Kitesurf365 Podcast: Jason Broderick | Episode #407

Host: Adrian Kerr
Date: September 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this intimate and revealing conversation, host Adrian Kerr sits down in person with Jason Broderick—one of kiteboarding’s most innovative and in-demand photographers. Highly requested by listeners, Jason opens up about his early days in South African kiteboarding, his creative evolution as a photographer, and how he crafts emotionally resonant images that shape the sport’s culture. The pair delve into topics of creative identity, the challenges of commercial work, the importance of documenting kiteboarding’s personalities, and an upcoming photo book capturing behind-the-scenes moments with world champions. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of action sports, art, and authentic storytelling.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jason’s Introduction to Kiteboarding

• Early Exposure: Jason first encountered kiteboarding as a young teenager during family vacations in Cape Town.
  • “I remember seeing this kite in the air…and being like, this is what I want to do.” (01:50, Jason)
• Challenges of Geography: Growing up between Durban and Cape Town, boarding school limited his time on the water and competitive progression.
  • “I was very torn…It was always study or kiteboard. And they were always very separate entities.” (03:51, Jason)
• Early Competitive Scene: Participated in the vibrant South African National Tour, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Stuart Downey, Oswald Smith, and Luke McGillowee.

2. Evolution of Riding Style & Early Community

• From Freestyle to Wave Riding: Initially dabbled in freestyle but found himself more drawn to wave riding and free-riding, influenced by surf culture and riders like Ben Wilson.
• Directionals and Surfboards: Started wave riding before brands made directionals—“I was just on normal surfboards, playing in the waves, and no one else was really doing it.” (11:05, Jason)
• On Fitting In: “If you don’t fit the mold, you don’t really fit in, in a sense…I was just competing against myself and not the others.” (12:28, Jason)
• Shift to Big Air: Discusses transition in South Africa from wave riding focus to Big Air as the discipline gained international momentum and suited the “extreme” nature of South African riders.

Notable Segment

• [10:54–13:44]: The dawn of wave riding in South African kiteboarding, the importance of being an outlier, and the influence of local pioneers.

3. Discovering Photography & Defining a Vision

• Early Beginnings: Interest sparked at age 12-13 when gifted an underwater video camera. Quickly gravitated toward capturing kiteboarding rather than just participating.
  • “I was having images published in Gust magazine at 14, 15.” (17:20, Jason)
• Innate Creativity: Felt drawn to creative expression even before kiteboarding, inspired by visual storytelling and anti-establishment figures like Patrick Rebstock.
• Passion Overtakes Participation: Adrian observes how Jason, like many creatives, started spending more time behind the lens than on the water.
  • “For 98% of the sessions…I'd rather be behind the lens than on the water.” (19:11, Jason)
• Self-Taught Approach: No formal classes—learned by curiosity, experimentation, and embracing mistakes.
  • “Making mistakes is part of the process and you're not ashamed of it — that's where we learn.” (20:07, Jason)

[Notable Quote]

• “Even today, I find I would rather be behind the lens than on the water.” (19:11, Jason)

4. On Style, Identity, and Creative Influence

• Emotional Storytelling:
  • “For me, the storytelling is not in the action. It’s in the emotions and the people.” (25:33, Jason)
  • “I don’t want to capture reality… I want to capture the EMOTION of the moment.” (26:44, Jason)
• Gear Choices—Film Over Digital: Prefers film for its limitations and intention, believing it captures more authentic emotion.
  • “The best camera is the one you own.” (27:44, Jason)
  • “Digital cameras unfortunately bore me… It’s too perfect for me, it’s too real.” (28:26, Jason)

[Notable Quote]

• “Someone once told me, ‘You shoot film to remember a moment. You shoot digital to destroy it.’” (31:36, Jason)

• On Being Imitated:

  • Mixed feelings about others copying his style; initially struggled but now sees it as part of creative evolution—“At first it’s really hard… I tried so hard to create an image and a mood that represents how I see the world.” (33:07, Jason)
  • Ultimately, he settles into self-acceptance: “At a certain stage, I just have to be like, this is who I am. And if people want to explore that, that's okay.” (35:59, Jason)

• Perfectionism vs. Authenticity: Stresses importance of sticking to one’s vision and allowing a style to mature over a career, even in the face of trends.

5. The Power of Documenting Culture and Emotion

• Most Iconic Images:
  • Highlights the photo of Andrea winning Megaloop, celebrated for capturing pure emotion rather than kiteboarding action.
  • “The photo that most people will recognize… is Andrea winning the Megaloop with his wetsuit halfway down, just that scream of emotion.” (37:24, Jason)
• Focus on Riders, Not Just Rides: Believes selling the personalities strengthens the sport.
  • “If we sell the riders, the sport will come with it. You’re selling the images—and people fall in love with more with the riders through seeing that emotion than their riding style.” (39:54, Adrian)

[Notable Quote]

• “If you look at my body of work, you could almost take the sport completely out of it. I’m just following people and their journey.” (40:34, Jason)

• Missing Culture in Kiteboarding:

  • Laments the lack of artistry and individuality in the sport compared to surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding.
  • “We are killing the culture in our sport and not allowing riders to grow and be creative.” (41:42, Jason)

6. Advice for Young Photographers & Creators

• Avoid ‘Content’ Mentality:
  • “Content to me is kind of like a swear word…Do what feels right to you.” (44:06, Jason)
• Forge Your Own Path:
  • Recommends developing a style away from the commercial treadmill, taking risks, and being patient.
  • “The moment you get on the paycheck of a brand…they determine what you are photographing.” (44:53, Jason)
• Embrace Mistakes & Experience:
  • “Anyone can take a good photo…it’s about a moment in time… I probably just have a higher chance of being lucky because I’ve been unlucky more times than I have been lucky.” (47:59, Jason)

[Notable Quote]

• “Photography, at the end of the day… you have to be in the right place at the right time to get lucky.” (49:47, Jason)

7. Upcoming Photo Book & Preserving Memories

• The Book Project:
  • Behind-the-scenes photo book (zine) from a trip to Mykonos with world champions Jeremy Burlando, Lorenzo Casati, and Andrea Principi, shot entirely on film cameras Jason hadn’t even tested prior.
  • Only 320 photos taken in 10 days—a deliberate, intentional approach.
• Limited Edition and Legacy:
  • “We’re only making 50 of them. That’s it.” (54:18, Jason)
  • Aims for the book to become part of a treasured legacy; to document unique moments lost in the algorithms of social media.
  • “It’s something that can sit on people’s coffee tables for the rest of time and represent a moment in our sport’s history with three of the greatest that have ever done it.” (55:42, Jason)

[Memorable Moment]

• The riders saw the book for the first time at Megaloop, with reactions of surprise and excitement at seeing their journey captured so intimately.
• “I hope over the next three or four years that becomes a collection of these zines... It’s almost a crime that these moments just get replaced five minutes later by the next image that pops up on your algorithm.” (56:30, Jason)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “I remember seeing this kite in the air…and being like, this is what I want to do.” — Jason, 01:50
• “I was just on normal surfboards, playing in the waves, and no one else was really doing it.” — Jason, 11:05
• “I don’t want to capture reality… I want to capture the EMOTION of the moment.” — Jason, 26:44
• “The best camera is the one you own.” — Jason, 27:44
• “Someone once told me, 'You shoot film to remember a moment. You shoot digital to destroy it.'” — Jason, 31:36
• “At a certain stage, I just have to be like, this is who I am. And if people want to explore that, that's okay.” — Jason, 35:59
• “If we sell the riders, the sport will come with it.” — Adrian, 39:54
• “If you look at my body of work, you could almost take the sport completely out of it. I'm just following people and their journey.” — Jason, 40:34
• “We are killing the culture in our sport and not allowing riders to grow and be creative.” — Jason, 41:42
• “Content to me is kind of like a swear word.” — Jason, 44:06
• “Anyone can take a good photo…it's about a moment in time… I probably just have a higher chance of being lucky because I've been unlucky more times than I have been lucky.” — Jason, 47:59
• “We’re only making 50 of them. That’s it.” — Jason, 54:18
• “It’s almost a crime that these moments in time just get replaced five minutes later by the next image that pops on your algorithm.” — Jason, 56:30

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:50–03:51 — Jason’s first kite experience & starting out as a South African kitesurfer
• 11:00–13:44 — Transition to wave riding, community, and individuality in early SA scene
• 16:34–20:07 — Discovering photography, creativity, and move from riding to shooting
• 24:06–27:44 — Photography philosophy: capturing feeling over technical perfection, gear choices
• 31:36–35:59 — Coping with imitation, creative identity, and evolving style
• 37:24–42:00 — Iconic photographs, focus on emotion over action, and the lack of culture in kiting
• 44:06–47:59 — Advice for young creators: resist content churn, focus on authenticity, avoid early commercial pressure
• 50:28–55:42 — Mykonos trip, creation and philosophy of upcoming photo book (zine), documenting moments for legacy

Closing Thoughts

This episode is rich with wisdom for anyone seeking to merge creativity with action sports, and particularly valuable for aspiring photographers. Jason Broderick’s commitment to authenticity—both in how he shoots and how he lives—shines through, making this conversation not just a masterclass on kiteboarding photography, but a compelling meditation on art, identity, and culture within emerging sports.

Relevant Links:

• Jason Broderick’s Website (see show notes)
• Photo Book Pre-Order (announcement TBA)
• @Kitesurf365 on social for news and updates