1 ) ▁was ▁a ▁veter an ▁photograph er . ▁His ▁port folio ▁of ▁phot ography ▁of ▁sur f ing ▁and ▁related ▁sea ▁images ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁enjo ys ▁a ▁reputation ▁that ▁led ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁to ▁dub ▁him ▁" the ▁god father ▁of ▁sur f ph ot ography ." ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Herm osa ▁Beach , ▁California . ▁ ▁Life ▁Living ▁a ▁beach front ▁child hood , ▁by ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁five ▁Gran nis ▁was ▁taken ▁sw imming ▁and ▁bod ys ur f ing ▁by ▁his ▁father . ▁So on ▁Gran nis ▁made ▁himself ▁a ▁bel ly board ▁from ▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁wood ▁and ▁rode ▁it ▁during ▁vac ations ▁in ▁his ▁mother ' s ▁home ▁state ▁of ▁Florida . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 4 , ▁his ▁father ▁gave ▁him ▁a ▁ 6 ' ▁x ▁ 2 ' ▁p ine ▁board ▁from ▁which ▁he ▁hack ed ▁a ▁kne eb o ard ▁using ▁a ▁draw kn ife . ▁At ▁Herm osa ▁Pier , ▁stand ▁up ▁sur f ing ▁was ▁the ▁ra ge , ▁so ▁he ▁began ▁borrow ing ▁bo ards ▁until ▁he ▁could ▁get ▁his ▁own . ▁Later , ▁he ▁strugg led ▁to ▁balance ▁sur f ▁time ▁with ▁family ▁and ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Pal os ▁Ver des ▁Sur f ▁Club , ▁second ▁only ▁in ▁America ▁to ▁the ▁Cor ona ▁Del ▁Mar ▁Sur f ▁Board ▁Club , ▁which ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 2 0 s