Clear the mind and find your wave.
In June of 2021, while shooting a vow renewal on Cox Bay Beach in Tofino, I was utterly consumed by the beauty of the Pacific. The next day, though I barely knew how to swim, I decided to try surfing. I allowed the fear to be an engine, not a cage. I took precautions, but held no foolish expectations; only a reverent intention to meet the ocean on its own terms.
As I moved deeper, board by my side, I began to feel the ocean's powerful, humbling tug-of-war. The strength of those waves against my small frame was a stark reminder of my own insignificance—I could be wrecked in a matter of seconds. But with honour, patience, and a deep breath, we flowed together. My legs fought the density, then surrendered, allowing the wave to lift me gently before placing me back down.
Once I reached the deep, I paused, watching for that perfect moment: the rhythmic, swelling breath of the ocean that was meant for me. When that magnificent energy rushed forward, the connection was instant. To arrive on top of a wave and begin to move is to experience wholeness, oneness, and an amplified connection to the energy of everything. For those powerful, fleeting seconds, you and Mother Nature are gloriously interconnected.
Trust me, as a newbie, the ocean is a demanding teacher. I got rocked—HARD, multiple times. But that profound sense of something greater and more expansive kept drawing me back, craving this amazing new dimension of being, until my body was spent. I hauled my board ashore, sat against a log, and let the sun soak in. The sights, sounds, and energy of the crowds faded into the vast resonance of the land—what I call: Earth's Magnificent Hum.
Months later, bundled up on a stormy Pacific Northwest day, I was daydreaming of Tofino storm-watching. I yearned to experience and capture that powerful essence: the ocean roaring against the shore, the mist whispering above the heave of the swell, and the humbling feeling of my smallness against Nature's grandeur.
I began searching for an image—a visual that would bypass the brain and hit me directly in the depths of my soul. I am a dreamer, a deep feeler, and passionately spiritual; I had a sensation in my being that I was seeking. I scrolled for hours through beautiful work, but nothing possessed the energy I craved.
Then, my search came to a screeching halt.
My jaw dropped, my senses came alive, and tears began to trickle down my cheeks. The image stirred something that had been dormant for a very long time. It radiated the Magnificent Hum: The breath of the Earth - expanding and contracting, the breeze whispering like the tenderness of love through your hair, the pulse of the throbbing heartbeat of trees, the fiery comfort of the sun, the vast life-force energy of the stars, and the dynamic, meditative vibration of the water.
I wasn't just visually consuming the image; I was fully sensory immersed. I could hear the waves communicate, smell the crisp air, and feel the raw energy of the Earth connecting with the human who captured her beauty. This was the same level of profound sensory connection I only usually feel when alone in nature.
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I had to find the source of this power. I quickly found the artist: Ryan R. Olson (Olrightryan). The first image at the top of his feed was a surfer riding a wave at Cox Bay Beach, Tofino. The caption read: "clear the mind and find your wave."
My breath completely seized. I realized I was holding it. I was transfixed. In that moment, I realized I had found a creative kindred spirit. The more I explored his stunning work, the more I understood that this person was breathing with the ineffable brilliance and mystery of the Earth, grasping the energy of its elements in a way few others can.
Ryan is not just a photographer; he is a translator of the elemental soul of nature, and the Pacific Northwest. His work possesses a rare, almost intangible quality that speaks to the spirit before the eye. The use of light, shadow, and long exposure isn't mere technique—it feels like a ceremonial acknowledgment of the Earth's presence.
To see his portfolio is to understand that he has dedicated his art to documenting the places where the human heart and the untamed world collide. He doesn't just take a picture; he feels it, and in doing so, he offers a powerful invitation for the viewer to feel it, too. I will forever be searching to create this level of profoundness in my own work. I am in absolute awe.
It is a true gift to find a fellow artist whose work feels like a mirror reflecting your deepest creative aspirations. To Ryan R. Olson, thank you for capturing the soul of the PNW and for reigniting that core passion within my own work. Your dedication to intentional, powerful, and deeply felt images has been a significant catalyst for my return to the Magnificent Hum. If you seek to feel the raw, elemental beauty of the coast, as well as the majestic mountains please go explore his work and connect with the profound stillness and power he captures.
~ Anne-Marie
All images in this post copyright Ryan R. Olson (Olrightryan)
Links for Ryan's breathtaking work below :)
