Moonshiner: Georgia Hanson
We had the pleasure of catching up with Georgia Hanson in her Cottesloe home where we delved into her connection with Moonshine, surfing experiences, exploring the depths of her passions and the magic she creates through her lens.Georgia, whose roots are entwined with surfing and the wild South West, epitomises the spirit of a Moonshiner. From her childhood days in Margaret River to her studies and artistic ventures in Fremantle, she's not just a surfer; she's a storyteller, a photographer, and a soul deeply connected to the ocean.
Georgia's journey with Moonshine is intertwined. From those early days, supporting Jack as a friend during his backyard shaping endeavours, to becoming an integral part of Moonshine’s globetrotting surf adventures. She's been both a Moonshine surfer and the chronicler of their escapades, capturing the essence of their journeys in her beautiful imagery. When she steps away from the camera, Georgia shares her wealth of watermanship wisdom and ocean safety expertise at One Ocean, further cementing her legacy as a vital contributor to the surfing community.
Georgia rides a 9'5 Moonshine Stringerless Series I
How did you first become affiliated with Moonshine, are there any classic tales from the early days?
Jack has been a good friend for a long time now and I have been privileged enough to watch his shaping career evolve from the early days to the incredible level it is at today. We were very lucky (and still are) to have an unreal crew of friends to travel around doing comps and surf trips with and it has been pretty special to watch and be involved with how the board designs have developed over this time. Jack will always have something new and spicy that he and Evan have worked on to be tried out on the trips; some good ol’ fashioned R&D.
I used to shoot a lot of our good friend Pete Dwyer’s amazing shaping back in the day, so it was a very natural progression onto shooting Moonshine, as Pete was instrumental in helping Jack and Moonshine during the inception phase. Plenty of classic tales, but I probably can’t share a lot of them here aha. We’ve definitely squeezed the life out of every surf trip we’ve ever done; Indo, the East-Coast, all over our incredible coastline in WA, and we seem to have developed a certain affinity for the surf, landscapes, people and parties in NZ. Can’t wait for many more!
What is your approach to surf photography? How does your history in the surfing world inform the work you create?
My approach is very mixed, that’s for sure! I’m in a constant internal battle of whether or not to commit to shooting and filming when a lot of the time I just want to be surfing myself, but it always pays off to put in the hours behind the lens.
I was very fortunate to have grown up on the coast in the Margaret River area, from Cowaramup down to Boranup. Coming from a very water-based family meant we were in the ocean from the get-go. I was pretty tragically obsessed with surfing from a very young age hah. My uncle and aunty were competitive surfers for a long time, starting the Yallingup Surf School in the early 2000’s which meant we had no shortage of boards or means. Growing up in this environment definitely fuelled my appetite for wanting to wrangle a life of both business and leisure in the surf industry. My folks were fantastic in helping me to get my hands on little waterproof cameras and such from Primary School onwards which has always been my favourite medium to document, appreciate and question surfing and everything that comes with its multifaceted and ever evolving span.
I think that I approach my surf photography in the same way that I like to approach all of my creative work, gravitating towards mixed approaches of framing, light, and distortion; blurring the lines of genres, techniques and styles of photography. Things are never one-dimensional and it always pays to scratch beneath the surface with your work and not tire yourself and others with the exact same s*** they see online every day (yet another reason why I love Moonshine; a fresh and original approach to an old art form).
Yes I am! Mainly because I love it haha. It’s responsive, has a nice amount of flex throughout which makes me feel a bit more comfy taking it out in bigger conditions, and it drives through sections very nicely! I had been riding some reasonably knifey pintail style logs before I got on the Stringerless and it felt good to mix it up with a log that has more of a square-tail and a slightly more defined nose concave. It’s a mean design!
Between teaching ocean awareness and safety, managing your photography business and working at Fremantle’s iconic Three Stories Surf Shop, how do you balance your various roles and find harmony between work and passion?
Hahah, short answer; not well nor with ease. But! I am working on really trying to find that harmony and balance because burnout is real and I’ve been down that road a few times now. The main thing that helps the crazy schedule is simply loving the work that I do and reminding myself that it’s my choice to have so much on the go. It keeps it interesting and each role informs the other; the One Ocean work keeps me very honest, pushes me and keeps me physically and mentally fit, largely through always working on managing stress and stressful situations in and out of the water. This flows into keeping me in check if I’m shooting in the water or meeting a tight deadline, as well as staying on top of everything that comes with managing a super busy surf shop. It’s very much a work in progress!
Surfing and photography are both forms of art. How does your surfing experience influence your photography, and vice versa?
Great question. I think with both photography and surfing, I am always looking to get off the beaten track. Finding new waves, drawing new lines, experimenting with framing, composition, light, blurring lines, it all moulds into one and I’m particularly taken by creating new with old. Gleaning aspects of old techniques, styles and ideas, then using them to inform and change up with what I’m trying with both my creative work and my surfing.
Teaching water safety at One Ocean must provide unique insights into the ocean, particularly when it comes to surfing. What's the most valuable lesson you've learned from your interactions with the sea?
It certainly does. To stay humble and in tune with whatever environment you’re in. The ocean (and other life factors outside of the water) will always put you in your place if you approach it with any ego or stubbornness. Without sounding too preach-y, that’s been the most valuable lesson that I’ve learned and continue to learn.
Lastly, what's on the horizon for you? Any upcoming projects, surf destinations, or creative endeavours that you're particularly excited about?
Quite a bit this year actually! My partner Mark and I are about to head off to the Philippines for the Single & Unattached contest, then we’re going to do a bit of a Noosa-Maldives-NZ-Indo mission and hopefully not be completely penniless when we return! I’ll be shooting a bit while we’re away which I’m really excited about. And then I always have a few little creative projects on the go that I need to put way more time into. Still plenty more juice left in the lemon!
If you are interested in workshops with One Ocean visit this link here
Photography by @peggyvoir
Surf photography by @joshevans6161