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I love doing these 50/50 shots because although they're challenging, when a good one comes out, it's gold. I had my wife swim back and forth for hours to get this image. She's a fantastic model to shoot with. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Alana called me up one afternoon asking to do a certain type of photo shoot. We were pleased with the results as well as others, as it was the most viewed photo on Surfline a while back, and ended up in an advertisement somewhere in San Francisco. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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"Walleye"' has a combination of clarity, reflection, and abstractness to it to make this image one the people's top choices. These types of shots are insanely tough to capture but the reward is worth it. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Surfer: Carlin Reinhart. I've always enjoyed the afternoon lighting Hawaii has to offer. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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I was shooting these dry sand barrels all morning when out of nowhere this monster just starts sucking up right behind me. I knew I was going to get blasted which I did... but it was worth it. The shorebreak makes me feel like a kid again. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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One of my favorite things in world is to sit in the water by myself at dark waiting for the sun to come up. It's so peaceful as it's just you and your thoughts. Because of the volcanic haze, when the sun finally does rise, we get to enjoy these magnificent colors for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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I really enjoy the lighting in this shot with the storm clouds in the background of this "Insanities" shore break. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Surfer: Wyatt Elder. Great human with a lot of talent on one of the better swells we've had here in Hawaii this winter. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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"Portable Half Pipe Hawaii" put on a show one night and I was fortunate enough to be there to help capture these images. Great crowd and great skating went down that evening. Unknown skater. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Skater: Jeff Pira. Flipping a favorite gap we have here on the Big Island. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Surfer: Carlin Reinhart. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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After a long day spent in the water, Leilani was patient enough to let me do some low light photo experimenting with her. She's a great surfer with a wonderful attitude. Athletes are so dedicated and full of emotion that I enjoy capturing that feeling. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Surfer: Mac Feeny showing off his fins to the pack out the back Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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My good friend Neal Kelly built this rail specifically for Mauna Kea. Here on the Big Island we are fortunate enough to have every natural climate on earth with the exception of extreme heat and extreme freezing. I can live without those. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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An image I call "Melt." I like the abstract feel of this one. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Here's Ned Snow pulling into a cave. He actually grew up in that house in the background, though he looks right at home on this wave as well. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Slater pulling a no hander at last year's Pipe masters. This was taken down by Off the Wall and not an angle you see of Pipe all the time. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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I always imagine myself locked inside this screamer. Can't help it. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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I specialize in low light photography and love getting bareled. Enjoy the view. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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I like the water transparency and the crisp lip in this shot. I guess I could thank the glassy conditions for this one. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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With all the focus being above the water and a dozen or so photographers out, I decided to put my water housing underneath the surface on this morning. It's almost like a peaceful chaos. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Due to our reefs being so young, this is how shallow spots can get here on Hawaii's Big Island. Not even the fish want anything to do with it. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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A favorite image of mine that required a lot of patience. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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Afternoon emptiness in the howling tradewinds. What you can't see is the minefield of rocks just out of frame. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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I like how the people in this image are completely oblivious to the carnage going on just outside of them. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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The combination of colors and crispness has made this one a top seller and one of my all time favorites. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
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An outer island spot that needs not be named. Royalty use to live here and as far as I'm concerned still does. Photo: Christian LaCuesta.
Having grown up skateboarding and surfing in Northern California, I’m drawn to the action sports side of photography. The amount of passion, pain, and devotion athletes endure in an effort to “get the shot” is something that has always captivated me, especially in skateboarding. Photography, for me, is a way to not just capture a moment, but capture a memory. Single images can trigger a string of memories, maybe from a boat trip in the South Pacific or a half-pipe session that went down in a friend’s backyard. Recollecting is always fun, and it has the ability to shape who we are today. With the introduction of faster frame rates and higher megapixels, different types of photography have evolved or started to become more common, specifically shorebreak work. Shorebreak photography has made me feel like a kid again; it’s given me back my youth. I’m filled with feelings of anticipation and excitement when I hear a new swell rumble to life on the reefs out front of my house. Wondering what I have on my memory card when I come home home dripping wet from the day’s adventures is one of my favorite things. These are all feeling of excitement and joy, which is why I love photography so much.
