The Lost and Found Collection

The Lost and Found Collection History is reborn when 30,000 negatives are discovered at a flea market in 2007. Share Aloha Documenting and archiving the history of surfing.

The History and Stories will never end. They will be preserved for the next generations to come. Always Aloha
Lxfound.com

Film photography wasn't always about perfect focus. Sometimes the magic happened when a photographer pushed the limits, ...
06/17/2026

Film photography wasn't always about perfect focus. Sometimes the magic happened when a photographer pushed the limits, slowed the shutter, and let motion tell the story.

A blur shot isn't a mistake—it's a feeling.
The streak of a surfer racing across a wave, the movement of water, the energy of the moment. It captures something a sharp image often can't: speed, emotion, and life itself.

Back in the film days, there was no screen to check and no second chances. Just instinct, experience, and a hope that the frame would reveal something special once the film was developed.

When it worked, the result was pure art. A reminder that photography isn't always about freezing time. Sometimes it's about showing how it moves.
A fleeting moment. A roll of film. A little blur. A lot of soul.

Photo by Larry Pierce
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Sunset Beach has always been more than just a surf break. It's a place where light, water, and atmosphere come together ...
06/16/2026

Sunset Beach has always been more than just a surf break. It's a place where light, water, and atmosphere come together in a way that feels timeless.
In the days of black-and-white film, there were no distractions. No vibrant colors competing for attention. Just contrast, texture, and emotion. The dark lines of the swell, the white spray blowing offshore, and the endless horizon stretching beyond imagination.

Black-and-white photography had a way of defining everything. Every shadow told a story. Every wave carried a mood. Every moment felt larger than life.
This image captures the raw beauty of Sunset Beach—the kind of beauty that doesn't need color to leave an impression. Just the ocean, the light, and a fleeting moment frozen forever on film.

Some places are beautiful. Sunset Beach is unforgettable.

Photo by Dan Merkel
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There are days when the ocean is calm, and there are days when Mother Nature reminds us who's in charge.Standing on the ...
06/15/2026

There are days when the ocean is calm, and there are days when Mother Nature reminds us who's in charge.
Standing on the shoreline, watching the sea come alive with raw power, endless energy, and beauty beyond words, it's impossible not to feel small. The crashing waves, the shifting skies, the salt in the air—it's a reminder that some of the greatest moments in life don't need an explanation.

You don't have to surf it. You don't have to photograph it. Sometimes, simply staring at the sea is enough.
The ocean has a way of clearing the mind, slowing time, and reminding us that nature still puts on the greatest show on earth.

Sit. Watch. Listen. Let Mother Nature do her thing.

Photo Ken Zima
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There’s a feeling every surfer knows. Waking up before the sun, loading boards in the dark, coffee in hand, and making t...
06/12/2026

There’s a feeling every surfer knows. Waking up before the sun, loading boards in the dark, coffee in hand, and making that quiet drive to the beach while the world is still asleep.

Then you arrive. The sky starts to glow, the wind is light, and suddenly it’s there — perfect surf conditions unfolding in front of you. Clean lines marching in, offshore spray lifting off the lip, and that moment where you realize... today is one of those days.

No crowds. No noise. Just you, the ocean, and the reward for getting up before everyone else. Some mornings become memories before you even paddle out.

Photo Tom Sutherland

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Before the modern broadcast era took over surfing, contest coverage had a different feel — raw, colorful, and full of pe...
06/11/2026

Before the modern broadcast era took over surfing, contest coverage had a different feel — raw, colorful, and full of personality. In the late '70s and into the early '80s, Bruce Jenner stepped into Hawaii’s surf contest scene as an interviewer, bringing a unique energy to the beach and becoming part of a fascinating moment in surf history.

Back then, the North Shore wasn’t just where surfing’s best waves broke — it was where worlds collided. Athletes, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, and larger-than-life personalities all seemed to find their way to the islands. The shoreline became a stage, and every event felt like its own unforgettable story.

Photo Shirley Rogers

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A surf trip was never just about the waves. It was the miles on the road, salty skin, boards piled high, and chasing one...
06/10/2026

A surf trip was never just about the waves. It was the miles on the road, salty skin, boards piled high, and chasing one more session before the sun disappeared. And somehow, the perfect ending always seemed to be the same — a campfire on the beach.

As the sky turned orange and the ocean faded into darkness, stories got bigger, laughter got louder, and the day replayed itself one wave at a time. Sand in your feet, smoke in the air, and the sound of the ocean just beyond the firelight.

Sometimes the best part of the surf trip wasn’t in the water at all... it was ending the day surrounded by friends under a sky full of stars.

Photo Tim Bernardy

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Back in the 1960s on the North Shore, it wasn’t always about contests, rankings, or chasing headlines. Sometimes it was ...
06/09/2026

Back in the 1960s on the North Shore, it wasn’t always about contests, rankings, or chasing headlines. Sometimes it was simply about having fun. Piling into a VW bus, spending long days at the beach, surfing until sunset, and laughing your way through another perfect Hawaiian day.

The lineup felt smaller, the pace felt slower, and life seemed to revolve around waves, friendships, and the feeling that summer might never end. Those moments became the foundation of a culture — built on freedom, adventure, and aloha.

Sometimes the best memories weren’t the biggest waves… they were the days in between.

Photo Albert Benson
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Photographer Dan Merkel didn’t just capture the men pushing surfing forward — he also turned his lens toward the women w...
06/08/2026

Photographer Dan Merkel didn’t just capture the men pushing surfing forward — he also turned his lens toward the women who were pioneering an entirely new chapter of the sport. Here is Becky Benson, completely in the moment. Focused, present, and part of a generation helping redefine what was possible in the lineup.

The beauty of Dan’s photography was never just the wave itself. It was his ability to recognize the people, energy, and stories unfolding around him. Long before the spotlight fully arrived, women like Becky were already out there making history, and Dan made sure those moments would never be forgotten.

One frame. One moment. One pioneer helping shape surf culture forever.

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Late 1970s, Sunset Beach. The contest jersey was on, the crowd was watching, and Jericho Poppler was absolutely shreddin...
06/05/2026

Late 1970s, Sunset Beach. The contest jersey was on, the crowd was watching, and Jericho Poppler was absolutely shredding. Photographer Shirley Rogers was there to capture it all — freezing a moment that represented far more than a heat in the lineup.

Jericho brought power, style, and confidence into an era when women’s surfing was carving out its own path and changing the landscape forever. And Shirley, one of the few women behind the lens on the North Shore, documented these moments from a perspective few others could.

Two pioneers. One image. A reminder that surf history isn’t just about waves — it’s about the people who pushed boundaries and inspired generations that followed.

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1978 on the North Shore. A time when the roads were lined with vans, single fins ruled the lineup, and every winter swel...
06/04/2026

1978 on the North Shore. A time when the roads were lined with vans, single fins ruled the lineup, and every winter swell brought another unforgettable story. Photographer Ralph Cipolla stood behind the lens and captured more than a photograph — he captured a feeling.

These were the days before endless frames and instant playback. Every click of the shutter mattered. One moment, one chance, one piece of history frozen in time. Images like these transport us back to an era when style, adventure, and the soul of the North Shore lived in every frame.

A reminder that sometimes the perfect moment only lasts a second… but its story lasts forever.

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