Michael Robinson Chavez

36 Photographer, the Washington Post Married to an equine trainer

Do you work out? I don’t really have time. I grew up in Ventura, California. When I get a chance, I go surf.

Where do you hang out? My wife and I live on a 30-acre farm in Virginia. We have horses. Since I’m out of the country so much—Iraq for three months, Israel for two—I spend my free time there.

Have any guilty pleasures? Long surfing trips. I recently went to Indonesia for three weeks. I really miss the ocean.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done? I let my friend drag me out into 15-foot surf in Chile. To get to the waves, you had to climb down a cliff and jump into a channel of swirling water. The whole time massive Pacific waves are breaking in front of you. If you don’t time it right, you’ll be washed to the beach or worse.

Have any beauty secrets? I don’t do any lotions or potions or creams. I managed to get some pretty decent skin from my mom. It’s a Peruvian thing.