The beauty of ocean waves captivates local photographer Parker Reposa.
Many of his photos are taken from inside the barrel as the wave is breaking, a view most people don’t get to see. With little post-production, his photos display the natural beauty of the ocean.
“I’m fascinated with the beauty of the wave,” Reposa said. “The whole reason why I’m out there is to appreciate the natural beauty of the ocean… I’m just there to capture what nature is creating.”
The 15-year-old Corona del Mar kid started his own business, Foundation Photography, to turn his passion into a career.
His work will be on display in his first exhibition starting July 18 through the summer at Zinc Café in Corona del Mar. All the pieces displayed for sale will be his wave shots.
“I’m hoping this will be a turning point between hobby and career,” he said.
This will be the first time he has sold his photos to the general public.
The incoming Sage Hill School freshman also does video. One of his goals for the upcoming year is to film and edit a full length movie and enter it in the Newport Beach Film Festival.
“Ever since I had the capability of doing (video), I’ve explored it more,” including learning to edit video, he said. “I’m looking to expand my knowledge on that.”
He would also like to expand Foundation Photography as well as start shooting portrait and commercial photography, he said.
His mom introduced him to photography when he was just 8 years old, he said. He took a lot of photos around the house, nature, sunsets, the ocean and “pretty much anything,” he said.
And he quickly caught the photo bug.
He got his first camera, a digital Canon SLR, when he was 10. By age 11, he had started Foundation Photography.
“I had no idea what I was doing,” he said.
He setup his website and got a good response, so he started expanding the business and adding to the website. He even started selling prints to friends, family and acquaintances.
“My mom has been really helpful,” and very supportive, he said. She is very artsy and has great creative instinct, he said.
His entire family has been very encouraging, he added.
The multi-talented kid definitely has his mother’s creative mind.
Reposa has several ideas for inventions he would like to pursue. He is also interested in the movie business.
His dream would to be a photographer for National Geographic.
“I think it’d be really cool to get paid to do what I love,” he said. “Taking pictures of the most beautiful things, (animals, plant life, places, etc.) in the world.”
Reposa said he would like to make photography into a career, if possible, although he admits he knows the business can be tough. It’s competitive, expensive to upkeep and there’s not usually a lot of money in it, he said.
He would love to shadow professional photographers, he said, and learn from them and gain more in-the-field experience.
Of course, he still young and has plenty of time to figure things out.
His parents do buy some of his equipment, but he saves allowance to pay for lenses, water housings, accessories and if his camera needs to be fixed or cleaned.
“They do help me out, a lot,” he said. “But I’ve been saving.”
Being young sometimes makes it more difficult, he said.
“I try to reach out to older people and they (sometimes) think it’s a joke,” he said.
It can be frustrating, he said, to be young and so passionate and serious about something but not be taken seriously.
“I just try to stay positive,” he said. “And do (a lot) of research… So I really know what I’m doing and when it comes to that (point) when (someone) doubts me, I (can show them) I actually know what I’m doing… I can prove myself.”
A lot of kids his age don’t exactly understand how serious he is about photography.
He’s trying to think for the future, career-wise, and prepare, but he still likes to have a social life and have fun with his friends.
And for him photography is fun. He enjoys bodyboarding and surfing, which gets him into the water, right in the middle of all the action.
He has fun doing pretty much “anything with a camera,” he said.
“What I enjoy about photography the most is just being able to capture a single second and pause things,” Reposa said. “When everything in the world is moving, constantly, you can freeze frame something, and really look at (that moment) and (examine) the details.”
To see more of Reposa’s work or for information about Foundation Photography, visit www.foundationphotography.com.
Parker has great talent and is lucky to have such a loving, supportive family. This is just wonderful and makes me so happy to read.
Yay for Parker! We remember when he was a wee one here, attending Nature Camp at the Environmental Nature Camp. Hopefully some of his love for Nature came from his experience here.
Beautiful photos here!