Matt Rohrer shares some of the highlights of his conversations with Bay Area surfer Jimmy Holt, focal point of one of the few surfing photos to ever appear in National Geographic Magazine. Selected photos: Jim Shaw

A shaper with a real passion for his craft, Tyler Hatzikian has consistently refused to compromise the quality or the integrity of his work in order to make a quick buck. He talked to Drift about nose-riding, refining longboard design and his reluctance to take the limelight. Words & photos: Jamie Bott

London ad exec Tom Birmingham set off in November in search of adventure on the Southwest Indian coastline. Accompanied by guesthouse owners Ed and Sofie of Soul and Surf in Kerala, he soon found himself surfing uncharted waves to an audience of school children and fisherman. Words and Photos: Tom Birmingham

Chris Burkard's photographs are about more than barrels, perfect point breaks, and carving radical lines – they capture a moment in which the surfer is a mere player and the real star is the scenery. Words: Dan Hamlin Photos: Chris Burkard

A tale of surfing reefs in South Africa, but not knowing what you get yourself into. Drift contributor Tim Conibear points a finger at localism and finds three more pointing right back. Photos: Mike Reich

Highs and lows in Morocco. Photos and words by Dan Crockett.