Sarah Lee

Interview by Glenn Sakamoto

Sarah Lee is a talented surf photographer born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii on a coffee farm on volcanic slopes above Kona. Sarah, a competitive swimmer, first developed her skills documenting events at high school, which led her to photographing her friends in the ocean. Her work is bold and colorful, with a talent seldom seen at such a young age. We spoke with Sarah to learn more.

Tell us about where you grew up and your childhood.

I grew up on a coffee farm on the volcanic slopes above Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii with my family, about 20 minutes from the ocean. My year-younger sister and I had a pretty idyllic childhood with 15 acres of coffee land and adjacent forest land to explore. We’d build forts in the forest, hunt for Jackson chameleons in rows of coffee and ride our mountain bikes through the puddles after a heavy rain. I was lucky enough to live next door to my grandparents, and my grandmother really cultivated my creative side through ceramics and art programs. My dad helped foster my love for the ocean through body surfing and free diving. One of my earliest memories was swimming in the water with my dad, chasing fish and diving down as deep as I could. He would call me a “little fish.”

Where did your interest in making pictures begin?

I spent countless hours swimming in the pool as a competitive swimmer in my youth but also spent all my free time outside of school doing art – this transitioned into learning about video editing, web design, and graphic design. I borrowed a camera during a swim meet my freshman year of high school and it allowed me to experience what was going on around me in a much richer way. Ultimately it gave me a sense of contributing to something beyond myself as I engaged with my surroundings and peers. I quickly was hired to photograph high school senior portraits, couples, and weddings throughout high school and college and figured everything out as I went. I started taking underwater photos when I was able to buy a one-size-fits-all “bag” water housing and was hooked. 

Did you graduate from photography school or are you self-taught?

I am primarily self-taught. I’ve adapted a lot of what I learned in my graphic design and video production classes in high school and later narrative film and documentary classes in college to my photography. The majority of it I learned on my own by spending time shooting with friends – all with no expectations.

What artists or things inspire the way you approach your images?

Almost everyone I’ve worked with and every place I’ve been to has its own special quirks that I like to discover and bring to life through photos. I can’t really name a favorite person or place that outweighs the other, but in the surf realm, the situation that gets me the most stoked with a camera in the water is a perfect point break with anyone who’s magical on a longboard.

I think this quote by Elizabeth Gilbert sums up nicely why it’s hard for me to pick favorites: “For me, a lifetime devoted to creativity is nothing but a scavenger hunt — where each successive clue is another tiny little hit of curiosity. Pick each one up, unfold it, see where it leads you next.” 

What draws you to the ocean?

There is something magical about being in a massive body of water with constant changes in lighting, water clarity, currents, surf, etc. It’s somewhere where you have to be completely switched on and able to adapt to anything it throws at you. It’s also a form of play for me. Composing shots can be difficult in the water, but I like to think of it as a creative challenge. Imagine being able to move up, down, left, right, and even upside down to compose a photograph. It can be a lot smoother and sometimes faster in the water to get the angle you want, since there’s not much gravity at play!

Who are some of the folks you enjoy shooting in the water?

Kids in the water! Their uninhibited spirit truly inspires and energizes me because they have a sense of unrehearsed creativity in the water, and represent the pure essence of joy.

What is your basic photography set up and how do you prepare?

I go between a full frame Canon 5Ds and a Canon 5D mkIV, depending on what I’m shooting.  I’ve been using a 14mm wide angle lens for underwater, 24-105 when I’m mixing top-side and underwater, 50mm for topside sunset shots, and 70-200 f/4 for surf action. I go between an Aquatech surf housing and an Outex water cover. 

Other than camera gear, I rely on Dafin bodysurfing fins to get around in the water, a free dive mask for anything underwater, MANDA sun paste keeps my skin protected, and occasionally a weight belt in non-surf situations to sink down to desired depths without much exertion.

For some reason if I set everything up the night before, I’m bound to forget something, so I like to be 90% of the way set-up well before I shoot, then do the last 10% when I’m on-site.

Where are a couple of your favorite places to shoot?

Fiji when the waves are pumping is my fav! Though honestly it’s hard to beat a few spots in Hawaii I won’t specifically mention. ;) 

What is your favorite post-surf meal?

Half of a Sharwil avocado sliced thinly over two toasted slices of homemade sourdough with a dash of olive oil, Hawaiian sea salt, microgreens, unpasteurized sauerkraut and a generous sprinkle of nutritional yeast. 

What are you currently listening to on your playlist?

I’ve been on a Boogie Belgique kick for the last year. Check out a few hours of my recent favs on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4lVO4QD12yDQAkwc97ZR1b?si=jtez4KawT_iV-cc2q0Q8gA

Can you share with others who might want to become a surf photographer? Any tips?

I like to approach everything I shoot as an experiment. Be open to whatever nature and the elements give you, collaborate with it and see where your curiosities take you.  

I think it’s 100% essential to develop an awareness of ocean/water conditions before jumping in with a camera. Bodysurfing is a great way to learn. 

What’s next for Sarah Lee?

2020 was off to a great start but now that we’re in the middle of this pandemic, I don’t know! I might have to quit and go back to my roots of shooting in the water around my childhood spots that are still open, helping out my dad on his coffee farm – and baking! :) 

To learn more about Sarah Lee and her photography, check out her website or follow her on Instagram.