If you’ve followed Kendall Leue Photography for a while, you’ve seen it. It’s on my invoices, it’s the background of my website, and it’s tucked into almost every overlay I create.
The other day, my mom asked me point-blank: “Why do you use that plumeria photo all the time?”
My answer was instant: “Because it’s the epitome of Coastal Country.”
Beyond the Petals: A Full-Circle Moment
To most people, it’s an arrangement of colorful pua (flowers). But to me, that image represents the evolution of my business and the moment I realized I was exactly where I was meant to be.
The story starts at Little Plumeria Farms on the North Shore of Oahu. If you know the hilarious lore of Little Plumeria Farm’s “Lei of the Day” reels featuring Dane Little, you know why most people (girls) get excited about their tours. But the real reason I was vibrating with excitement was because of the iconic shorebreak photographer Clark Little.
Growing up, Clark was my idol. While other kids had posters of athletes, I had a Sector Nine skateboard with one of his images on the deck with his signature. I wanted to be just like him. My stomping grounds weren’t Keiki Beach—they were Sandy’s—but I spent my childhood staring at Clark’s work, thinking, “That’s it. That’s the dream.” I wanted to spend my life playing in the shorebreak and capturing the soul of the ocean.
Meeting the Idol
Going to the farm that day was different. I wasn’t just a fan anymore; I was a professional photographer building my own brand. Driving up that dirt road in Haleiwa, we met the whole Little family working the land.
I finally got to talk to Clark. Telling him about my work and my vision was a “pinch-me” moment. During the tour, they had put together an assortment of their favorite hybrid plumerias for us to photograph. As I looked at those flowers—iconic to Hawaii and the heart of every lei—overlooking the North Shore ocean, I realized this was the bridge between the land and the sea.
Red Dirt and Salt Water
The North Shore has always been a “Mecca” for me. Even though I’m a Kailua girl through and through, the North Shore calls to every surf photographer. I spent my childhood birthdays there because my ex-stepdad was a private chef for the Rip Curl team. I grew up hanging out at the house with legends like Mick Fanning, Gabriel Medina, and world-class photographers like Corey Wilson and Nick Pollet.
That day at the farm, it all clicked.
Earlier in my career, I took a photo in California of a paniolo (cowboy) riding through the Rincon Classic surf competition. It was horses, surfers, and rocks—the definition of California Coastal Country. I love that photo, but it’s a closed chapter. I’m home now.
The plumeria photo has taken its place. It represents the “Coastal Country” of Hawaii—the red dirt of the farm meeting the salt of the Pipe Masters.
A Day of Alignment
After we left the farm, my mom and I went freediving at Sharks Cove to wash off the farm dust. That afternoon, I snapped my shot of a Honu (sea turtle) that became one of my best-sellers.
The fact that my two most popular images—the Plumeria (country) and the Honu (coastal)—were captured on the same day, on the same coastline, is so special to me. It was a day that gave me the overwhelming feeling that I am on the right track.
While my professional path has naturally grown and adapted to meet the demands of this industry—a shift that keeps me afloat and allows me to keep creating—shorebreak, underwater lifestyle, and surf photography will always hold my heart and soul. It’s been such a joy to watch the photographers I’ve looked up to over the years see their own careers and lives evolve; seeing someone like Clark Little find that beautiful, quiet balance of a small-town life with a lovely family really hits home for me. I can’t predict exactly how my career will continue to shift, but I will never forget where it all started. I’m never going to stop doing what I love, and who knows? If I keep pushing and dreaming, maybe I’ll end up exactly where I’m meant to be.
So, when you see those little hybrid plumerias on my site or in your inbox, know that you’re looking at more than just a flower. You’re looking at my history, my idols, and the reason I do what I do.
