Behind The Lens
We handed Central Coast photographer Dylan Gordon a ticket to BreakaWave and told him to capture it his way. No brief, no shot list — just him, his cameras, and a rodeo happening a few feet from the Pacific.
What came back wasn’t just a gallery. It was a story about community, and the rare moments where California’s surf and cowboy cultures collide.
Meet Dylan Gordon
“I’m Dylan Gordon — born and raised on the Central Coast of California, in San Luis Obispo to be exact. I’m a photographer by trade, mostly working in the outdoor industry documenting, storytelling, and celebrating people and things I personally do or admire.”
If you’ve ever seen his work, you know Dylan’s eye is rooted in real life. He’s chased light across oceans, dirt roads, and high desert — always with a quiet respect for the people and places that make California what it is.
Where Surf Meets Saddle
Dylan’s story starts on a ranch just outside San Luis and winds down to Ventura, where he studied photojournalism and began shaping his craft.
“I started in the surf industry, then expanded into everything else I enjoy — ranching, music, arts, moto, skate, climbing, travel, culture… I’m extremely grateful I still get to do what I love and document the worlds around them.”
That blend of ocean and open range made BreakaWave feel familiar — like two sides of home meeting in the sand.
Capturing A Rodeo On The Beach
“Rodeo culture is already hard enough to put on in California, let alone doing it on a state beach,” Dylan said. “Kudos to everyone involved. The Brocs were top notch and the roping was killer.”
Through his lens, it wasn’t just about the rides. It was about the people — friends, families, and riders showing up for each other. “The core of rodeo is community,” he said. “To see folks from near and far competing, that’s what it’s all about.”
Through The Lens
“I’m always baffled by how many hands it takes to pull these things off,” Dylan said. “Pickup riders, ground crew, the folks in the chutes — they crushed it. But through the lens… hard to look away from a good bronc ride.”
That’s the kind of line you’d expect from Dylan — the kind that says more in a few words than most could in a book.
A Different Kind Of Crowd
“One of my favorite things about rodeos is the community. You might be competing against each other, but you’re still there for each other. It was fun being in the chutes with the riders — you heard nothing but support before a nod or buzzer. You don’t get that in many competitive events.”
BreakaWave might not be the biggest rodeo, but the heart behind it was undeniable. “Everyone was business as usual with money on the line, but at the end of the day, everyone was there to support each other — and that’s what’ll keep this lifestyle alive.”
Surfers, Cowboys, And Shared Ground
Dylan found himself in familiar territory — and surrounded by familiar faces. “I was grateful to see old family friends in the stands, make some new ones, and bring up a few close friends who’ve never seen broncs ride in front of guys punting airs in the water just a few feet behind. That doesn’t happen anywhere else.”
It’s hard to put words to what that mix of energy feels like — but his photos do the talking.
Shooting the Action
“I don’t typically shoot events or rodeos, but this one was awesome,” Dylan said. “It was fun shooting alongside folks like Colt Oder, Colin Nearman, and Cal Poly’s Jessica Ray. Everyone had their own perspective.”
And while Dylan’s usually behind the lens of quieter scenes — ranch work, long drives, or solo surf checks — this time, the action took over. “It was really fun to shoot professional riders in their element. I’ve done that in other sports, but gosh, I had a good time hanging in the chutes or laying in the dirt waiting to get a hoof to the head.”
Back Where It All Began
“The ranch I grew up on is only a few miles up the road, and the waves I grew up surfing with my pops are on that same stretch of beach,” Dylan said. “To combine the two was pretty amazing to witness.”
It’s that overlap — the shared space between land and sea — that makes California’s Central Coast so special. “You don’t get surfers and cowboys sitting side by side in many places,” Dylan said. “Just grateful to be here.”
Gear Talk
For the camera heads out there: “My main go-to digital camera is a Nikon Z9, but I also brought my favorite film camera — a Hasselblad XPan. Hopefully I got a few fun ones off it because I’d like to make a book from just that camera someday.”
One Frame That Says It All
“If I could sum it up in one photo,” Dylan said, “it’d be an 805 in one hand, camera in the other, dodging a bucking bronc — with a surfer punting in the background and friends in the stands enjoying the show.”
That’s BreakaWave — raw, real, and perfectly California.
