Clark Little goes big ... in Laguna

August, 19, 2010
Aug 19
05:30
PM ET
By Tom Servais

Tom ServaisThis wasn't even Clark Little's job before photography, he rode the Waimea shorebreak just for fun.

It's not much of a secret that Clark Little, brother of big-wave nut job Brock Little, is quickly becoming one of the most sought after surf photographers in the business. And now, after opening Clark Little Gallery in Laguna Beach earlier this month, his imagery is becoming a little more accessible. And no, they're not just shots of the shorebreak, rather they're dangerously intimate views from the water in conditions that most people would drown in.

It's hard not notice Clark's work, as his angles and the colors he gets are so striking. And his compositions are hardly just luck, he works hard -- and some say plays hard. He loves being in the water. He has the enthusiasm of a 12-year-old, hence the nickname "Turbo." If you know his truck, you'll see it parked on the side of the road by Keiki Beach on Oahu's North Shore very early in the morning when conditions are good.

Tom ServaisLittle at his new gallery in Laguna Beach.

Going from plumeria farmer to grade A lensman in the span of a few years has taken some adjusting, but what Little's lacked in experience in the photography game is quickly overshadowed by his comfort in heavy Hawaiian water. He was the first surfer to ride huge Waimea shorebreak, a real T.O.A.D. (take off and die) wave.

Besides the gallery, he's recently come out with a beautiful coffee table book. The rest of us surf photogs are quite jealous -- in a healthy way, of course. We love the guy. Aloha and good luck Turbo!

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