Photo / Stoner: The Rise, Fall, And Mysterious Disappearance of Surfing's Greatest Photographer

In 1965, Ron Stoner was the best surf photographer in the business. Every month, he shot the balmy beaches, bikini-clad girls, and achingly beautiful waves of Southern California for Surfer Magazine. Then, at the height of his fame, Ron Stoner walked off this sunny stage and disappeared forever. In Photo/Stoner, Stoner's strange story is recounted by surfing historian Matt Warshaw alongside Stoner's best photos, reproduced as never before. In these rare images, Stoner recorded more than just a beautiful wave or a perfect moment, he captured the effortless and innocent grace of coastal California pre-condominium. In word and in image, Photo/Stoner is a poignant ode to a lost era, and a lost man.

Matt Warshaw is the former editor of Surfer magazine. He is the author of Surf Movie Tonite! and lives in San Francisco.

Jeff Divine is the photo editor at Surfer's Journal, has been a surf photographer since 1964, and lives in San Clemente, California.