by Shawn Burke

What inspires you? What stirs and lifts your soul? What brings out your amazing gifts from the depths within you? Perhaps you may have several answers to those questions. Before you answer, consider the One who created it all. 

 For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name.

-Isaiah 51:15

I have always been stirred by the coastal sounds, waves crashing on the beach, the smell of salt in the air, stimulated by the danger and in awe of the beauty of the ocean. Having been born and raised on one of the world's most beautiful beaches in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, the accessibility of the beach made for a frequent playground. The beach has always offered me an escape from the monotony and drudgery of everyday life. I return to the sea as often as possible to help me regain perspective, to help calm my spirit, and to restore peace. I frequently have vivid dreams of the ocean, breaking waves and creatures of the deep blue sea. Surmise to say, “I am one with the ocean.”

As a shutterbug, I am inspired by the artwork and talents of dozens of photographers. However, there is one who seems to stand out above the rest. Clark Little is a prominent photographer from Hale'iwa, a small coastal village on the North Shore of Oahu. His passion for capturing the magnificence of the ocean is evident in every frame and spoken in the visual beauty of the images he captures.  He literally gets into his work like no one else I've ever seen! With acute precision, he positions himself directly in the impact zone of some of the most dangerous shorebreak in the world, capturing incredible images of the full fury of the ocean. He then quickly retreats safely into deeper water as the enormous waves come crashing down overhead. The photos he captures have made him famous around the world with well over two million followers on social media. He sells his stunning artwork from his gallery on the North Shore. 

"The shorebreak is my comfort zone. I absolutely love it. It's always different. The light, the colors, the water, the sand and what happens to it. And to be there to capture it and share it with the world…what a dream."

-Clark Little

I can completely relate to Clark's sentiments here. Not only does he embrace the danger of working in the shorebreak with massive pounding waves and heavy rip currents, he calls it his comfort zone, and he finds a space to create in. I've heard him describe the adrenaline rush he gets from working in that environment, and it actually pushes him to another level of creativity. Many people think he is completely nuts and that he's lost his mind, but he continues to go and chase his passion despite the risks. It is appalling that so many people will not move out of their comfort zone and take a chance to step into their calling or discover their creativity. 

What attracts me to his art, you ask? There are many reasons. The ever-changing, contrasting palette of colors in the ocean, swirling in motion yet halted in a single frame to reflect on and enjoy the beauty of what God's hands have created. The amazing ability of his work to transport me across the miles from wherever I may be, back to the beach with sand between my toes, the warm sun shining on me, and the cool mist of the ocean spray on my face. Imagining the roar of the waves as they crash upon the sand and the tropical breeze carrying the scent of Plumeria and salty air. These images have transported me back to Hawaii from hot and desolate places like Iraq, the cold and wet winters in Washington, the hot and humid Mississippi Delta, and even from stormy Florida as hurricanes threatened to strike. They remind me that there is a beauty that goes beyond description as it transcends what our eyes can see and goes deeper into our emotions and into our soul. It goes deeper into the core of who we are and speaks to our psyche.

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

-Genesis 1:21

Clark not only shoots amazing surf photos, but he is also a master at catching intimate images of sea life. He has captured incredible images of enormous Humpback Whales, Tiger Sharks, and Great Whites, Dolphins, schools of Mahi (Tuna), the beloved Honu (Sea Turtle) as well as the tiny Axolotl Amphibian. He seems to become one with the ocean where the locals have accepted him into their home. 

Sunsets on the North Shore of Oahu are some of the most beautiful I've ever witnessed. Clark has also mastered the art of capturing the moment as the sky lights up the tropical golden hour in every imaginable color. Combining his unique position from underneath the wave, he utilizes a linear perspective looking down the line towards the small opening at the opposite end with the sunlight and bright colors funneling down the barrel towards the lens, composing amazing images as the light illuminates the walls of the wave. Many times he will angle the camera back towards the shoreline and capture the sandy beach, the blue sky, sunkissed clouds, a vibrant rainbow, or a swaying palm tree giving a unique perspective and added dimension to the size of the wave.  

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

-Psalm 19:1

More recently, Clark has taken to the sky, quite literally. While he is right at home in the impact zone, diving between moving walls of sand and water under the massive crashing waves, he has expanded his repertoire of cameras and has added several drones to his quiver. He is able to venture to heights where he can capture yet another perspective of the ocean from above. As I look through his images thinking they couldn't possibly get better, some of his aerial photography is simply stunning! The sharp contrast between the blue-green ocean crashing upon the black reef with the receding white foam presents a calm beauty that comes from a chaotic scene. Sometimes he will use slower shutter speeds to create a speed blur effect with softer lines. The unique camera angle with the soft light creates images that present themselves as more abstract art than a photograph of the ocean. 

In every medium of his artwork, Clark continues to produce aesthetically pleasing images. As I study his work, I am allured not only by the subject matter of the ocean or by the photos themselves, but by the delicate balance of color and composition. The color edits are very subtle and not overdone. He utilizes natural light and sun angles to best highlight his subject. His choice of materials to print the final images ranges from acrylic to aluminum or canvas giclee in various formats and sizes to make the photos pop. Each image is carefully crafted and selected to best display God's beauty.

While some may argue that I may be at risk of falling in love with Clark's photography, perhaps even idolizing Clark himself, or with the wild ocean, or the majestic beauty of Hawaii. I instead choose to pause and give thanks. It is not the creation in and of itself that I admire so much, not even the photos. It is not the ocean, sea life, or Hawaii. I am inspired by the creativity of our God, who formed the heavens and the earth, the skies, mountains, and oceans. The God who spoke life into the dark void where the mountains and oceans were formed and became full of life. The God who formed the boundaries of the land and commanded the seas where to stop. The God who inspires artists to create, photographers to shoot, musicians to play, authors to write, has also breathed air into my lungs. The breath of life, Aloha.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

-Romans 1:20

All clark’s images copyrighted and available at clarklittle.com

and

Clark Little Gallery

66-111 Kamehameha Highway #102, Haleiwa

808-626-5319

https://clarklittlephotography.com https://www.instagram.com/clarklittle/

Resources

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