Beginning in his teens Straub photographed surfing scenes using film, while working in his fathers dark room. There, he learned to manipulate images by modifying negatives through cutting, overlaying, and layering techniques. Today, although he uses a digital camera and computer based post processing, his creative approach remains fundamentally the same. His compositions begin in his imagination and are completed by combining multiple camera captures into a single composite image. Elements, whether a neon sign, image prop, or a tree are photographed using outdoor lighting to match the intended scene. No "AI" is used, all imagery is captured through his lens.