A-frame

Aaberg, Denny

Aaberg, Kemp

Abberton, Koby

Abbruzzi, Sid

Abellira, Reno

Abubo, Megan

academia and surfing

Adler, Tom

advertising and surfing

Aeder, Erik

aerial

Aguerre, Fernando

Aichner, Scott

Aikau, Clyde

Aikau, Eddie

Aipa, Ben

air-drop

airbrush

Airshow

Ala Moana

Alabama

alaia board

Alaska

alcohol and surfing

Alexander, Kala

Alexandre, João (Dapin)

Allen, Chuck

Alms, Paige

aloha shirt

Alter, Hobie

Alvarez, Pepe

Ancell, Kevin

Andaman Islands

Andersen, Lisa

Anderson, Craig

Anderson, Simon

Andino, Kolohe

Angel, Jose

angle

Angola

Angourie

Antarctica

Apocalypse Now

Arabian Sea

Aragon, Janice

Arakawa, Eric

Archbold, Matt

Arena, Eduardo

Ashton, Juan

Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP)

Atlantic Ocean

August, Robert

Aurness, Rolf

Auster, Ken

Australia

Avalon, Frankie

Azores

backdoor

backside

backside attack, Pipeline

backwash

bail out

Bain, Rob

Baja California

Baker, Bernie

Baker, Grant “Twiggy”

Baker, Tim

Bali

Ball, John “Doc”

Ballard, Bill

Ballard, Rochelle

balsa

Baltic Sea

Banks, Jim

Barbados

Barilotti, Steve

Barland, Michel

Barreda, Sergio “Gordo”

Barry, Michael

Bartholomew, Wayne

Baxter, Jackie

Bay of Bengal

Beach Boys, The

Beacham, Debbie

beachboys

beachbreak

Beachcomber Bills Grand Prix

Beachley, Layne

beavertail

Becker, Phil

Bedford-Brown, Stuart

Belgium

Bells Beach

Bendall, Ma and Pa

Bennett, Barry

Benson, Becky

Benson, Blanche

Benson, Linda

Bermuda

Versatile filmmaker and artist, best known to surfers for his soulful, well-produced films, including 

 (2009). Quiet, trend-setting, and ineffably cool, Campbell “looks like a cross between 

-era Billy Bob Thornton and Morrissey from the Smiths,” according to surf writer Scott Hulet.

Campbell was born (1969) in Dana Point, California, began skateboarding at age five, surfing at 10, and shooting photographs at 11. Six years later his photos were being published in skate magazines, and over the next 11 years Campbell contributed to 

, among other titles. From 1997 to 1999, while living in Manhattan, New York, he was the photo editor at 

. During that time, Campbell produced his first movie, a 17-minute black-and-white skate short filmed in New York City and set to John Coltrane’s "A Love Supreme."

After Campbell moved back to California (First Leucadia, then Santa Cruz), longboard revivalist Joel Tudor helped convince him to make a movie focusing on the retro movement taking shape along the West Coast, and in 1999 Campbell released 

, a beautifully-composed work shot entirely on 16mm film. In a praiseful review, 

 was a nod to surf filmmaking legend Bruce Brown," and that it reminded its audience "that surfing, above all else, is fun."

, an equally stylish film that brought together surfers as diverse as alt-culture hero and aerial wizard Ozzie Wright and bodysurfing stalwart Mark Cunningham. 2009‘s 

 continued in the same eclectic vein. The well-curated soundtracks for all three films featured jazz, folk, and beach pop.

Campbell has also found success as a studio artist, with paintings and installation pieces shown in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Sydney, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, and Paris. In 2011, Campbell founded Um Yeah Arts, a multi-platform production company for books, film, and music. From 1993 to 2014 he was creative director and co-owner of Galaxia Records in Santa Cruz.

Slide Your Brains Out: Surfing in General 1997-2012

, a collection of Campbell's photography, was published in 2013. 

Seeing Fatima's Eyes: Surf, Life, Stuff, Morocco, North Africa

, followed in 2015. Campbell was featured in 

, a 2008 documentary about American DIY artists.

 (2009) a well-received all-woman surf movie.

Campbell, Thomas

Subscribe or Login

Encyclopedia of Surfing

History of Surfing

Interviews

Videos

Encyclopedia of Surfing

History of Surfing

Interviews

Videos