Life’s a Beach: Let’s Jump In!
Hyrum doesn’t mince words when he says “when you live near the coast, you have to get good sunlight”. His photos tell the story of seaside living in Monterey California, and the adventures the Pacific coast has to offer. Living on a hill overlooking the ocean, it’s no surprise that 9 year-old Hyrum takes his camera with him to the beach – a lot.
Taken over the course of weeks and at different times of day, his collection shares the subtle, beautiful changes of the ocean over time. Hyrum loves taking pictures of things happening, and his favorite subjects are his younger sisters. His dynamic portraits tell his story as an older brother constantly chasing his siblings with his camera, but never quite catching up.
These images are so playful and inviting, you may just want to take a dive in! But first, heed Hyrum’s words of warning: the water is often as cold as 40 degrees. Yikes.
Hyrum captures his sister (the family climber) in a rare moment of rest, right before she continues her trek over some big rocks. Hyrum remarks, “Ava kept moving so I was trying to get her to stand still. She’s a good climber – she scaled that rock like a piece of cake!” This well-composed image is his favorite photo – and we agree!
This photograph creates an interesting dialogue with “The Climber”. While both images picture his sisters in similar poses, shot from behind, the drastic difference is the quality of the light. Here, Hyrum captures a fleeting moment in time just before the sun is about to set. The light around her head forms a halo in this perfect golden hour portrait.
Hang ten! Hyrum captures the natural beauty of a wave in motion. He remarks, “I kept trying to catch the wave mid-crash. You’ve gotta time it just right- it took me a few tries.” Timing is everything – a lesson that any good photographer should learn.
Finally, Hyrum captures his sister face-on in a game of hide-and-seek. He says, “I had to hold my camera in a small space between the rocks, maybe an inch away from them. I told my sister to look through at me and I got close enough to take this photo!” The result is this perfectly centered, intriguing portrait.
“If you buy my print this will help other kids who have cancer like me who need the right medications and don’t have them. My pictures are special because they mean something to me. They help me remember a sunny day at the beach, and they remind me of my sisters when they were younger.”
– Hyrum
Hyrum is 10 years old. He just moved to Utah from Monterey, CA and loves spending time with his cousins outdoors exploring their new neighborhood! Hyrum finished his cancer treatment in November 2015. For him, participating in Pablove Shutterbugs helped make all the “yucky stuff” during treatment worth it. He wants to be an architect when he grows up.