Defining moments caught on camera

Widely respected snow and surf photographer Tony ‘Harro’ Harrington will be sharing some amazing snippets from his life behind the lens in Torquay next month.

The Australian extreme sports documenter will be releasing his new book Defining Moments at XTM in Torquay on October 2.

 

Defining Moments is a 1,352-page coffee table book containing 25 chapters of stories of surf and snow from around the world.

The book is a product of the pandemic, a time where Harrington could no longer travel and had to put the passport away after 40 years of adventuring.

 

Starting with a two-week hotel quarantine, he organised and reviewed his life’s work, delving into thousands of digital images and boxes of slides.

He said the book got its name very easily, with the title referencing the many photographs, and the stories behind them, that have shaped his life in various ways.

“It probably would not have happened if it wasn’t for the lockdown. Once I got over the stress of having my world shrink and everything grind to a halt, I realised it was my chance to finally dive into my archives and pull together a book.

 

“The book is all about the incredible fraction of a second that makes a great photo and also the highs and lows that happen around that brief moment caught by my lens.

“I am proud of every image in there and figured if I was going to do it, I wanted to make it the best I could.”

He said life behind the lens had come with its hardships, and choosing a lifestyle contrary to what society deems as normal had been, at times, very difficult.

 

“It’s an emotional roller coaster that promises euphoric highs that come with some crushing lows,” he said.

“For me, it’s the constant search for a balance that I find between the ocean and the mountains that gives my life meaning.

“Then occasionally there are brief moments when I feel like I grasp that magic. That’s what these photographs are. That fraction of a second when the whole journey crystallises into a defining moment.”

To order the book, or to find out more, head to harroart.com