Why Delicious Salt Bagels? A (sorta) Quick Brand Story…

chrisclark45
Aug 15
4 min read

Updated: Aug 26

I wasn’t trying to be clever—I was delirious. It was pre-dawn in chilly waters off San Francisco. For many years I’d been slurping up the joys of being in the ocean when bed felt more natural. It was around 2016 and I was deep in family mode with two grade-school-aged kids, a dog, a cat, and a corporate job at GoPro HQ. I found these short, chilly, pre-dawn sessions to be energizing and I needed this routine more than ever. The luxury of pre-kid dawn-patrol surfs had evolved into a reliance on 20-30 minute bodysurfs in hollow shore break.

Since I was a kid, I was fascinated by the ‘tube’ I could see from shore that was created by breaking waves. What happens in that 'space' when it breaks? The air in there only exists for a split second. But something must happen in there!

Learning to bodysurf as a Junior Guard on the Balboa Peninsula unlocked that mystery: feeling the steepening face of a wave, seeing the lip throwing out over your head to create a cavern — a space that is just yours to experience for a brief moment — the sound of the lip hitting the surface out in front of the wave, the echoes of that sound bouncing within the chamber you occupy. So much to process in such a brief blip of time. What I discovered in those 20-30 minute sessions, was I could maximize barrel-time while bodysurfing and it was incredibly satiating.

Morning ASMR in The Bakery

Back to the name…so one of these mornings, I’m out shivering, talking nonsense to myself and waiting for set waves. And it just sorta came out….

Delicious — the taste of the cold and salty water touching my lips — and the amazing views all around me.
Salt — the immersion in salt water.
Bagels — Packing barrels gave me the perspective of looking through the hole of a bagel.

And I’d always loved bagels. Specifically….salt bagels. And then these images started coming out of my camera that were pretty special…photos I’d want to share. It started with a tag on instagram and grew from there.

With the help of my talented sister the name and essence of the experience became a logo that captures a coastal SF vibe. And that turned into something I’d want to put on a sticker, hat, etc.

The DSB Logo

I’ve made some merchandise to support this photo business of mine — but before I ask you to wear the logo, I want to be clear about what the brand actually stands for:

Celebrating San Francisco
I have a deep love for San Francisco. The city is a constant inspiration. And I want to share the unique perspectives through which I experience my hometown—starting with my wave images.

Ocean Centered
The ocean has so much power to give. I’m centered here as it has given much to me and is an incredible conduit for connecting with others. I love catching waves. I love capturing waves with my camera. And I REALLY love helping people who never thought they would or could catch waves, have that experience (see City Surf Project).

Take People with Me
There’s something powerful about creating something for someone else—a meaningful photo, a video that captures an experience, and something to share with others. I get joy from making things that bring people into my experiences while helping people find connection.

A Focus on Joy and Keeping it 'Light'
I spent a long time in a world where the stakes always felt high. This is different. This is about following what fills my cup—being in motion, creating, spending time in nature, connecting with people I care about. That’s the energy I want to put into the world.

Always Pair with Music
Delicious Salt Bagels is not a music brand, but music is always running in the background of what I do. It influences how I see, how I edit and articulate, and how I move through the world. It’s not front and center—but it’s always part of the vibe.

Make friends
I borrowed this one from GoPro, and I’m keeping it. It was one of the most honest and rewarding values I ever worked under. Life’s better when you use this as a guiding principle and make friends along the way.

If those values resonate with you, perhaps you’ll feel proud to wear and support my little brand. Buying my merchandise — the hats, shirts, hoodies, etc. — and of course my cards and prints, are a great way to support and sustain this little dream of mine. Every purchase helps me continue to capture and share the beauty of the coast and San Francisco through my photography.

If you share a passion for the ocean, waves, or the beauty of San Francisco, you’re already a part of what this brand stands for. It’s about making friends, celebrating the places we love, and connecting with the coast and the city that make it all so special.