SEAN TINER

(US Open of Surfing (C) Tiner ) (Carissa Moore, US Open of Surfing (C) Tiner ) (US Open of Surfing (C) Tiner ) (US Open of Surfing (C) Tiner ) (Kelly Slater, US Open of Surfing (C) Tiner ) (Kelly Slater, US Open of Surfing (C) Tiner ) (US Open of Surfing (C) Tiner )

(Fall Leaves (C) Tiner)

(John Wooden by Tiner ) Happy 99th Birthday to John Wooden!

(Alexa's current ranking of this blog) " I am a deeply superficial person. " -Andy Warhol Thank You! I'm excited that this blog's ranking continues to increase. I look forward to sharing more. Cheers.

(Agyness Deyn, portrait by Tiner).

(Valentina Zeliaeva, stylized portrait by Tiner).

(Sasha Pivorova, stylized portrait by Tiner).

A special thank you to Playboy's art department for the compliment regarding my portrait series . I appreciate the kudos. Cheers.

(Anne Vyalitsyna, stylized portrait by Tiner).

(Sea Turtle (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) (Kona (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) (KA (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) (Hilo (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) (KA (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) (Behind the Barrell (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) From swimming with sea turtles to an emergency room visit for a surfing accident that involved 30 stitches, my recent trip to Hawaii ...was to say the least a memorable one. I enjoyed documenting life on the island and being able to see the terrain from below and above. I look forward to sharing more pictures and stories with you in the entries ahead.

(Hugh Hefner, Stylized Portrait by Tiner). From establishing The Playboy franchise in 1953 with $8,000 to dating The Girls Next Door , Hugh Hefner has remained true to this heart. Hefner's entrepreneurial spirit remains a strong presence in our society and he continually encourages others to pay it forward . For example, he continually donates to the University of Southern California with his most recent 2 million dollar donation going towards the school's new headquarter complex. Additionally, Hefner annually awards The Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Awards "to honor individuals who have made significant contributions in the vital effort to protect and enhance First Amendment rights for Americans." Kudos to Hefner for following his heart and inspiring others to follow their passions.

Next week, I'm meeting with Perez Hilton to present his portrait and also for a brief informational interview for input on my master's thesis. I'm also excited to announce that on Saturday, July 12, I will be making another guest appearance on Soul Cole's 's 89.7 FM (Hollywood, CA) radio show. I really enjoyed my time on the show last month and look forward to July's show.

("Dr. Drew" (Dave Pinksy), Stylized Portrait by Tiner). From being the father of triplets to hosting the nationally syndicated radio talk show, Loveline , to staring in his own reality television show, Dave Pinsky aka "Dr. Drew" is a modern day renaissance man . Dr. Drew's candid remarks, diverse interests and comprehensive knowledge on a variety of topics, allow his advice to be constantly pursued by Generation-Y . I wish this fellow Trojan the best.

(Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008), Stylized Portrait by Tiner). From being the first designer to use African American models on the catwalk to revolutionizing the fashion world for decades, Yves Saint Laurent was a contemporary renaissance man . Laurent leaves behind a legacy of quality, innovative and prestigious couture designs. Moving beyond the runway, Laurent's ability to follow his passion will remain a strong influence for designers, entrepreneurs and individuals. My thoughts go out to Laurent's family and friends.

With the price of gas continually escalating and a change in general management at South Bay Toyota, The 2009 South Bay Toyota Calendar featuring my images of Southern California has been postponed indefinitely. I wish South Bay Toyota the best as they move forward.

(Oprah Winfrey, Stylized Portrait by Tiner). With a focus on literature, self-improvement, and spirituality, Oprah Winfrey continues to positively influence millions worldwide. When competing television talk shows were concentrating on celebrity gossip in the 1990s, Oprah focused on providing quality insight to global, political and domestic issues. Her focus has paid huge dividends, as she continues to remain the queen of daytime talk shows.

(June 2008, Huntington Beach, CA (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) (June 2008, Santa Monica, CA (C) Tiner /Epic Arts LLC) Enjoy this month's desktops that feature iconic coastal landmarks.

(Julia Stenger, Stylized Portrait by Tiner). From encouraging others to "Go Green" by frequently riding a bicycle to work to modeling for Ralph Lauren, Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, Julia Stenger's career is continually cycling to new frontiers. I enjoyed creating Stenger's stylized portrait that conveys three different sides of her vibrant personality. I wish her the best with her endeavors.

(Angelina Jolie, Stylized Portrait by Tiner). "I don't believe in guilt, I believe in living on impulse as long as you never intentionally hurt another person, and don't judge people in your life. I think you should live completely free." -Angelina Jolie, quote From promoting humanitarian causes throughout the world, adopting children to staring in blockbuster films, Angelina Jolie is inspiring the next generation to pay it forward and follow their dreams. I wish her the best as she moves forward with her career.

From winning the prestigious Mavericks Big Wave Surfing Contest at the age of 20 to constantly pursuing bigger waves, Anthony Tashnick is catching epic swells. After spending time with Tashnick in Northern California and Pipeline , I enjoyed his courageous and lowkey mentality. From a young gun perspective, it's fun to watch how his talent is appreciated by big wave surfing legends, including Pete Mel and Tom Carroll . I wish Tashnick the best and hope to see him compete this year at The Malibu Invitation . (Anthony Tashnick (C) Tiner ) (Anthony Tashnick joking around with Mo Daddy (C) Tiner ) (Anthony Tashnick & Big Wave Legends (C) Tiner )