How to become a surf photographer? Stoked Vision connected with Peahi Surf Media to learn about the company and to get some tips on how to pursue dreams of becoming a photographer and filmmaker in the world of Surf. “Shoot your passions, and look for emotion. Nurture your creativity through music, drawing, reading, writing and nature – it’s all connected.” In other words, being Committed To Boardriding is a given and a very good start.
PEAHI SURF MEDIA
Peahi Surf Media is a Maui based multimedia production company. They focus on producing content that tells the stories of the culture and people of Hawaii. We were interested to know a little bit more about this company, that we have seen popping up on social media, and connected with the current owner and director at Peahi Surf Media, Wangdu Hovey.
WHO IS WANGDU HOVEY?
Born on the Big Island of Hawaii and residing in Haiku Maui, 35 yr old Wangdu is the founder and current owner of Peahi Surf Media. He is a filmmaker, photographer but also a surfer, father of two, husband and owner of two dogs.
BACKGROUND
Wangdu moved to Maui when he was 13 and graduated from Maui High School. He is a USCG veteran and served in Iraq as a diver and Quartermaster. Wangdu also graduated from the University of Hawaii, at Maui.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO PHOTOGRAPHY & FILMMAKING
My father and older sisters are photographers and they passed down the interest to me. I learned videography in high school and produced a project with some friends during our senior year that won a state school award. After the coast guard I was looking for a job and decided to get back into video.
Being inspired by the films shown at the Maui Film Festival, I made a determination to have a film presented there.
I traveled to NYC in 2005 and attended a 4 week intensive digital filmmaking work shop at the New York Film Academy, producing small projects throughout the city, and more mini docs when I returned to Maui.
When surfers started to paddle into JAWS, I knew the world wanted to see it, so I pointed my lens that way.
Wangdu getting barreled
I’ve shot nature and lifestyle stills for fun since a youth, throughout the Coast Guard and traveling around the world. This is the first year I’ve focused on still photography at JAWS. I’m really enjoying the simplicity and the beauty of capturing a single frame.
JAWS: CHANGING THE GAME
It is an incredible story about a group of surfers paddling in to some of the biggest waves ever ridden.
TIPS FOR FUTURE PHOTOGRAPHERS & FILM MAKERS
My advise to inspire a future lensman:
Learn about your camera and get out there and shoot. Always pushing your creative limits.
Being in the right place at the right time is key, know your swells, wind directions, and tides. Think ahead about your angles, and what your trying to tell people through your photos. Get to know the surfers and what makes them tick, and you’ll see the moments that are worth capturing. Whether you do this formally or on You Tube it doesn’t matter. Get educated about your camera and settings. Once you have the basics to work a camera in manual mode, get out there and shoot, always pushing your levels creatively. Shoot your passions, and look for emotion. Nurture your creativity through music, drawing, reading, writing and nature – it’s all connected.
Most of all, believe in yourself, no matter what anyone, family, friend or foe says. Nobody knows what your’e capable of, but yourself.
PERSONAL GOALS
Wangdu’s personal goals are to partner with a company that helps him shoot big waves around the world and inspire people to live a healthy positive lifestyle.
Charging Jaws
PEAHI SURF MEDIA GOALS
The goals for Peahi Surf Media would be to work closely with larger media outlets like WSL, Surfline, and Surfer Magazine to bring high quality surf media directly to your mobile device as well as prints and films. And to continue to be at the heart of big wave progression at Jaws and around the world year round. Thank you Wangdu for taking your time and sharing your story & visions with us. We are Stoked to connect with you!
Follow Peahi Surf Media
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