Jeff Johnson grew up in Danville, California and moved to Hawaii when he turned 18. He lived on the North Shore of Oahu for fifteen years, traveling extensively, writing, and taking photographs. His stories and photographs have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Surfer's Journal, Alpinist, Surfer, Climbing, and Outside. The Surfer's Journal describes him as "a piece of true grit," someone who "doesn't back down when sketching the seamier side of the surf ghetto." And Esquire says, "Johnson's creative footprint has been instrumental in shaping not just Patagonia's brand vision, but adventure culture as well."

Jeff's first book, Bend to Baja: A Biofuel Powered Surfing and Climbing Road Trip, was published in 2006. His second book, 180 South: Conquerors of the Useless, grew out of his documentary film by the same name and was published in 2010.

Jeff resides in Santa Barbara, California. He works as a creative brand agent for Patagonia and as a creative director, photographer, and writer. He divides his time between the mountains and the ocean.