He Left Everything to Chase the World’s Biggest Waves — And Captured What No One Else Could | Fred Pompermayer

Fred Pompermayer didn’t grow up by the ocean. He grew up in a landlocked town in Brazil.At 12, he sold his bicycle to buy a surfboard. Later, he borrowed university cameras and started documenting the waves he couldn’t stop thinking about. Eventually, he left architecture school behind and moved toward a life that made very little sense on paper.Today, Fred is one of the most respected big wave photographers in the world. His images—often taken in chaotic, dangerous conditions—have appeared on more than 50 magazine covers, and he’s won the Big Wave Awards seven times.But this conversation is more than accolades.It’s about what it takes to stay close to something you’re obsessed with. To keep showing up in unpredictable environments. To build a career not by following a plan, but by following a pull.We talk about the early years, the risks behind the camera, and how he thinks about fear, timing, and being in the right place when everything comes togetherFred's References:www.Fredpompermayer.comhttps://www.instagram.com/fred_pompermayer/https://morrisonhotelgallery.com/collections/sports/products/mavericksAmbassador for:ANETIK PERFORMANCEFLATLINE VAN COVENJENZPart of the SANDISK EXTREME TEAMTimeline: Support cellular renewal and mitochondrial function with Mitopure, featuring Urolithin A. Get up to 20% off at timeline.com/AGELESSATHLETE 🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathleteTopics: longevity, fitness over 40, endurance training, aging athletes, recovery, injury prevention 💜 Want to stay strong and capable as you age? Join the Ageless Athlete weekly newsletter for practical ideas, deeper lessons, and insights that don’t always make it into the podcast.Join here → https://agelessathlete.substack.com/subscribeAgeless Athlete is a podcast about healthy aging for people who want to stay strong, active and capable for life. Conversations explore strength, endurance, mobility, recovery, VO2 max, muscle and bone health, and what it takes to keep doing the things you love as you get older.Follow Ageless Athlete — How to Stay Strong, Curious & Capable for Life for new episodes each week.