Hawaiian Big Waves And Bodyboarding Photos

Aloha! The photos in this Hawaiian bodyboarding and big wave album bring back great memories of the times I spent on the beautiful beaches of Oahu Island. I lived a minute walk away from the famous Waikiki Beach Pier (or as the locals call it “The Wall”) which provides a unique elevated vantage point to take photos from.

Waikiki Beach does not get big waves too often but when it does it is a spectacular event to watch as tons of local Hawaiian kids come to show off their boogie boarding skills.

The water is very shallow due to razor sharp coral reefs just a few feet away from the shore making these shore breaks possibly dangerous for inexperienced foreigners.

My other favorite Hawaiian beach is Sandy Beach Park on the Eastern or Windward Side of Oahu Island. Sandy Beach is a favorite with locals and a few tourists but it is not over crowded like Waikiki. Sandy’s is also nicknamed the bone crusher beach as its shore breaks are extremely dangerous for bodyboarders without experience.

Often times there are huge waves on Sandy Beach breaking very close to the shore, making it truly a paradise for sports, action and surfing photographers.

Dramatic Silhouette Photos Of Hawaiian Bodyboarding Kids

This bodyboarding silhouette photo could be “fixed” in Photoshop by brightening the boy and adding saturation but I really like the effect and mood the silhouette creates. This photo was taken from an elevated view point on the Waikiki Beach Pier cutting out the sky and placing only water in the background which I prefer as opposed to seeing the distracting line of the horizon.

This awesome dramatic silhouette photo of a fast moving Hawaiian bodyboarding kid is the perfect example of being at the right place at the right time. Although every time I go to the beach I take photos for hours of the non-stop action these moments are still special and rare when everything comes together.
Photographing fast action is exciting and challenging, only if the photographer can anticipate what happens next is when the best photos are taken. It is said that when you are seeing a great moment you have already missed it.

Big Hawaiian Waves And Bodyboarding Wipeout Photos

Just like in judo when it comes to bodyboarding one has to know how to take a fall. Sometimes gracefully but most of the time resembling a rag doll in the spinning cycle. Wipe outs happen all the time and with little practice they can be predicted which is key to be able to capture them on photos.
Sandy Beach has very rough shore breaks like the one on this photo, they are only about 30 yards from the shore making them easy to frame even with a moderate length telephoto lens.

This landing was probably quite painful, the location of this break is almost on the beach perhaps in 3 feet of water. I “visually like” the limp limbs of the bodyboarder and the way the wave is creating a shade over the body like an impending doom.

Now a funnier wipe out, I did anticipate the bodyboarder’s fall but I was surprised how lucky I got with his head ended up looking cut off of his body in this photo.

This is one of the most elegant bodyboarding wipeouts I have captured, the Hawaiian Boy’s pose is graceful almost ballet like.

This bodyboarding kid is going through a picture perfect washing machine like tumbling motion. I see two arms, one leg, somewhat of a torso in the wave but not much else. I always think of Picasso when look at this photo because all the body parts are juxtaposed seemingly randomly. Was I in the water when I took this photo? No, the Waikiki Beach Pier has excellent vantage points enabling shots like this without a waterproof camera.

This great Windward Coast location on Oahu is surrounded by volcanic craters and offers countless angles and photo compositional options. The beautiful and violent waves of Sandy Beach Park are tossing this bodyboarder head first hopefully not straight into the sandy ocean bottom.

Powerful big Hawaiian waves, the three horizontal lines, strikingly different colors and the insignificantly small human element make this photo interesting for me.

“HELP!” or perhaps “I AM OK!” could be possible captions for this wipe out photo taken on the dangerous Sandy Beach. What can be more powerful and symbolic than the single arm of the bodyboarder reaching upward? A very lucky shot indeed!

Refreshing Bodyboarding Photos Of Hawaiian Waves

I always imagined that this Hawaiian bodyboarder holding up his boogie board is showing his great respect toward the mighty ocean. The beautiful color and glass-like texture of the water makes this photo interesting for me.

The picture of inevitability! I am happy I was able to take this photo with the bodyboarder standing so I can illustrate how close to shore the big waves on Sandy Beach actually break.

Sand can be seen as it is stirred up from the ocean bottom just a few feet away from the shore. Sandy Beach Park offers and excellent view for spectators and great vantage points for sports and action photographers!

Action is fast as bodyboarders take off on the steep waves. Photographing under conditions like this for hours is greatly different from the relaxed pace of fashion model photography. The mind and the eyes must be fast making these shoots great training exercises develop more confidence and quicker reaction time.

Great action can be captured when kids run into the ocean at full speed to ride the crests of waves. The frozen water drops effect is a great visual placing the viewer right into the scene. The red boogie board is a true blessing; color which contrast with blue make surfing and wave photos a lot more visually exciting.

Holding a disk out in front without using a boogie board is the local Hawaiian style of bodysurfing as captured from the Waikiki Beach Pier.

This local Hawaiian kid, a true master of waves is about to complete a complete flip; that is the reason why his hair is defying gravity.

A very expressive photo of this Hawaiian bodyboarder kid enjoying slicing through the warm waters off of Waikiki Beach.

A native hawaiian kid is in the middle of the action here. Just like with models I try to carefully select the best bodyboarder talent in the water. Some of the positive attributes I look for: must be Hawaiian (mix), must have crazy / creative moves, preferably with a colorful boogie board or clothes that contrast well against the blue of the water.

I really like this photo of a local Hawaiian bodyboarding kid emerging from a tube off of Waikiki Beach. Once again it is almost unbelievable but I was not in the water when I took this photo but on the Waikiki Pier. The use of a telephoto lens and a great vantage point made this picture possible.

Hawaiian bodyboarding boy riding waves as effortlessly, elegantly and gracefully as I have ever seen.

Watching Bodyboarding Is Fun Too

Three local Hawaiian bodyboarding kids taking a break and admiring the beautiful blue shades of the Pacific Ocean off of Sandy Beach Park.

Kids ready to make a run for the approaching waves. The red safety helmet is somewhat of an unusual site but definitely a sensible precaution when bodyboarding at the dangerous Sandy Beach.

Local Hawaiian boy watching the bodyboarding action from the famous Waikiki Beach Pier.

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