Marcus Paladino shows off his new book Cold Comfort. He dedicated the work to his fiancée (and copyeditor) Nora Morrison. (Nora O’Malley photo)

Tofino surf photographer Marcus Paladino releases first book

May 29, 2021 // by Nora O'Malley

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Surfers looking for a little Tofino Cold Comfort will find it in surf photographer Marcus Paladino’s inaugural publication.

Paladino’s weighty 320-page coffee table book pays tribute to the past 10 years of wave riding on Canada’s West Coast. Every photo is accompanied by a candid caption, and by the end of Cold Comfort it’ll be hard not to feel like you were there to experience his epic ride.

“The main model or talent or athlete is Pete Devries, who is on the cover. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, it’s hard not to make an entire book just him. He’s very talented,” Paladino said.

About two years ago, the 30-year-old surf photographer was approached directly by publisher Rocky Mountain Books (RMB) about making a book.

“The last few months have been crazy trying to get it together for the designer and get it out to the public,” he said, adding that RMB printed 3,000 copies for the first round.

From shooting on the beach for six hour stretches to paddling out in pounding winter swell to get the perfect shot, the extra bonus readers glean from Cold Comfort is that Paladino reveals the set-up and work behind each unique photo. On Page 186, he gives us the photo concept that led him to team up with Devries.

“After I took this photo, we started shooting together pretty much daily,” he notes.

He gives the following advice to budding surf photographers:

“Shoot lots and get comfortable. Go with friends and start by paddling out with a GoPro.”

Paladino dedicated Cold Comfort to his fiancée Nora Morrison. He said she helped narrow down a decade worth of photos to just 250, and she also helped with copyediting.

“She put my random thoughts into great copy,” Paladino said.

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