Meet Joseph Duerr

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joseph Duerr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joseph, why did you pursue a creative career?
I pursued a creative career because I wanted to be heard and seen artistically. I feel like what I see, especially in the water, is different then most people’s perspectives, and overall see the ocean as a place of creative expression. My creative career has also allowed me to travel to some of the most exotic places in the world, it always feels a lot better in the bank account when you come home from a trip with more money than you left with.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The reason I didn’t put artist/creative as my career is because I consider myself a professional waterman before being an artist, I use my years of experience as a lifeguard and surfer as the main way to create the art I like to make. Although around the world there are a fair amount of highly skilled water cinematographers, my ability to surf/photograph the same waves professional surfers can surf is what makes me different, also being from Los Angeles, and having an interest in and involvement with commercial work/film outside of the water is what I feel sets me apart from the rest.

I got to where I am today because of my dad who taught me how to surf at a very young age. I started boogie boarding when I was six years old, then transitioned to being a surfer when I was 10. I grew up surfing Venice and tried competing against kids my age like Griffin Colapinto and Kanoa Igarashi but in reality, Los Angeles had only so many good waves for me to improve my surfing with that I never really excelled fast enough. It wasn’t until I moved to Santa Cruz for college that I saw improvements in my surfing. From there, I started to surf bigger waves and eventually took my surfing to Mavericks and Ocean Beach.

Creatively I started in Santa Cruz where I produced my first magazine which I called Days To Remember, I only ran one issue but sold over 100 copies, and after that COVID hit.

After college, all I wanted to do was surf, so I ended up moving to Hawaii after surfing the historic winter of 2020-2021. I was mindlessly charging surf and brought it over with me to Hawaii where I ended up living for over a year and a half as a lifeguard mostly on the south shore, but was able to work most of the entire island of Oahu during my year I spent lifeguard full-time there.

During my time in Hawaii I hit some of my lowest lows mentally and eventually burned out on lifeguarding altogether. I ended up moving back home to Los Angeles and began using a camera.

From there I started going on surf trips like I usually would, except this time I wouldn’t bring boards, I’d just bring my camera and a water housing. After that first summer I created my first water reel and the rest is history.

It has not been easy and it continues to be an uphill battle always. I’ve almost lost my life in the water multiple times, I’ve had two wave hold downs, broken cameras, I’ve had to swim in with my camera in extremely treacherous surf onto boulders, I’ve gotten extremely sick from long days at sea. I’ve overcome these challenges by having respect for the ocean, knowing of the consequences, and by having people around me that support me when I do what I do.

One lesson I’ve learned is respect is everything. It’s always better to keep your mouth shut if you have nothing good to say, and it’s best to just listen more than it is to talk. I see myself improving with showing respect as I gain more experience and get older. Besides how anyone else sees me, the most important lesson I’ve learned is to respect myself and do always what’s best for me. Without that, I burn out super easily.

As for me and what I want the world to know, I think my work will speak for itself as I continue to venture on in my journey creatively. As a creative, I am not where I want to be professionally yet but look forward to continuously learning for the rest of my life. Learning is the most motivating factor for doing what I do now.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If there were waves, I’d take them to Venice or Malibu, hopefully, the sand bars are fun, if not maybe a beach day in Malibu. El Chucho the bar is right by my house is always a good time. I’m pretty locked down to just hanging out in Venice for the most part.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shout out Michael Bain, the first person to let me use an actual camera in a water housing, as well as all the directors who have helped me in my career such as Ramon Goní, Layne Stratton, and Bo Bridges. I see all these people as mentors who have helped guide me in my creative journey.

I’d also like to thank Shota Gutierrez, he is the reason I became a lifeguard and all my friends and family that motivate me to get outside, with or without my camera, and be active.

Website: duerrdotmedia@gmail.com

Instagram: duerrdot

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joeduerr9279 

Image Credits
Shooting a film with director Ramon Goni Photo: Ethan Duffy Shooting in Chile Surfing todos santos Mexico Photo: Sean Bobinski Swimming and shooting at Nazare Photos: Tim Bonython Lifeguarding la county Photo: Wadley Wadley Shooting and linking up with Koa Smith in hawaii Photo: Pat Komick Surfing in Fiji Photo: Ramon Goní