SEAN TINER

From the Virgin Islands to North Carolina, yesterday the phone lines were jammed as fans called into Soul Cole's weekly 89.7 KLAS FM show. Not only did Soul Cole highlight the first half of 2008, but the show featured several surprises, including a phone call from King James announcing his new record deal. I enjoyed discussing the surf board I created with Michael Baron for this month's US Open of Surfing (July 24-27, Huntington Beach, CA) and the inspiration behind my portrait series.

(Danny Fuller & Tori Praver, Stylized Portrait by Tiner). From competing in the Pipeline Masters to Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues , Danny Fuller and Tori Praver are momentously raising the bar for aspiring athletes and models. Fuller launched into surf stardom, when he advanced to the semis of the Pipeline Masters in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing at 19. In addition to his many sponsors, including Quiksilver , Fuller is sponsored by Michael Baron , who I am collaborating with on my surfboards . Additionally, his girlfriend Tori Praver has notably appeared in the last two Sports Illustrated Issues and continues to work for prominent clients as a Ford Model. I really enjoyed reflecting the energetic and vibrant personalities of this Hawaiian couple in their stylized portrait . I used various surf images that I photographed of Fuller at Pipeline, Oahu for the background to convey their native roots.