Photographer Clark Little makes stunning images of shorebreak waves. He explains how he developed his style and found success, throwing himself and his camera into the action — and taking a beating for his art — in this video.
While some photographers focussed on capturing conventional shots from the safety of the sidelines, Clark spent eight years in the surf and the sand perfecting his vision.
Clark says: “There are some dangers involved with shooting large shore break. I have separated my shoulder, had the [camera] housing hit my head… the worst thing for me fear wise is just not making it up, wave after wave, not being able to breath… the moments where I feared for my life, I don’t like that, it is a spooky feeling. But then you get that perfect shot, it kind of makes it worth it.”
He emphasises that equipment and settings are not key to great shots and that he started with only a basic compact. While I admire his nerve, I am not sure I am prepared to get chucked around quite so much as he is. But if you are one of those people made of sterner stuff, you might want to bring more than just a disposable camera in a dry bag to replicate these remarkable images.
Clark Little is a Hawaii-based photographer with “a unique talent for taking off on hopeless closeout shorebreak waves and surviving in one piece.”
You can follow him on Instagram and Facebook, and buy his books and prints here.