JACOB COCKLE who died last week while filming a whirlpool in Hayle, overcame dyslexia to become a successful photographer, his mentor has said.
Nigel Hudson, a mentor for the Prince's Trust, who was put in touch with Jacob by another member of staff at the charity, described him as a charismatic and talented young man.
Jacob took an early interest in art and held his first exhibition of paintings and ceramics at Penzance's Bread Street Gallery in 2003, when he was 18.
When Mr Hudson met Jacob three years ago he was already a gifted photographer.
Mr Hudson said: "I was showed some of his pictures and I am not a photographer but I could see that he had talent.
"We put together a scheme to market a company he wanted to start doing wedding photography."
Jacob received a full grant from the trust to set up his business, offering documentary-style wedding photography.
He also continued with his surf and adventure photography and in 2008 photos he took of monster waves at Newlyn earned him national admiration and a poster front page in The Cornishman.
On his website for the company, Jacob described himself as a person who had travelled from a young age on the hunt for adventure.
He said: "I am passionate about Cornwall, both in and out of the water, and know the landscape well. I have an intuitive, organic way of viewing nature and a talent for capturing the beauty of Cornwall's surroundings which – combined with my interest in documentary style photography – creates effortless and natural portraits of figures within a landscape."
Jacob won numerous awards, including National Geographic's adventure photographer, and had his work published in numerous national and international publications.
Mr Hudson said Jacob loved life and took photos with him on the edge.
He said: "He was such a nice young chap. He was a good-looking Cornishman; he had all the females chasing him and I never came across anyone who had a bad word to say about him. It is always the way; only the good die young."
One magazine Jacob contributed to – ThreeSixty Bodyboarding Magazine – paid tribute to him on Facebook last week saying: "He was an accomplished waterman, top bodyboarder and very talented photographer, filmer and artist. Our thoughts go out to his family and the west Cornwall bodyboarders, surfers and crew he undoubtedly inspired with his lust for life."
