Photography – Honolulu
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Neal Kido got his feet wet in the art
of ocean photography to share his love of the water and waves of all sizes with others.
While other photographers focus on catching the ocean on its biggest day, splashing the internet with images of 40-foot Teahupo’o or surfers defying death at Jaws, Neal focuses his photos on small waves (usually around knee to waist high) capturing the waves on days other photographers and surfers would typically ignore and avoid. “While large waves are intense and dramatic, smaller waves give you a totally different perspective. They tend to look like blown glass and other breathtaking shapes. Mother Nature creates some of the best art on the planet.”
Neal started with a cheap point-and-shoot waterproof camera, and then advanced to a handheld GOPRO. He now uses a pro camera with a custom water housing, which allows him to shoot higher quality photos. “The camera captures these unique and intimate moments of a wave that the human eye isn\'t able to see, because of the speed at which waves break. With a high speed camera, barreling waves seem to freeze in time.”
By day, Neal runs an internet marketing firm—AkamaiSEO.com—and draws on his passion for the ocean and surfing in other ventures, including Surfboardshack.com, a Hawaii-based “Craigslist” for surfboards which connects surfers with others who want to buy or sell their boards around the world.