John Cocozza was born in New Jersey where he grew up in the areas of Rahway and Manasquan. At the age of 15 John began shooting photos of surfing and winter storm destruction. When John was 19 he began to photograph surfing professionally and quickly was published in regional Northeast Surf Publications such as EDGE, Surfrider Foundation Newsletter, and North East Surf News.
In 1999, as John turned 21, he journeyed West and settled down in San Diego where he had dreamed of living since he was a young boy. There he immersed himself in the Southern CA surf community and began his apprenticeship with legendary surf photographer & bikini manufacturor Aaron Chang. John studied with Aaron and other photographers such as Joel Zwink & Jerimiah Sullivan for 14 months. They helped to expand the genre's of photography John was interested in to include - Fashion, Modeling, Portraiture, Swimwear, Events, and other Action Sports.
John continued to live and work in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego. At night working as a Bartender, Barback, and Bouncer. Then during the daytime always working on photography jobs, shooting surfing, and building an expansive modeling portfolio. In early 2003, John Cocozza, began his career at Surfshot Media., which he is currently the Sales & Marketing Dir., Staff Photographer, and Online Content Mgn of www.Surfshot.com
While starting his career at Surfshot Media in 2003, John at the same time enrolled in San Diego City College's Photography & Visual Arts Dept. There he studied with photography instructors Tor Euland, David King, Marv Sloben, and Annie Lemoux. Outside of formal schooling, John partnered with local San Diego fashion photographer, Brian Goodloe, who he also had been understudying with for Wine Sales & Wine Tasting at night while working for Crest Liquor.
Since then John Cocozza's photography has been published in:
DOMESTIC
San Diego Union Tribune - 944 SD - City Beat - WATER - Surfer - Surfing - Happy Magazine
Lemonade - NBC Dateline - Automatic Skate Mag - Surfshot Magazine - LEVEL Magazine
REVOLT In Style - KROWN Magazine - PACIFIC San Diego - FoxNews.com - Maxim.com - MAC.com
INTERNATIONAL
STERN News Journal (Germany) - Popcorn Magazine (Germany) - VERT Mag (Portugal)
Sunday Times of London (Britain)
CATALOGS
Dregs Skateboards - Alive Surfing Technology - Lucenti Swimwear - Dahlia Girl Swimwear
SWIMWEAR BRANDS for EDITORIALS
Roxy - Billabong Girls - Point Conception - RYGY - Salinas - Luli Fama - ...LOST Girls - Dahlia Girl
Poko Pano - Bunny Bikini - Hot Tuna - Aaron Chang - Girlstar - Vavalicya - REEF - Sunny Skys
Rusty Girls - Surf Diva - Susan Holmes - Vitamin A
