Donald James

Doctor Donald (Don) James, who died on 24 December 1996, was a pioneer of early surfing in California before the Second World War and a surf photographer. He began surf photography while still in high school, taking pictures of friends such as Ed Faron, the Quigg brothers and Bud Rice, and his work later appeared on many surf magazine covers of the 1960s and in commercials and posters, earning him the description of the premier photographer of surfing. The early 1990s revival of longboard surfing brought a 1992 video, Dr. Don James presents Surfing in the 1930s, which premiered his pre-war colour footage. His books include Prewar Surfing Photographs and Surfing San Onofre to Point Dume: 1936-1942.