After a profound scare on a surfing trip as a teen, an Australian surfer discovered God and channeled both his faith and his artistry into a new profession: ocean photography. Through his powerful and breathtaking images of breaking waves, he shares his reverence for God and nature with the world. “Becoming a photographer has been an amazing way to marry my perspectives on life and spirituality,” 35-year-old self-taught photographer Phil Thurston, from the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, told The Epoch Times. Phil grew up very close to the ocean in a small town with his two elder brothers. The trio mostly lived on the beach and learned to surf and gain confidence at a very early age in life. After picking up the lens in his early 20s, Phil’s fascination shifted from riding the waves to instead capturing them. After traveling around Australia and Hawaii in pursuit …