There were a lot of things going on on Maui this past weekend and I jumped into the festivities with both feet! Friday night, my good friend, Cynthia, and I, went to Maui Arts and Cultural Center to check out the celebration of the new Jaws book release. It is a beautiful coffee (more like espresso!) table book filled with stunning, heart-thumping photographs of Maui's infamous giant northshore wave. The book's spectacular photography is by Erik Aeder with written commentary by surf legend, Jerry Lopez. Erik and his wife, Bonni, hosted the lovely party that proceeded the premiere of Mike Waltze's new documentary about stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) called "That First Glide". There were a lot of old school and new school surf legends in attendance including Brett Lickle, Suzy Cooney and Matt Meola.
Erik is one of the best, if not the best surf photographers in the world. He always seems to be at Maui's best surf sessions with the top pros surfing perfect wave conditions, and he always seems to have a smile on his face. He almost makes it look easy, but I know better. Shooting surfing is not easy. It requires spending hours and hours standing in the sun without a pee break while battling sand and salt from corroding the camera gear. Surf shooters are often in very uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous situations. They can be found crouching on a steep mountainside with the critters, dangling out of a helicopter while it spins around the surfers like a buzzard circling its dinner, clinging onto a speeding jet ski with one hand while filming with the other, or treading in the ocean like shark bait, filming the approaching surfer in the tube and then diving at the very last moment into the face of a treacherous monster wave. Erik's latest Jaws book is filled with vivid photos and stories that will captivate you for years to come.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to stay for the premiere of Mike Waltze's documentary, "That First Glide", but I plan to see it soon as I'm sure the interviews and epic surfing footage of legends such as Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, Robbie Naish and Chuck Patterson, are worth seeing. I hear Mike was the first person to ever windsurf at Ho'okipa, Maui's famous beach for all ocean sports, which is why they call him "Mr. Ho'okipa".
I have GREAT respect for both Erik and Mike as surf shooters. I have shot surfing and kiteboarding on Maui for nearly 15 years and am very familiar with their work. I never shot full time and was never famous for it (at best "almost famous" ha ha!), but my footage can be seen is such classic videos as surfing's "Easily Amused" and kiteboarding's "High" and "Awake". Having been in a relationship with a Maui filmer for 13 years, I have seen plenty of surf movies and magazines through the years and I appreciate good shots. Erik and Mike, in my opinion, are among the top five of best surf shooters in the world.
I think shooting surfing is a sport in itself. Common surf shooter injuries include; getting run over by a kook surfer and cut by a skag, being stung by jelly fish, getting thrown onto glasslike reef by an unforgiving wave, being held underwater for several minutes as wave after wave pound you into disorientation of which way is up, and getting berated by surfers whose "best ride of the day" you missed while filming the surfer who was riding the wave in the opposite direction. Glamorous? No! Erik and Mike possess a required deep love of the ocean, the sport of surfing and the waves themselves and a dedication to withstand the elements day after day to capture the perfect rides on the perfect waves. Without these brave camera men (and women), most of us would never get to see a glimpse of the surfer's adventurous world. And these talented surfers wouldn't be able to get paid for their epic rides on the giant liquid monsters!
POI DOG ART SHOW
During the Jaws reception, Cynthia and I decided to pop into the Cultural Center's art gallery to see the current show called "Poi Dog". Poi Dog is a local term meaning a dog of mixed breeds and is also a term used to describe anything that comes from various origins, including many of the people who now live on Maui. The show was filled with delightfully colorful images including several paintings by Pat Masumoto among others. Some of the pieces were tongue in cheek such as the giant wooden trojan poi dog that was filled with several tiny wooden poi dogs. Maui is loaded with thousands of talented artists and I enjoy seeing as many art shows as possible.
Although Cynthia and I were only at the MACC for about an hour - we had a blast. Cynthia is the owner of Chameleon Talent Agency and was the first friend I made on Maui about 18 years ago. We always have fun together! After the book release, she headed off to other things and I headed to Pa'ia town for their monthly Fourth Friday party which I will write about in my next posting!
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