Nature photographers are incredibly proud of their craft, stopping at no end to capture the perfect shot. Whether it requires scaling a treacherous mountain for a beautiful sunset, venturing hundreds of miles into the wilderness, or coming face-to-face with a wild carnivore, the photo ultimately makes it all worth it.

Wave photographer Clark Little knows a thing or two about sacrificing his safety and body for his passion. The native Hawaiian takes a daring approach to photographing Hawaii’s enormous waves by placing himself at the shore break, where swaths of water perilously crash into him at full force.

While most wave photographers are content on the beach, Little’s unique vantage point allows him to capture waves microseconds before they tumble over him. The result is an absolutely breathtaking collection of water photography and video.

The humble Hawaiian started off using a Canon SD500 with an underwater case for his shoots, but has since upgraded to state-of-the-art equipment after launching his own photography business.

Check out more of Clark Little's photography here, and learn about his personal journey in the video below.