Clark Little is an award-winning photographer based in Hawai’i. His 2022 book, The Art of Waves, was published as a postcard set in 2023.
In 2007, Clark realized his passion for shore break photography when his wife, Sandy, brought home a photograph of a wave to decorate their bedroom wall. Clark immediately bought a waterproof camera and used his experience as a surfer to begin recording his own perspectives of Hawaiian waves. Since then he has gained international recognition for his photography with magazine features in National Geographic and LIFE, and exhibitions throughout the US and internationally in Canada, Europe, Asia, and South America.
A while ago, Clark took time out from the waves to answer a few questions from Clarisse (aka CStar9), our intrepid reporter!
- Your audience for this interview is international, from more than 200 countries. How do you think oceans unite us?
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We live on a planet mostly covered by ocean. Water is 70% of earth’s surface, and of that, more than 95% is salt water. The ocean connects us all.
To me, being in the water, especially salt water, feels the most natural of anything to do. I feel alive. I think others can feel that too and have a connection to it on a higher level.
Photo: Dane Little / Location: North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii - The Art of Waves was recently released as a postcard set. Why postcards? And what is your relationship to snail mail?
I love postcards.
When I first started photography 15 years ago, one of the first things I did was print a series of postcards. The local stores on the North Shore and Starbucks coffee shops let me leave stacks in there. I’d give them away for free. It exposed all of these people to my photography and got the word out. The postcards drove people to my website where I could then sell prints.
Images from The Art of Waves postcard set When Penguin Random House published my new book, all of us involved really wanted paper products to go with it. We wanted the photos to live outside the pages of a book: a jigsaw puzzle for those who love games and a challenge and who want to get to know an image intimately. Postcards for people who love to collect and put something on their walls, and to share.
Postcards are a chance to spread the images around the world. It’s an incredible format for sharing my photography. For people who don’t want to buy a larger print, postcards are a great way to have a small piece of my artwork. The printing is beautiful – full color! It can be framed and put up on the wall or on the refrigerator with a magnet, and of course mailed and shared with family and friends.
I don’t send too much mail myself, but receiving mail is great. So much fun to go to the mailbox and see what’s in there.
- In five words or less, what do you hope your photography conveys about the shore break?
Nature’s power, beauty, and magic.
- What does scoping a new photography site look like for you? Do you surf to get a feel for the place, or watch from shore, just dive in with your camera, or something else?
Photo: Jacob VanderVelde / Location: North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii I don’t surf much any longer. Once I got hooked on photography, I stopped surfing. I tried to surf a few times but all I could think about was the great shots I was missing.
So…. no, I don’t surf a new location first. The main thing I do is watch: see how the waves are breaking, how the currents are running. Try to figure out the bottom before I go out.
If there is someone out surfing or doing something in the water, I’ll see how they move around and are affected by the waves. If someone is on the beach, I’ll ask questions.
One thing I have learned, and we are taught from an early age in Hawaii, is to respect nature and its power. Nature always has the last say and makes the big decisions.
And then sometimes you just have to jump in and figure it out as you go. I have been caught in some pretty dicey situations. Like shooting very large waves in hidden valleys with only my assistant around and no cell reception in case I got hurt or sucked out to sea.
Or, shooting directly in front of an active lava flow. The lava was coming onto the beach and I was just a stone throw away shooting waves. I was trying to get a shot of the red hot lava at the end of a tube. I didn’t realize what looked like a sandy beach was actually glass-like shards of fresh lava. After just 15 minutes of getting tossed in the waves I was bleeding everywhere. Just walking on the “beach” to and from the water, I had cuts all over the bottom of my feet. And I didn’t get a good shot, which was just as painful!
- Is there a page in the book (or card in the postcard set) that conjures a story for you that you’d like to share?
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This postcard photo of a wave breaking on dry sand titled “Last Blast” is one of the most unique perspectives. “Last Blast” is also in my book. This type of shot really caught people’s attention when I was starting out. The most common questions were, “Is it real? What happened to the photographer?"
The average person, or even someone who surfs a lot, couldn’t be in this position getting a photo like this. It’s dangerous and requires perfect timing. It’s a large wave breaking on the dry sand. In another second, it will crash down and send me and my 10-pound camera flying up the beach. Sometimes I am swept up the beach over a hundred feet. Once in a while, I even lose my $10k camera and rig – which I’ve always been able to find and retrieve. With all of the beatings I take, I only get a few really good shots each year. The ratio is really low, but when I get a great shot, it’s worth it all.
These are called “Run and Gun” shots. You can’t swim around in the water in these type of waves – they break right on dry sand. It’s a technique where I run down the beach and throw myself on the sand at the foot of a wave right before it heaves over. I am in the pocket for a few seconds and snap as many shots as I can during the calm before the explosion. I love seeing the grains of sand, the water throwing over in a perfect arch, and some palm trees outside the tube. I never get sick of these shots.
- When did you first see yourself as a full-time professional photographer? What would you tell the person you were 20 years ago about this move?
14 years ago – the week I appeared on live TV in the US showing my photography on Good Morning America: that was the transition point. The show was seen by something like 4–5 million people. Things just blew up after that. The week started with a UK newspaper featuring a handful of my shots and ended with this television appearance. My website almost crashed with the volume of sales and emails. It was the first time I thought I could be a professional photographer and make a living from it.
Self portrait (Clark Little) / Location: North Shore, Oahu (Hawaii) And the momentum kept going, so a few months later I quit my job as a supervisor at a botanical garden in Hawaii. It was a job I held for 17 years and thought I’d be doing it until I retired. I had all of the benefits and steady income. It was a safe path with kids, wife, and a mortgage. Once I jumped into photography full time, things went to the next level.
If I was to go back 20 years ago, I would tell myself, quitting my job was the best decision of my life. I’d also remind myself, don’t hesitate to do something if it feels right. If you have a passion for something and an opportunity presents itself, don’t talk yourself out of it. Go for it… full throttle!
To learn more about Clark and his work, check out his website, where you’ll find out more about his photography but also links to interviews he’s done over the years. And we really recommend watching this Nikon short documentary about Clark, to see him in action in the ocean!
And here comes the traditional giveaway! Clarisse is happy to award four postcrossers with a postcard from this lovely set. For your chance to receive one, comment below to let us know how you feel about the sea: do you live or take holidays by the sea? When was the first time you saw the ocean? And did you ever get knocked over by a wave breaking near the shore?
And the winners of this giveaway, as chosen by Paulo’s random number generator are… clbrown, Toome2, islander61 and Atlanta! Congratulations, and thank you all for participating!
134 comments so far
I am so excited to see this article as I was looking for postcards and I LOVE waves. Will wait to see if I win and if not, I will be buying them. I booked a trip to Hawaii just to see the waves. Next Spring, I am off to Nazare, Portugal to see the giant waves there.
The wave pictures on the postcards are amazing! I love the ocean; I know how to surf, but I don't have a board any more, as I sold it so I could travel. I do love just sitting on the beach and watching the waves roll in. I live not-too-far from the beach, and I have been knocked over by a wave breaking (many times!).
I once was in Hawaii and I am so in love. We have lived long time in Rostock near the baltic sea, where our little Miss was born.
We miss the sea so much, so we drive long time for only a few hours at the baltic sea.
These postcards are so amazing!
I live near the baltic sea and we had a large flood last week. Many basements are wet, many boats are destroyed in the harbours. But I still love the sea, and I'm very happy it didn't destroy more!
During my younger days i lived near the coast just 200 metres from sea and i really enjoy going to the beach...
I live close to what is practically an inland sea, Lake Michigan. It is similar but so different from the ocean. The last time I swam in the ocean was on a family trip to the gulf coast of Alabama a few years ago where I did get knocked around by a few waves but it was great fun!
How exciting to see these! I came across these cards earlier this year and had actually pre-ordered them. They are beautiful.
What a surprise to see this set featured because I just recently started sharing cards from it! I live by the Atlantic Ocean, and our waves are considerably smaller, but as I tell those I send the cards to, the beauty of the water is the same. Love these!
This is one of my favorite boxed sets! They are absolutely beautiful in color, photography and the stock weight is excellent! I bought them when they were first released and I love them! What a talented photographer!
Love to sit on the beach and just watch the waves come in.
Beautiful postcards!!!
Woah, I don't had much words when I saw those cards, so beautiful.
I grow up in The Netherlands and visit the North-sea with my parents when I was young. The first time that I saw the real ocean was, when I was dating my husband. I was 23 and he took me to the west coast of Ireland and I saw the first waves from the Ocean. It was stunning even in the rain!
Storm-watching is my thing now on the West coast of Vancouver Island where I live now. Tofino, is the place to be....
I live near the sea, but do not go there much anymore. I am not sure why. It is always a place where I feel calm and settled. These photos are amazing. Such a great article!
The sea fascinates me because I'm a hillbilly and am so rarely around it. If I weren't rooted here, I'd likely consider moving to an island in the Caribbean.
I am born and grew-up very next ocean but now I live in no ocean place sometimes I'm very miss the wave sounds and his photography just bring back to me my island and image the sounds of waves! very cool postcards!
Hello, I live in a small mountain town in the Pyrenees, bordering France, but I am also very close to the Mediterranean Sea. Where I have a small apartment where I spend the entire summer enjoying the beaches of the famous COSTA BRAVA, there are also many young people who practice surfing. , I also traveled sometimes to the north of Spain to visit and enjoy the Atlantic Ocean with its bravery, its gifts "seafood" and the character that it has imbued in the people of the fishing villages,,, thanks for the PODCAST
Alejandro Arandia
I’ve always loved the sea. My hometown is few kilometers away from the nearest beach, and I’ve always spent some weeks (if not months!) on the seaside for every summer of my life. Being born in April, I also have one of my first pictures ever taken at the beach: a 3-month-old baby sitting under the umbrella shadow, with the sea on the background.
I also have pictures of myself, some years later (I can be 10 or 11), with feet covered by few centimeters of sea water, during a sunny day with rough sea. I am standing in a vert safe spot, but the magic is about seeing a very long line of just broken waves covering up the beach in white foam, while other waves are coming along in the distance.
I am not a surfer, but I’d have loved developing some surfing skills myself to take pictures of the ocean like Clark’s!
I was born on an island and while I lived on the prairies for 15 years, the pull of the ocean was a constant. I am happily back on the island where I can view the ocean from my window. Calm days and stormy days, and everything in between, are good days to be by, or on, the water.
I love this series! They're beautiful cards and works of art!
I miss living by the ocean! I plan a trip to any beach I can, every chance I get!
These are very beautiful photos, and a great article! The ocean around New Zealand is relatively violent, so there is always somewhere to stop off to watch waves crash into rocks. It is very mesmerising and you can sit there for a long time watching minute things happening. It is exciting and relaxing at the same time.
When I lived in Brooklyn my friend and I would take the subway to Coney Island around Mother’s Day in May and dare each other to stay in the Atlantic Ocean being tossed around in a the freezing water until we turned blue. And then lay on the sand in the sun until we stopped shivering.
We agree those were the best of days!
Wow! That's amazing photography, and a neat story. Even though I'm landlocked hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean, I still feel it's pull. I think it is an incredible place, and I miss it. I would like to go kayaking in the San Juan islands one day, so yes! I vacation at the ocean.
Clark, I saw your wonderful movie. Watched with the children with the whole family, it's very interesting! And very motivating! You're cool!!! You have really cool photos ! They're alive!!!!! You look at the photo and it seems now you will hear the deafening sound of a falling wave, and the spray will make you squint and Laugh as in childhood!!! And if your daytime photos are full of energy and strength, then evening photos are full of Relaxation and romance! These are warm, quiet gentle waves that barely touch your feet when you are sitting on the beach by the sea in the evening.
My childhood was spent in a small village, we didn't have a sea, but there was a beautiful river, we spent the whole summer at it. Then, growing up, I went on a trip to the sea! I still remember what kind of view of the boundless sea opened up to me as soon as the mountains retreated, I even took my breath away. Since then, I have been going to the sea every year, now with my children. They just love the sea. It's like they're dolphins. Thank you for such beautiful photos!
Hi!
Beautiful pictures, where can i buy these cards?
These are beautiful and captured in an amazing way. I DO live by the Chesapeake Bay so I get to see the water every day but it’s not like these. Fantastic!
I saw the sea for the first time in 2017. I can't swim, but I love the sea in my own way. I love its beauty, noise, stones, waves, silence, color... I want to see the sea again. I love being touched by waves, I love running away from waves 🌊❤️
Wow beautiful. I love the sea. I love the blue and green hues it gives. It relaxes me as I enjoy this vast magnificent nature on earth. I’ve lived by the Pacific Ocean all my life. It’s somewhat difficult being landlocked with no view of water. I currently live on an island so I always see some sort of water. At times I do take holidays to the sea; I can recall the large waves of the Caribbean and the Mediterranean Sea. My favourite has been the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana while enjoying the aesthetic green mountains.
Ahhh, water! I live close to the Great Lakes and Niagara Falls and spend lots of time in the water. BUT, hearing and seeing the sea is a whole other level. It is so alive and makes us realize how nature is so much bigger than us. 💕
I love the strength and beauty of the ocean, especially off season, when the beaches aren't crowded with vacationers. I don't remember the first time I saw the sea, but as a child, I lived within walking distance of the beach in Massachusetts, and we spent much of the summer getting covered with sand and yes, being knocked over by waves.
For 2 years I lived on the Pacific coast of Mexico. The ocean has a special place in my heart! It's not only mighty and beautiful, but also mysterious and full of life. I will never forget happy evenings we spent on the beach enjoying sunsets, watching whales and playing with our dog there 💕
Well, this is certainly going on my Christmas list! I am not a great swimmer, but I love being near the sea. My favourite spot here in Northern Ireland is just across Dundrum Bay, at Tyrella Beach, (see photo left) where you can see the sea, beautiful Mourne Mountains and the sky.
Lovely pictures! I love Caribben Sea, so warm and beautiful.
Amazing shots! Love them. I live in the Netherlands, a country with a long coastline. 30% of our country is even below sea level. When I was a few weeks old, we had a holiday at the coast and that was the first time my toes touched the ocean. Ever since I love the sea. Swimming, snorkling, diving, surfing, canoeing, sailing. I never get bored. If I win I will be so happy to be able to make other people happy with these amazing cards and a personal story of one of my adventures related to the ocean.
I love the sea. We used to go to the North Sea on vacation, when I was a child. And since then I'm always happy when I'm near the ocean, hear the sound of it. Feel it. I loved to play the game if the waves catch me and if I get wet feet or shoes or trousers.
I also started to catch waves with the camera of my old mobile phone years older (I didn't dare risk my normal camera) and had fun catching the right moment loooong before the wave breaks because the phone was so slow 😁. Of course I didn't get such wonderful pictures, but one or two I liked and well, my phone survived, which was probably also some kind of "does the wave catch us" game, the grown up version maybe.
Sadly I haven't been to the ocean for some years now. I miss it!
I spent every summer as a child by the sea. And I've lived by the sea for some years, and also worked at sea. I love the sea; the calm days are of course beautiful, but the stormy days with high waves are even more amazing, as I love seeing the power of nature.
Thank you for this interesting story, thank you for these incredibly beautiful postcards. I really love the sea, the beach, seagulls, dolphins and waves, the waves mesmerize me, I would spend hours looking at the waves and it will never bore me. There is a war going on in our country right now and our travel options are limited. Before the war we discovered an amazing place in Ukraine, it is Katranka. The resort is located in Tatarbunar district, Odessa region in southeastern Ukraine, the southern part of Bessarabia, an area called Budjak on the Black Sea coast between lakes Sasyk and Djantsheyske. Located 45 km from the mouth of the Danube River and 80 km from the mouth of the Dniester River, this area is part of the Danube-Dniester Biosphere Reserve. Between the sea and the resort there is the Djantscheiske Lake. To get to the beach you will have to walk on bridges or embankment 200-400 meters. On the way to the beach all season long you can observe flocks of white and pink pelicans, swans, herons, ducks, gulls and other various birds (about 200 species in total), whose settlements have found a place among the reservoirs located around the resort and separating the beach from the mainland, which are part of a series of sea estuaries. I am in love with this place, it is the most beautiful place on our planet.
I have never seen the ocean before. I've been to the Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Red Sea, Adriatic Sea and Mediterranean Sea, but never the ocean. I hope I do someday. Oh yes, the waves have knocked me down, but that was only once, I usually stay away from the shore in a big storm :).
I really wish there was no war and we could go to our peaceful sea. I wish everyone peace and goodness.
I am not a strong swimmer and even have a phobia of deep water, so therefore only interact with the ocean from the shore. That's when I'm near an ocean, which is not too often. These photos are even more amazing to me given all the above!
The ocean waters are a mystery to me. I live in a land-locked state in the middle of America! So seeing this photography is a real treat! Thank you :)
These photos are amazing! I always consider myself as a mountain-kind-of-person (you know..there's always a debate about mountain vs sea haha!), but whenever I go to sea, I always feel calm....
I love waves! They're incredible. It's really fascinating to see how the nature works sometimes. Thank you for these amazing photos!
An amazing article and photos. Thank you.
I live on a 7x21 mile /11x33 km island and the beach is a seven-minute drive from my house. I drive by several times a week just for the view of so many shades of blue.Today the waves were rapidly rolling in as we're having very breezy conditions yesterday and today. Lots of white caps. The sound of the waves either gently lapping the shoreline or crashing onto the rocks is an awesome part of the experience nature offers us. Cool, salty air. Sun overhead. Island-life <3 :)
Thank you for sharing this amazing article. Outstanding photography of our precious element in nature and in our bodies. Wow.
Growing up I remember how I always loved to play with the waves pretending to be a magical sea creature. I don't go to the sea that often anymore so I miss it a lot. Thank you for bringing us these breathtaking photographs!
Thank you for capturing such beautiful fluidity! I have always lived by the beach and love ocean waves. My friends and I always had long scabs running on our faces and bodies from crashing waves dragging us over shells and rocks. Your pictures of waves crashing on the beach bring back memories of my crazy aquatic childhood and finding sand EVERYWHERE!
I grew up close to the Pacific Ocean, and honestly cannot remember the first time I saw the sea 😅 I love visiting beaches and being near the sea, but don't go into the water too often (it's cold over here!) One of my math teachers in high school would go surfing after teaching classes each day, and someone else I know would skip class to go surfing 🤣
Born in Udupi district in Karnataka state of India... sea is an integral part of our life. We depend on it a lot but take it for granted. As a family we visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands which opened my eyes to the beauty of sea further on this still unexplored lands. Such a serene environment.
These are beautiful. I grew up on the Mississippi River and it wasn't until I moved away that I realized I did not appreciate living so near the water as much as I should have. I now live on the East Coast of the US and I have dipped my toes in both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. I love the sounds of the waves, but I cannot do much more than wade in the oceans as I am not a strong swimmer and I have anxiety if my feet cannot touch the ground so the oceans (and lakes and heights) scare me. I love the picture of you in position to take the picture of the wave hitting the sand. These are beautiful. Water is beautiful and calming and since it is ever flowing it is constantly changing and never the same.
I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life; maybe the first time I saw the ocean was when I was really little and my family did the traditional early morning trek to the HMB Pumpkin Festival. As an adult I love to drive to the beach and dip my toes in the water, although I've never ventured further in (I never learned to swim!). These postcards are beautiful; thank you Postcrossing for introducing me to Clark's photography!
I have loved the sea since my childhood. The postcards are beautiful. Thank you for the article.
I have spent over half of my life on Vancouver Island. I try to scoot down to the beach every day. The best days are when the waves are wild, smashing on the sea shore!
Your photographs are enchanting!
Thank you!🤩 I just bought this wonderful postcard box. I am so happy about those great photographs. We love the sea also very much, the ncredible smell of the water, rhe wind and waves, and are therefore realizing a dream and moving to the North Sea in couple of months.
I live not too far from Manila Bay, but the bay is not for swimming. It's more for viewing sunsets. I probably first saw the ocean while on family vacation as a child. I might have been knocked over by waves, but I don't really remember.
I am born near the coast of Scheveningen in the Netherlands. By storm we went to the beach to view the waves. But the most spectacular waves I saw was on a holiday in Douarnenez in Brittany by 10 Beaufort. Wow, unbelievable waves. When I close my eyes I see them again in memory.
Dear Clarisse,
Thank you for this wonderful interview! It was a very interesting read.
I like the sea, and have been on vacation at the Baltic, Northern and Mediterranean Sea, mostly with my family when I was a kid. Most of the time I was too afraid to really get into the water, but the last time I was at the beach I overcame my fear: I swam a little and was also knocked over, but it was OK!
I saw the Atlantic ocean when I was in my last years of high school and the Pacific two years later while staying at the American West Coast. That is a place where I would love to live!
Thanks again for the interview and good luck to everyone participating in the giveaway!
I live by the ocean. I checked his book out from the library. Beautiful images!
I don't live anywhere near the sea, but enjoy spending time there during vacations. With school and family I`ve been to islands in the North Sea, family trips took me to the Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. I also got a quick view of a little bit of Pacific in 2008, while being on Orientation in Sydney for my high school exchange in Australia.
I love swimming in the ocean and smelling the salty air, seeing the waves break at the beach and feeling the sand underneath my feet.
What a great story and amazing photo's. I still live near the north sea and are lucky to go there every time. I think I like the stormy sea the best. Good memories of being in the summer with friends and family on the beach and enjoying nature, like this. Water is our lifesaver.
I hope one day I’ll see the ocean not in the card.. It’s soo beautiful, breathtaking and mysterious.
I grew up in a coastal city. After leaving home for school, the city where my school is located is also near the sea. I often compare the difference between the sea in the two cities - the color and smell of the water and the rocks on the beach. The sea on either side is lovely in its own way.
These postcards also have very gorgeous colors! The photographs are really well taken.
I purchased this postcard set a few months ago. I love them and haven’t been able to part with any postcards yet. I live in Hawaii and I appreciate the way the ocean is treated with respect in the photos.
great postcards! The sea reminds me of happy childhood summers when we went to the beach by the Swedish west coast. Windy days that created waves were lucky days!
I live by the sea on the longest island in Adriatic. I have not seen the ocean yet but I will probably work as sailor and see a lot of it.
I have always felt the call of the sea. While I am now a retired sailor, I still feel its call, in my bones. What has always fascinated the most is its edges; the edges of waves, the edges of islands and continents, and the edge of the earth upon which it sits. The beach is a phenomenal place, where sea and land and sky come together as one, the edge of the known and the unknown, a place of infinite possibilities. I am delighted to find postcards from someone who shares that passion!
I live in a beautiful port-city Odessa near the Black Sea and I really love sea! It's my the biggest inspiration! Your postcards are stunning!
I’ve always loved the sea, but I haven’t seen it for three years. There is a war in my country and I have to work very hard to live. But I would really like to see the sea again, but even better the ocean. I’ve always dreamed of going abroad and seeing the ocean, I hope I can do it after the war
I love the sea! Last time I saw iton August during my work trip, and I had never seen the ocean. Hope will see it one day)
Thanks for sharing these great photos and the interview. As I was born on an island, and raised in another (in NYC!), I have always loved shorelines, especially winter beachcombing, A combination of beauty and lagniappe!
Such amazing pictures, wow!
We have a cottage on the sea shore. I love it the most when it’s completely calm but on the other hand, standing there on the rocky shore in the autumn winds just listening to the roar of the waves is pretty cathartic.
I also love watching the kite surfers when the waves are big, although honestly they seem crazy to me :D I could never ever do it - I’m happy on land.
I live for the ocean! I feel such a connection when I am near it. The salty air, the waves crashing. Unfortunately for me the ocean is a 15 hour drive, but we try our hardest to make it there every year. Truly is healing 🌊
I live in the only county in Taiwan that is not close to the sea.The first time I saw the sea was ten years ago,and I have always remembered the feeling.It was very warm and comfortable.
I live in Illinois so I don't live by an ocean. I live within walking distance of a lake where I take sunset pictures. It is so peaceful being there. When I go on a vacation, having an ocean nearby is essential. I was in Hawaii 26 years ago on our honeymoon and will never forget the sunset beach walks we took. I have been to Mexico and Florida and enjoyed taking in the beautiful pictures I took.
I live on one of the Great Lakes, which is freshwater but the storms and waves can rival those found in the ocean. I love body surfing - timing the waves just right to ride them into shore.
I love the ocean. I once got bowled over in the break when I was trying to body surf as a teenager. Another time I walked into a school of jellyfish and got stung all over my torso and legs. Even so, I love the ocean and can never get enough of it. These are amazing photographs and a great story!
I saw a few of these cards (and the box) at my last Postcrossing Meetup I attended (Navarre Beach), and had already hunted this set down and put it on my wish list.
Like the photographer, I also love the ocean even when it beats you up a bit. I got repeatedly dragged over coral when learning to scuba dive in Panama - taught me to be very good at situational awareness and you can believe I am more careful on entry and exit now, not only to avoid being sliced up, but also to respect and protect the fragile coral reefs!
Hi! I adore sea, it's a pure magic for me) I have never seen the ocean, but I believe that after our victory I will have an opportunity to see it:)
I feel a deep connection with the sea and nature. The splendor of the waves is enchanting and takes us to a paradise... I live near the coast and love the beach! I would love to receive a postcard to add to my collection.
I love the sea very much. As a child, I often spent time on the seashore in Odesa. I liked the sea there in March, when there were no tourists and only locals. And the sea was incredibly blue and mirror-clear. The first time I saw the ocean was 5 years ago when I visited the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. This place and the view of the ocean made a strong impression on me.
I love the waves - their power to rock us back to our essential nature. Recently, I've had a hard time dealing with all the ups and downs of life, but I try to remind myself that life is like that - happiness and hardship come in waves, and when the waters are rough, we just have to hold on to the good ol' surf board of our soul...
Amazing photos! I've been to the sea only a few times and never saw the ocean and big waves. Ones a wave hit me with pebbles on my legs when I was coming out of the water. It was a little painful :)
What a great article! I absolutely love the box of postcards and I have already added it to my Amazon.com wish list. I love the sea, but I am also scared of it and I get a bit seasick. I have also had bad experiences with waves. I think that everyone should respect the sea and leave all of the creatures alone who live in the sea.
Super interesting article! Amazing images. And I love that his success has been nurtured, in large part, via postcards. What a nice story to read! Thanks for sharing @CStar9!
Wonderful article. The sea is my happy place. It is like a part of my soul. When I step off a plane near the ocean and can smell it and hear it I immediately calm and relax.
Hello! Thank you for this lovely article! I love the ocean and spend as much time there as possible! Yesterday morning I drove an hour and a half to my favorite beach just to watch the sun rise. It was magical. There were seals, a gull ate a fish very close by to me, and I was able to just breathe the salty air and listen to the waves crash. The ocean is so good for my soul. It is my home, and I have a lot of respect for it! I definitely have been thrown around by the waves before, and take great care to not go out when it’s too rough! I love Clark’s photographs and can only imagine how many times he was slammed by waves for the outcome of the perfect picture. These photos bring you there. You can feel the ocean in your bones, smell the salt, feel the water up your nose hahah. 🌊❤️🌊
I, unfortunately, do not live by the sea at the moment with where I live in Australia, but I used to live by the sea in New Zealand. Grew up along the beach. I have however had a getaway in Victoria where my partner and I took a trip to the other side of Victoria and swam in open water around some dolphins and then had the opportunity to snorkel around some seals.
I have been knocked over by a wave breaking near the shore many many times. Especially when you have your back turned and are trying to head back up to land. Now that Australia is coming into warmer weather again I hope to go back to the beach very soon. :)
Big fan of water but sadly never learned to swim. Love visiting the Pacific coastal areas whenever time allows. I'd love to go back to the East coast and see the Atlantic ocean! So glad to read this interview of Clark...I was keeping an eye on the postcard set for a while now!
fantastic pictures.
I'm a huge fan of Clark Little, his water photography and perspective evokes wonder and awe. This looks like such a beautiful set of postcards! I hope I receive one sometime in the future!
I grew up on the Central Coast of California. I quintessential California Girl. The beach and ocean was my favorite place. My sisters and I would swim even if the water was really cold. My mom's rule was that we had to get out when our lips turned blue:) I learned to surf as a teenager but was more of a really good bobbing cork. As long as I could be out in the water sitting on my board I was happy. If I happened to be in the "washing machine" I would totally go limp, open my eyes and watch the awesome power of the wave spin me to shore. I learned to Scuba right out of high school. I always thought the top of the water was the best but found the wonders under the water magical too.
Going to beach is always fun and adventourous, i had lived near sea and its wonderful....
Ufortunately, I do not live near the sea. By in childhood I travelled by sea with my father all over the world. I like sea, waves. It is great!
A year ago I moved to Lombok, Indonesia. My house is literally 3 minutes by motorbike from a beach. When in doubt, I go to the beach and swim. Seeing the ocean is always mesmerising. I remember the first time I saw the ocean after 2.5 years of inactivity. It was during COVID-19. I can't take my eyes off of the car with the windows open. It always heals my soul. It is always fun to play with the waves and to get knocked over on the shore. I usually put off my sandals and run over the wave if it's coming until i fall down and finally swim.
Thank you for sharing this photographer and his extraordinary work! I love his philosophy of sharing art through postcards, and I love the sea. My great-granduncle was a sea captain based in Maine, and I’ve always felt at home on the water. I once had the opportunity to take a zodiac raft out from Churchill, Manitoba, see a Beluga mother and calf, and hear them through a microphone our guide lowered into the water! I also walk my local beaches in all seasons.
Lovely Waves. Half my country lies below sea level. I never saw Waves like that. True Art. You must have great timing and be Waterproof to capture Pictures like that.
I grew up by the sea, so did my father. My family on his side has a deep connection to the sea, from fishing to smmiwing and even mourning the lives of dear friends lost at the sea... So I was taught to respect the sea from an early age. And to this day nothing brings me calm like going down to the beach, hear the waves break, the birds, the smell and go for a dive.
I love the sound of the waves and the smell of the ocean. it gives me a sense of calm, many time when i can't sleep, the sound of the waves is my go to background music on calm. At the same time I am also scared of the ocean, the power it holds if that makes sense.
Those are amazing clicks! Looking forward to sending and receiving them :-)
Such a fan of Clark Little… I bought this set a few months ago… absolutely gorgeous !
These cards are breathtaking! The ocean is my special place. I went there after my father died and stood on the beach with my grandfather. It brought peace to both of us, and this is special memory for me. I went there again this summer after my mother died. My grandfather wasn’t with me this time because he passed away a few years ago, but it was still a special moment as I remembered the people I love standing on the beach looking at a place I love.
I first saw the ocean when I was travelling to San Francisco in 2016. The weather was quite chilly (it was October - brrr!) so I didn't get a swim, which was a little disappointing. But I loved the sounds and the smell of the ocean breeze.
I love the sea and when I am near it, it is hard to get me out again once I'm in it!
I'd love to be a marine biologist as I am besotted with the ocean and who lives in it!
The photos are gorgeous and the interview super interesting, wow! 💙
What beautiful work, real art 😻 I really love the sea ♥️, I wish it was available in my country
Once on a vacation from land-locked Colorado to Oregon shoreline, I learned about "sneaker waves" after I got caught in one. Water can make a decision. Your photography is terrific; thanks for sharing it.
Yes, I live on the beach. At the time of Tokyo 2020, there was a tournament and I was excited. All my friends enjoy surfing, and on a good wave day, I pass the person who put a surfboard on a bicycle. I haven't started surfing yet, but almost every day, I go for a walk to the sea and enjoy watching the waves. I was impressed by the "last blast" in your photo.
the Atlantic waves in Portugal have almost devored us! I deeply enjy those which carry me. and I love to dream on the sand listening to the waves...
I remember attending my great-Grandma's funeral in North Carolina when I was in college, and my family visited the Atlantic Ocean on the trip (we're from a land-locked state in the midwest). It was April and freezing, but I just *had* to run into the ocean and get my feet wet. A huge wave knocked me down, and I went head first into the chilly water. That experience gave me a new respect for the power of water and Mother Nature!
The waves of the sea: Clark Little had a truly original art idea, as the waves represent a symbol of life.
I want to remind you, in fact, that life was born in the primordial ocean (a trace of those waters is still present in our cells), and the sea occupies an important place in art.
I believe that many know the painting of the birth of Venus, by the famous Renaissance painter Botticelli, which depicts the birth of the goddess of beauty: this image, which has always been considered the perfect idea of female beauty in art, shows Venus rising from the sea, supported by a shell.
And I have always felt the connection with the sea strong in me, both as a child (when I spent long summers in Liguria, in the birthplace of Christopher Columbus) and now, living near the place where legend says that Aeneas - the hero of ancient Greek and Roman mythology - settled, after having landed on the Italian coasts of Lazio fleeing from the Trojan War.
The sea is life: the tribute by the talented Hawaiian photographer Clark is truly beautiful, allowing us to admire moving images crystallized in an instant, but which still seem to suggest the rhythmic splashing just by looking at.
We must show respect to the sea, without which life would not exist.
Warm greetings from Italy
Thanks for this great post! I'll definitely have to order a puzzle and/or box of postcards! They're beautiful!
I don't live near the ocean, but have visited the east coast of the USA a few times. Recently I visited the west coast off of California for the first time and it was amazing! I was only there for a short time, but fell in love with the colors and sounds of the ocean!
Thanks for the giveaway! :)
Thank you for this great post.......we dun get such waves here in Singapore. Compared to what I see now, ours maybe classified as ripples in the big sea.......cheers.
I grew up near the ocean. But the ocean in Hawaii is more beautiful. When I am tired, I want to see the beautiful ocean. I relieve my tiredness by watching the sunset and listening to the sound of the waves. Your wonderful card box gives me energy to live tomorrow. Thank you for making such wonderful cards.
I love those photos. I send some of my own photos as postcards, too. Taking spectacular photos of water is not easy I know.
The Baltic Sea is not far away from my home, and I love to be there: Getting my head free in the windy and salty air, watching the waves and ships. I would love to win the cards.
What a dynamic and beautiful photo! Amazing! I love the tube photos the best. Thank you for the artistic photos.
I don't live by the sea, but I sort of grew up on the coast - spending all my childhood holidays with my grandparents, who lived on a little island in the North Sea. Today my mother lives there, so I still frequently visit the place.
The ocean however, I first saw in 2000, and from the opposite shore, in Rio de Janeiro. There also my wife and I had a bit of a scare when a wave tore her legs from under her and dragged her out to sea - her being a non-swimmer. But our Brazilian friend and I were able to get her back to the beach.
I get to learn the ecosystem of the sea like how healthy the condition of the sea bed by knowing which species of marine life that found in that location. To me, sea is not just about great waves and beautiful view.
These photographs are talking to you when you look at them, they make me think about the privilege to live in such a beautiful world.
I've never been at the oceaside, I hope one day I will; but I swam on Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea.
I'm fascinated by the strange creatures that live in the sea and especially the trenches. First time I saw the sea was probably when my parents took me to California when I was 3- sadly I don't remember it. Never been knocked down by a wave because I don't like swimming, I prefer walking along the shore. Beautiful postcards!
I love Clark's story; the photographs are brilliant! I was fortunate to take about 8 weeks worth of vacations in Hawai'i. Once at Waikiki, I was able to body-surf a foot-high wave for a good distance. That should not have been possible, but I'd had a good teacher. Another time, water trounced me off a boogie board and I couldn't tell which was up for a bit. That taught me the power of the ocean. I've never felt better than after a good swim/surf in the ocean. I am land-locked now in Indiana.
As a person who is somewhat water phobic, the power of the ocean scares me a bit. But at the same time, it is mesmerizing to me. I love being on a beach and walking, watching the waves. From a distance! Clark Little's photos are magnificent! I can appreciate what he does and his passion shows in every photo.
I can't describe how much I love these photographs! They also are very inspiring.
The power of the ocean is incredible. I would be too anxious to try such shots or get too close to the waves. Still I am fascinated by the ocean since childhood. I would love to visit Hawaii, too - this will stay a dream during my life...
I love to holiday by the sea. My favourite place, is Stradbroke Island. It doesn't take us long to get there. It's the perefcet place to relax. Eat, swim, read, sleep...repeat. Swimming in the waves washes your brains out.
I love the ocean. I don't live that close to it unfortunately but one of my favorite places that is relatively close is Cape Cod in Massachusetts. You can find some pretty nice waves there!
Singapore has no ocean surrounding it. Just seas n straits. Thus seeing such huge waves is really an eye opener n stunning too........cheers.
I was born near Odessa, Ukraine, so I spent a lot of summers swimming in the Black Sea 🌊
I have a deep connection with it and always look forward to going back 🩵
Beautyful pictures but nothing for me, I did get knocked under several waves when I was working in Rome (Italy) after a stormy day back in 1984. I spent the summer holiday by the sea and since then I don*t go swimming or even spent time by the sea anymore, I don*t like water if I don*t feel the ground under my feet.
I love seas and oceans and although I live far away from sea, all my life again and again brings me back to the seashore. (Especially I love north seas, first time I've visited White sea with school practice, because I've studied in a class with an in-depth study of biology, so we lived in tents nearby the sea about a month, studied plants on the seashore and marine animals)
And of course I have planty of stories about waves and how they knock me over.
One of the most popular story in our family is story, when my mom asked 4-years-old-me to go to the (pretty high) waves to jump and swing on them. It was pretty fun until one of those waves knocked me over and dragged on small pebbles. After that I left the sea and told my mom: "I'd better stay with father on the beach - it's fun to be with you, but it's safe with him".
Another story was last year in the Pacific Ocean nearby Acapulco. We've visited my unt and uncle, who live in Mexico, and when they finished their dinner on the terrace of the restaurant overlooking the sea, my boyfriend and I decided to take photo of waves on the beach.
And when I was taking photo, one of those waves flooded the beach, so the water was knee-deep. I thought that it's ok, because I had shorts and believed that I stand firmly on my feet.
But wave stole my flip - flops. And for you to know - it's second such situation in this summer - before that, my flip-flops were stolen by a river in Russia that my boyfriand and I were wading through, and then I couldn't catch him, so I was wearing brand-new, undressed flip-flops.
I decided in a moment and give to my bf my mobile phone and sun glasses and run into (pretty high) waves to swim and catch my flip-flop. I heard "HELEN, NO!" from terrace, where my aunt and uncle stayed, but I was sure that I can catch it and can swim back.
It was pretty hard, but I got flip-flops back and returned back as a winner!
P.S. Photos of waves by Clark are amazing! all the power of the sea on the paper!
Wow, what incredible shots! Thank you so much for sharing.
Having grown up in New Zealand I have never been far from the sea, and have vowed never to live without a view of it again! It's part of my soul - calming when it's quiet and cleansing and invigorating when it's wild and stormy. Like Clarke Little though, I have a profound respect for the sea - the most terrified I've ever been was being pinned down on the sand floor by a ferocious wave on an unfamiliar beach as a child. Now I know to read the beach and the waves. I also try and 'give back' by cleaning up litter whenever I come across it either on or by the water.
One of the many things I love about Postcrossing is the glimpse into other's lives in far away places. I always check where I am sending my cards too and try and picture what life is like in the middle of a continent, far from the sea... it's hard to imagine.
Thanks again for sharing this artist's work and the wonderful story :)
Amazing photographs! 🌊🌊🌊
The Czech Republic does not have a sea because it is a landlocked country, but of course we have already been to the sea several times. We saw the most beautiful waves in Iceland on our honeymoon in December 2018. 😊
Beautiful Photos! Growing up in Kenya, I always had a deep love for the ocean, especially the Indian Ocean. We went maybe twice a year for vacation and I loved it so much, the swimming, the beach, riffs and corals and off course the sometimes massive waves, depending on the moon and tides. I am scared to swim though, when the water is too deep and I dont have the ground under my feet :)
Now I live so far away from any sea and I always get nostalgic seeing the ocean when I have the chance
Excited about the giveaway!
The Sea, Sea Shore, Ocean, Shoreline, Coast, Beach. So many names!. Whatever you may call it, I call it My Happy Place. I find peace & solitude there. The sounds, the smells, the memories! I’ve never lived farther than 1 - 1 1/2 hour drive from my home to my favorite place on earth. Clark Little’s photography is absolutely incredible! Thank you for sharing with us.
The wave pictures are literally amazing! 🌊 🌊 I've never experienced getting knocked over by such a wave. The sea reminds me of the moments when l was going to the beach with my grandma. Gold days! That was when l encountered the sea for the first time. Now, l live not that far from the Ocean (Nordic Sea). I visit it from time to time.
I absolutely LOVE Clark Little! I have been following his career for a few years- found him accidentally when on internet looking at ocean photos and could not get enough of what I saw of his work. It is amazing and crazy what he does to get the picture- though I am very thankful that he is brave enough to do so. I had not known about his postcards- I need to get a set - love them! Keep up the great work! Thank you for sharing- this was a great post to find out he now has postcards! Thank you !
I don't live right next to the sea, but a bit over an hour away. My wife is particularly infatuated with the ocean though, so we're having our wedding ceremony next Spring at an aquarium on the coast. I think we'd go there every weekend if it wasn't so far. The ocean is so peaceful, except for of course when it knocks us over and steals our cell phones. We think of them as sacrifices to the sea whenever it happens, but we've been more careful after it happened to each of us.
I like looking at wave photos, as I have never seen the ocean yet! I live in Iowa and have not had the chance to travel that far and don't know anyone who lives nearby. Thank you for the chance to win a card. Linda Molle
Stunning photographs and a beautiful set of cards!! I live close to the coast but it's pretty cool here even in the summer and it's very rare you'd want to set foot in the sea. I love the smell of the ocean and the sounds mainly. I was lucky enough to go on a cruise earlier in the year and got to sit for a week looking at the sun rising and setting over the wake of the ship. It felt like a once in a lifetime deal, it was gorgeous!
I love the sea. Perhaps partly as it's in my blood. My mother comes from a village near the Dutch North sea and my father from the Italian island Elba. But I live inlands now (okay in the Netherlands that's never very far from the sea but without a car it is kind of far) so rarely see the sea. The covid period was the only period for me with no vacation with at least a few days near the sea. But I did made some daytrips to the sea as otherwise I miss it too much. Being used to the calm blue sea around Elba it feels like a totally different world to se the grey often wild north sea. But sea is sea. The smell, the sound.....wonderful. I miss it as it's been june since I've been to the sea.
I'm not a fan of the sea. I was knocked over (pounded, actually) by a serious wave in Maui several years ago, breaking by the shore. It still makes my heart beat fast, thinking about it!
As a child, my dad plucked me out of the Pacific Ocean where I was caught up in a rolling wave. I learned early that while majestic, the ocean was also dangerous. But I still grew up in awe of it. I took an oceanography class and learned the importance of our oceans. My favorite place to watch waves is La Bufadora (The Blowhole), it's in Ensenada, Baja, California/Mexico.
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