The sea has always offered up a rich palette to artists, and from Jonah to Captain Ahab, it seldom disappoints when there’s a story to be told. But capturing the totality of its immensity and its beauty has never been easy—even with a tool as telling as a camera. It may be impossible to truly do it justice, although if there’s a photographer who comes close, it’s Dylan Gordon. An alum of both the Brooks Institute of Photography and the competitive downhill skateboarding circuit, he has a unique insight into the myriad ways in which human movement can interact with elemental forces. And as a native of California’s Central Coast, he has an intuitive understanding of how the region’s jaw-dropping landscapes can readily accommodate such things.

But while some of his most acclaimed work may deal with surfboards and sunlit seas, his portfolio includes images of landscapes, portraits of people, and scenes of interaction that are just as artful, and equally compelling. His studies on motorcycles evoke everything of the experience save the smell of motor oil, and his journalistic approach to skateboarding manages to communicate both the passion and the culture of a sport that he knows all too well. Regardless of the subject, however, there are certain threads that dependably reoccur. And across the board, there is a common quality that defines Dylan’s work: a focus on the joy of movement, and a quiet hunger for the light.

Click here to see more of Dylan Gordon’s photography.