The Latest Episode Drop Is Here
There are people who chase waves, and then there are people who build their whole life around listening to the ocean. Todd Glaser has always been the latter. In Episode 17 of Cold Beer Surf Club, Todd sits down with longtime friend Conner Coffin for a conversation that feels like paddling out at golden hour. Easy, nostalgic, and full of moments that catch you off guard with their depth.
Crack a cold one and watch the episode below.
From San Diego Grom to Master of the Lens
Before Todd was traveling the world with Kelly Slater, before the magazine covers and the dream assignments, he was a San Diego grom learning photography through bodyboarding and old-school film. No LCD screens, no safety nets. Just instinct, timing, and a willingness to swim straight into the heaviest lineups with nothing but a camera.
Those early years shaped everything about his approach: keep it simple, stay curious, and move with the ocean rather than trying to control it.
Years on Tour, Lifelong Friendships, and Iconic Moments
Todd and Conner dive into his rise from surf-shop kid to Brooks Institute standout to traveling full-time with Kelly Slater for over 15 years. They revisit the image that earned Todd his first magazine cover, the trips that shaped his career, and the quiet trust between surfer and shooter that turned into deep friendship, and eventually a new book documenting their journey.
They also rewind to traveling with Jack Johnson, the pure magic behind September Sessions and Thicker Than Water, and the early assignments that defined a golden era of surf storytelling.
Parenthood and the New Rhythm of Life
But the biggest shift? Becoming a dad. Todd opens up about slowing down, savoring moments, and finding a fresh kind of creativity in the chaos of parenthood. “Dads on Tour” takes on a whole new meaning when you’re balancing camera gear with baby gear, and Todd shares how this new chapter has reshaped the way he shoots, surfs, and moves through the world.
It’s a heartfelt conversation about waves, work, friendship, and family, and all the good stuff that happens in between.
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