Pete Frieden Surf Photographer

by Indo Surf | Jan 27, 2024 | Indo Surf People

One of Pete Friedens Iconic images Nathan Fletcher "Code Red" swell at Teahupo'o in Tahiti

Pete Frieden is an American surf photographer originally from Florida who now calls Bali home
Pete doesn’t like to talk it up much, he much prefers to let his photography do the talking.
We managed to track him down and get a few words from him about how his career came about and what he’s up to these days.
He moved to Hawaii in the early 90’s, not long after that he was hired as senior photographer for Surfing magazine which was during the last years of shooting film for magazines.

““I first went to Hawaii around 1990. I liked it so much I didn’t want to leave.
It was so different from the rest of America.
For a few years I would spend my winters in Hawaii and summers in California to be close to surf magazines.”

Pete Frieden on the job for Surfing magazine

Most of Pete’s best work was shot on film . . . It was the end of an era that he is grateful to have been a part of . . .

“Shooting film back in the 90’s was the highlight of my career. It was much harder back then, but the money was better.
Then when everything went digital things changed.
That slowly put all the magazines out of business, because everything is on the internet so quickly now “.

Pete Frieden shooting from the water Mick Curley photo

Pete’s job with Surfing magazine back then was to cover the WCT tour and the free surfing going on around the events.
Consequently, he got to work with all the best surfers in the world for a decade or more and covered just about every contest and major session that occurred . . .
Days like the infamous “Code Red” swell at Teahupo’o in Tahiti in 2011 where he captured the iconic image at the top of this page of Nathan Fletcher on a Chopes monster wave.
He now resides in Bali, still shooting freelance work occasionally but mainly just enjoying living in the Island of the Gods.

“In 1994, Surfing Magazine sent me to Indonesia for the first time to cover the G-Land Pro.
I scored my first cover there of Rob Machado and that jump started my career.
I went back to Bali every year and fell in love with the place, hard to explain why.
Now I live in Bali and I don’t have much of a desire to travel the world anymore.
I do like going to Desert Point on Lombok.
My friend has a boat to go there and to shoot from.
That’s the most exciting thing I do now. . .
Going across the Lombok straight, hunting fish on the way, shooting unique photos from the boat, it makes me feel alive.”

These are just a few of the Covers Pete has scored in his career as a professional surf Photographer

At Indo Surf & Lingo we are stoked to be offering 2 of Pete’s most classic, iconic images for sale on canvas or as a high quality photographic print.

You can order them here

Below are the 2 photos with a description from the man himself, Pete Frieden

One of the most published surf photos ever The Golden Indo wave

“The Golden wave shot was captured during a boat trip at Lances Right.
It’s a sunrise photo taken around 6 in the morning, shot on film while I was having coffee, getting ready for the day. . .
There were only a few guys out from the camp.
This is the deep section of the wave called the office. I actually didn’t know I got an epic shot till I saw it on the cover of Surfing mag. because in those days I would send my film back undeveloped.
I’ve had many covers and spreads over the years since then.”

You can order a copy here . . .

Mikala Jones locked in at Apocalypse, West Java
R.I.P

“This shot of Mikala was taken during another boat trip . . .
During a rare back to back swell in 2012 .
The second swell was much bigger , but it was only good for 1 morning , then the wind blew it out for the rest of the trip.
Apocalypse is a very fickle wave needing the right conditions .
In those days it was a mission to get there we had to take an Indo fishing boat .
The wave itself breaks in the most beautiful bay , but it has a gnarly inside section that the guys usually avoid .
Mikala was there every time I went , he had the place wired .
In the years that followed he got more into GoPro angles ,and got some of the most amazing images there . He was a good friend and will be dearly missed .“

You can order a copy here . . .