Chris Burkard Capturing Torpedo People on Camera

While helping Keith Malloy film "Come Hell or High Water" in Teahupo'o, Tahiti, self-taught photographer Chris Burkard got a few truly incredible shots of some torpedo people in action.  "When you shoot in the water, no two days are the same.  In the ocean, you are subjected to the forces of nature.  It's a constant battle of positioning and trying to capture a split-second moment in a rapid-pace environment," Burkard said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.  "It's a tough assignment because you're focusing on the surfer, the wave, your camera, and all while trying to capture a moment."  The photos above and below, among others, were published in a compilation titled The Plight of the Torpedo People.  They show us just how crazy bodysurfing is, and the lengths these torpedo people go to #getshacked.