Date of Birth: 9th December, 1978

Best Known For: Scaring us

Local Spot: Macs Point, Sydney, Australia

My Crew: Matt Wilkinson, Andrew Mooney, Adrian Buchan

Board of Choice: 6'0" with a solid glass job for endurance? 

Dream Wave: If Honky Tonks in the Maldives had a slab at the start, it would be amazing?

When Flame succumbed to a brain tumor in October 2005, his friends and loved ones decided to keep this legacy alive by creating the Follow The Light Foundation. Now in its fourth year, Follow The Light awards a $5,000 grant to a deserving, up-and-coming photographer. In years past it's gone to names like Chris Burkard and Todd Glaser, two of the most respected young lensmen in the field right now.

This past Thursday at the Surfing Heritage Foundation in San Clemente, we honored the fourth recipient of the Follow The Light Foundation grant. All five finalists had incredible portfolios and were deserving in their own right: Patrick Ruddy and his ability to make the East Coast look world class; Myles McGuinness and his striking lineups, Brian Nevins' mastery of the mood photo; Karl Steindler's frames of fun.

But when master photographer Aaron Chang opened the envelope, it was former coal miner (yes, coal miner) Ray Collins, whose incredible water imagery blew away the judging panel. Collins, who lives on the South Coast of New South Wales in Australia, is getting plenty of experience in the wide-open slabs around his home. But it's his command of light, his variety and his pure passion for chasing that "perfect image" that will propel this photographer for many years to come. "Whether it’s a shot of a candid line-up, a pulled back water shot of an empty, distant peak or a wide-angle liquid explosion detonating into the reef a few feet away," says Collins. "I believe that part of me is woven through each photo."

Collins plans on using the grant to enroll at the Institute of Photography. "I feel that studying the craft will take me to the next level," he says. "The best things haven't been shown yet."

Spoken like a true student of Flame.

For more, go to www.followthelightfoundation.org.

Yo!

Had fun surf in Spain but it was pretty small. Was just good to get a wave, been flat mostly, did heaps sight-seeing with the gf. I'm giong to surf the river in Munich in a couple days, frothing.

I have attached a few pics to check out...

Ray collins nailed this one for ASL, lurking with the long lense in wollongong.

New computer for me, which is exciting, old one died. Thats why posts have been slow of recent, so much has happened.

Back in cali for the Hurley US open was pretty amazing, got to jump off the pier and whip into a couple waves and watch the comp, drive the skis then hit vegas.

Wilko and I hanging with the euro boys in vegas, Marlon, Melvin, Alan.

Talk soon, Dom.

Fun times in PE! So many good waves in Mexico it was amazing. When it's small there's sick air waves and when it's big the barrels are round.

Fun times in Mexico, so many fun waves and parties every night if you want! We had a sick hotel called Hotel Ines with pool overlooking the beach! Can't wait to go back. In Cali for a week now hanging out with Pat O and the Hurley crew. -- Dom

Riding stationary waves would have to be one of my favourite pastimes. We came so close a couple days ago when the tractor dug it out but it didn't happen due to the big surf and massive high tides. After an hour of being dug out, it started to come back in!

Here a couple pics from Ace's house in Avoca of the tractor digging it out.

and here is video from a few years back of how it should have looked!

Dom surf lake opening from Damien Wills on Vimeo.