Meet Kalani Minihan | Photographer and Cinematographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kalani Minihan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kalani, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I don’t think I can say that I am from one place. My mom being from Hawai’i, dad from Ohio, I was born in North Carolina, and grew up in close to 40 homes across North Carolina, Virginia, Las Vegas, and here in Hawai’i; Maui and Oahu. By constantly moving at a young age, I learned almost unconsciously how to adapt quickly and be comfortable with being uncomfortable. My parents keeping my younger brother and I in the ocean started a religion to us. I decided at a young age that I wanted to spend my days on the beach in the water every day. We weren’t a wealthy family, my first camera was my 13th birthday present; a $10 digital waterproof camera from the ABC store on Front Street, Lahaina. I’ve learned to work towards my goals accordingly, and I’m grateful for the upbringing that I had.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been looking at waves ever since I could remember. If I wasn’t surfing or making waves in the sand, I was at home folding the rug corners to mimic A-frames, and in the classroom drawing waves in my notebooks which then turned into drawing books. I entered my first photography contest when I was 14, I was attending Lahainaluna high school in Maui. It was run by a local surf photographer named “Dooma” who wanted to give back to the next generation by showcasing their photos as well as an essay writing competition. The winner would get a second hand camera passed down from Dooma. At the time, I couldn’t afford a camera so I borrowed a Nikon that I’ve never used before from the photography class that I couldn’t get into. There was no prize for second place, but one of Dooma’s friends saw my photos and thought otherwise. She gave me her old camera and lens to start my photography career, and at that point I knew that I could accomplish anything with hard work and concentration. From that point on I never let any challenge get in the way of my goals. That was my first realization of what I’m capable of doing.

To me, the purpose of life is to create something that will last long after I’m gone. I started taking photos of surfing solely for fun, and now to travel around the world and capture the world’s best surfers in waves I’ve never seen before is a dream come true. With that being said, I’ve failed way more than I’ve succeeded. I want someone to look at me for motivation and believe that they are capable of achieving their dreams. I want to leave behind the mindset that you can leave anything behind. What has happened to you doesn’t make you who you are, it’s what you choose to do afterwards that really matters.

The world is always changing, that’s nature. I try and keep my style in photography in the same principle. I want a stranger to look at one of my photographs or video and feel something. I don’t know what that something is, but I want it to feel different than last photograph.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I think the best way to have fun in Hawaii as well as minimizing your footprint is to trust and follow along with a local guide as well as eating at locally owned food establishments. If I was showing my best friend Oahu we’d be in the country for a majority of the trip, maybe stay in Waikiki for a day and a night just to get a surf in and some dinner but there’s much more to see. I believe in making a day out of everything, while jumping in the water at different beaches in between activities, as well as watching the sunrises and sunsets. First day! Let’s do a water fall hike then stop at Waiahole Poi Factory for some authentic Hawaiian food. Let’s wake up early and go diving with sharks then eat some Ahi Katsu at Waialua Lunch wagon for some fresh fish. Then maybe tomorrow we do an early morning ridge hike with some breakfast at Paalaa Kai bakery. The great thing about Hawaii is that there’s beautiful places all over! If you do some driving you can find some killer zones all to yourself!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve had a remarkable group of friends who were always down to have fun growing up, all I had to do was bring a camera along. For mentorship I looked to an older generation; Amber Mozo taught me how to calibrate my motivational approach to editing photos, even if I didn’t like them. Learning what my style is, and making it different from everyone else’s was one of the hardest things to accomplish. Shadowing Brent Bielmann taught me how to better apply my post production skills to business oriented campaigns and film sets. He showed me the door to bringing my work to the next level.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalaniminihan/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Foamballed?si=PVBqCjTJCFQzi6Dl

Image Credits
Profile shot by Amber Mozo