story, and although 2020 had some challenging times, it turned out to be...

Travelling to the Arctic circle in winter, it may seem like madness, but even just the idea of swimming with the king of the sea, was enough to leave behind the warm comforts of summer and set out on a...

Chasing Slabs is a brief insight into the wave photography of Thurston Photo & Matt Blakers. Filmed on location along the remote coastline wilderness of Western Australia...

Creating a photography series on this majestic animal was something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, it’s like swimming alongside a living piece of ancient art...

Chasing Slabs is a brief insight into the wave photography of Thurston Photo & Matt Blakers. Filmed on location along the remote coastline wilderness of Western Australia...

In Dark to White, ocean photographer Philip Thurston provides an insightful story into the increasingly popular shark cage diving experience, and showcases the positives in how education and admiration for...

In this 10 minute mini documentary, Thurston Photo takes you on the experience of a lifetime; swimming with the gentle giants of the sea in the beautiful archipelago's of Vava'u, Tonga...

Heading West has always been an inevitable destination for me as an ocean photographer and when my good mate and fellow photog Matt Blakers presented the opportunity to make it happen I was...

These two brothers have been shooting and surfing together for a lifetime and this series gives an insight into the life behind the images and output of @ThurstonPhoto and @GlenThurston...

I've spent my whole life by the ocean, documenting its peaceful states and it's wild moods. I picked up my first camera over 10 years ago now. A lot has changed since then...

If you love waves, you'll know this is the classic wave that all young ocean lovers aspire to scribble in their school books, it depicts perfection and draws you into its...

It took months of trial and error, checking the surf forecasts, finding the ideal wave and a reckless disregard for on-set safety concerns to produce footage of the first...

Immerse yourself in the journey of The Morning Shift, an enlightening and encouraging documentary that tells the story of the challenges Burg Thurston faced when he had to give up his surfing dream to...