ZAK NOYLE Surf Photographer
ZAK NOYLE: AN ADVENTURE BETWEEN WAVES
Zak Noyle is considered one of the best adventure photographers in the world today. Based on the island of O'ahu in Hawaii, Zak specializes in marine and surf photography, bringing a fresh, striking, eager, original and highly professional perspective, after spending countless hours in the water doing what he loves most. like in the world.
In every photograph he shoots, Zak leaves his mark, his style and his drive, confident that by being one with the sea and a complete lover of photography, he can achieve the best results, and create something truly extraordinary, and better every time he ventures into the waves.
Originally from Hawaii, Zak was introduced to photography at a young age because he simply loves the sea, and he felt the desire to capture the beauties it hides and also the most talented surfers taming the force of its waves.
Since he was a boy, he was very much in contact with water and the aquatic sports that he practiced, such as swimming and water polo. All of this was training that would prove incredibly useful later in his career, even if a young Zak didn't know it at the time.
His father is commercial photographer Ric Noyle, well known in his specialty, and it was he who introduced Zak to the world of photography. However, Zak never felt compelled to participate in it. In fact, the charm was not immediate for the simple fact of having it close. In time, Zak fell in love with the idea, because he was really passionate about it, and shooting what he really likes.
"I was surrounded by photography my whole life. My dad is a commercial photographer here in Hawaii, and he shoots food, fashion, hotels and it was never something I liked or wanted to be a part of, you know? He let me go my own way and find what I liked and what I loved to do. And when I found a love for photography, he was there to help me, push me and give me any guidance I needed," Zak said in a recent interview," Zak says.
His first camera of his was the one on his mobile, because he thought to himself that “the best camera is the one you have with you right now”. In addition, he found a local company that was especially dedicated to marine photography and with them he was able to learn the testing and development process, to achieve an excellent result that will satisfy his passion for the sea and the capture of extraordinary moments that only there, in action, can occur.
“I got into photography because of the love of the ocean, being in the ocean with my friends surfing, swimming and just seeing the beauty that Hawaii has to offer,” says the photographer.
Finally, it turned out to have his own, unique and very talented style that led him to be published in recognized media such as ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Transworld Surf and many more, even from a very young age, even as a student at the Punahou School.
It is understood that action and adventure photography requires a level of planning and care, and that it involves hard professional work, as well as the adrenaline rush and excitement of being right there where the action is happening.
Zak himself has commented that being in the stream for 20 seconds can feel like 10 minutes, and that it's a dangerous experience, but it's also a really fun experience.
And it is that part of their preparation includes monitoring the tide and winds during the week, looking for patterns and/or inconsistencies. But really, when it's time for action, Zak goes out shooting with minimal gear: "I'm just wearing fins and taking out my camera," he says. At the moment he gets ready for it without thinking too much about it, following his passion and with one goal in mind: photographing and having fun.
With all this, Zak is very grateful for all that contact he had with the ocean and water from a very young age, when he practiced those water sports at school.
"I feel like that really helped me to be so comfortable in the ocean, spending many hours in the pool to build my stamina, strength and confidence"
In addition, nowadays Zak of course stays in shape to be able to deal with the sea, the waves, the weather, and the degree of risk and effort that all that entails.
"What I do is I do swimming as a pool workout, I do hot yoga, I exercise on my bike, and I also do a lot of rock running underwater, and that makes you teaches the experience of sinking and diving, holding your breath running with it (the stone) while underwater. Although the truth is, nothing is going to prepare you better than being right there in the water."
Zak is a pro who travels the world taking surf and ocean photography, from Tahiti and Indonesia, to Puerto Rico and Western Australia (and many more places), but he always returns to Hawaii, where he is currently based, where it all started. And it is that Zak deeply loves this island, because it is there where he really feels at home, with its people, its landscapes, the ocean and the waves.
His talent has been recognized both nationally and internationally and awarded numerous times. In 2010, at the age of 25, Zak was named a Senior Photographer for Surfer Magazine. In addition, his images have won awards over the years, including "Best Photo of the Year" by Surfer Magazine in 2011.
His work has been featured in numerous editions of world renowned media and magazines such as ESPN, Surfer Magazine, National Geographic and London Times. He has also participated in successful campaigns for brands such as Chanel, Stussy, RVCA, Billabong, Mastercard and Desillusion Magazine, Red Bull, Hurley, Da Kine, Quiksilver, and many more. In addition, he is a photographer who offers limited edition prints to art collectors.
Being an adventure photographer is not an easy thing, but Zak Noyle's passion, talent and effort have taken him far in his proposal to capture impressive and never-before-seen ocean waves, capturing the essence of each spot he visits, and of every surfer he photographs.
The entire process of capturing the images is incredibly challenging and exciting for Zak, but so is the entire post-production process. He is excited to get home, download the images onto his computer, color correct them, and send them off.
The entire process -before, during and after- follows a logic that he handles impeccably in his search for the best result, an image of his own that he can be proud of:
“It's just something I just created myself, something I made and am enjoying at the moment,” he says.
Also, it's a passion that Zak doesn't keep to himself, and rather wants to share with the world. In his proposal to help young people explore their talents in photography, he created the Aquatography Workshops by Zak Noyle, with which he had the opportunity to give a little back to the world and teach about aquatic and surf photography to people from for free, since he himself affirms that "he did not enter photography for money but for love" and for this reason he is excited that others can also find a way in this world.
For Zak photography is his way of life, his career, his passion and what motivates him, because he has fun doing what he loves to do the most. He is a photographer who travels the world and returns home excited to start anew, to find new opportunities to photograph great moments of adventure and capture them in unique ways in his photographs.
And it doesn't stop there, it always goes for more. A single photograph is never your favorite, your favorite is that the best is yet to come:
"My favorite photograph is constantly changing. Every day on the water is a new day and a new challenge, a new condition, a new wave. You're never going to get the same wave twice. So to be able to create something that becomes your new favorite image, or your next best shot, is always a challenge and that's what drives me," says Zak.
One of his maxims:
"Have fun! Get out there and have fun with whatever you do in life, and that will be reflected in your images or in the result of whatever you are doing."
@zaknoyle
