Nik Rowell Photography

We rarely photograph the same location several days in a row, but this one in felt different. The first morning, we photographed after the sun had already risen, but still loved the results. Day two gave us additional sunrise spectators, adding an element of scale to the photo. Day three was the most dramatic light, and exactly what we were returning to that location for.

Just outside of Hana in , there is a not-so-calm beach lined with a cliff on one side and jagged lava rocks on the other. We walked passed a sign warning potential swimmers and surfers of the hazards in the area, and watched the waves crash in with awe and bit of intimidation. Moments later, an old Toyota pickup pulls up, and out jumps several tan-bodied surfers. This group looks out towards the waves in excitement, and within a few minutes, they were all in the water, hand-paddling their way out towards the ocean whitecaps...

No names or model releases - unfortunately - I didn’t dare paddle my way out there! If you recognize these dudes as pro surfers, let me know!