Featured Photographers: Don Hurzeler & Kirk Shorte
Featured Cover Photographer: Don Hurzeler
Don Hurzeler’s business cards say he’s an author, photographer, and old retired guy. We think the latter is far from true, Don seems busier than many people half his age.
As a lifelong athlete, nothing seems to slow Don down. Raised in Palos Verdes Estates, California, in his youth, Don earned the NCAA Division 2 All-American in Track and Field. He’s also been surfing nearly his entire life. As an adult with a 40-year insurance career, he and his wife of 53 years, Linda, moved 14 times for business, including Chicago, New York City, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles, to name a few. They have also traveled to 105 countries. The couple has two grown children, both in California, and five grandchildren.
In 2008, Don and Linda retired from corporate America and moved to Hawai‘i Island. Linda’s grandparents had lived on the island for most of their married life and the couple had been visiting since 1969.
Don credits CJ Kale for teaching him and Linda everything they know about photography. He says, “We fell in love with it on our first day of retirement here. Life has been one big adventure with CJ and others since that day. I have taken a couple of thousand photos a day virtually every day since 2008. You tend to take a lot of photos when you are doing wave photography.” What started as a hobby has since won Don and Linda numerous awards.
In his so-called retirement, Don has written seven books with a new one just out, titled Suddenly Retired. He and Linda also co-own Lava Light Gallery in Waikoloa with CJ Kale.
As for his subjects, Don says, “Inspiration is all around me on this beautiful island, from my backyard, to the beach, up Mauna Kea, or out to Kīlauea volcano. I love Hawai‘i. Regarding the photo on this issue’s cover, he loves photographing surfers, body boarders, and anything else moving in the ocean!
Don adds, “I have found that the best years of my life are the years I am alive. I am happier now than I’ve ever been. Age does matter and aging does come with a price—but that price is not your happiness. You make your happiness at any age.”
This photo of Linda and Don on the cliff looking down at the lava as it entered the sea in Kalapana was taken by CJ Kale on the first day they met him in 2008. They have been friends and business partners ever since.
For more information: donhurzeler.com
Table of Contents Photographer: Kirk Shorte
Kirk Shorte has the distinction of being the first person to be featured on a Ke Ola Magazine cover or table of contents three times, all since 2018. Given that, our readers may remember Kirk has been an avid photographer since he was a young child, when he found a still-working Brownie camera in his grandfather’s attic.
Having moved to Hawai‘i Island in 2004, Kirk’s focus shifted more to photography in 2008, and he started his business in 2010. He considers himself an assignment or gig photographer, going where he’s called for each job. His specialty is real estate and event photography. Kirk says, “When I shoot for fun, it can be anywhere, at any time, depending on what my goal is for the resulting photo.” The photo of a boggie boarder in action on our table of contents pages was shot in January 2016.
Kirk reflects on his passion, “There is something mesmerizing about sunlight dancing off an object or discovering the almost magical scenes that surround us in Hawai‘i—to feel the rush that comes just before I’m able to capture that perfect shot. I get excited when what I’ve visualized can be captured and shared with the world.”
For more information: kirkshorte.com
