This month O’Neill team rider Charlotte van Berkum released a mini-docu series called, ‘Through my Eyes’, where she takes the viewers on a beautiful audiovisual journey to the SouthWest of Portugal, the Azores and to the island of Madeira. Let’s take a look.
Charlotte, what was the inspiration behind the ’Through My Eyes’ series?
We wanted to create a different kind of surf video. More like going on a trip somewhere and live the full experience of each place. Because when surfing we go to some awesome places immersed in nature and it is a waste to not fully experience each place as it is! We also didnt want do make it the regular documentary style. We wanted to leave the viewers the deep thoughts and effects each place leaves us, together with the visual impact of where we travel through, which would naturally evoke dreams of travel and life experience.
Can you explain the unique surfing experience each of these locations offers?
Each place is very different. Sagres has so much variety, one day you are surfing mellow waves, the other day wedgy waves, then point breaks, then a little beach break somewhere raw and wild… Sagres is never boring! Açores is more adventurous, to get to the good waves you go through the hike down the green and fertile hills, you might get in and its offshore and perfect and suddenly it changes to rainy and stormy, that is Açores! Madeira is a challenge, waves are bigger, always close to the rocks, but the waves are just so perfect you just go! But it is a different kind of surfing, you gotta wait patiently and time it right, you cant just be paddling around as if its a normal beach break. I love it!
What were the memorable moments making this series?
The best was always getting to the places. You have so many ideas run through your mind of what you want to do before, but then when you are there all just flows the way it does and always has something you see while you are heading somewhere.
What do you hope surfers watching your films will take away from the series?
I hope a surf trip can be more than a surf trip, and make them live the places for more than just waves. And to go somewhere without much of a plan and just see where it takes you.
Photos by Olaf Crato
