A man and his camera

By Chelsea Johns

Through Allen Mozo’s lens, one experiences stunning seascapes, the hydrodynamic skills of watermen caught at the height of action and wildlife in uninterrupted tranquility. Behind the lens, however, is a man who not only overcame paralysis as a teenager after a skateboarding accident left him with a broken neck, but also endured the early passing of his best friend, younger brother and fellow photographer, Jon Mozo. Despite these tragic incidents, or perhaps because of them, Mozo has a definitive love of life, concern for the people around him and appreciation of the simple beauties of nature. A man and his camera

By Chelsea Johns

Through Allen Mozo’s lens, one experiences stunning seascapes, the hydrodynamic skills of watermen caught at the height of action and wildlife in uninterrupted tranquility. Behind the lens, however, is a man who not only overcame paralysis as a teenager after a skateboarding accident left him with a broken neck, but also endured the early passing of his best friend, younger brother and fellow photographer, Jon Mozo. Despite these tragic incidents, or perhaps because of them, Mozo has a definitive love of life, concern for the people around him and appreciation of the simple beauties of nature.

Born January 20, 1968 to Rey, a career Navy man, and Julia, a nurse, Mozo spent most of his childhood with his three younger brothers, Chris, Carlos, and Jon, in Waimalu and Makalapa on “checkers and Pogo and Shiro’s samin.” Allen cultivated his love of capturing a moment when he was assigned camera duty on family trips across Europe and Asia. His first paid photography assignment was for the Polynesian Cultural Center in 1989. “I have been starving ever since,” he jokes. “It’s a career of passion.”

While Mozo has traveled across the globe (21 countries to be exact) and has, what he calls, a “love affair” with the lush and exotic Tahiti, he still finds himself most drawn to Hawai‘i. “I want to represent the homegrown perspective,” states Mozo. Currently residing in Lā‘ie, Mozo has spent the past 19 seasons shooting and surfing the North Shore from both land and water, preferring to be “handheld and wet, if possible.” He has developed a keen eye for the multi-faceted splendors of the island, experimenting with lighting, subject matter, and equipment. “Cameras are like boards. What kind of ride do you want? I love quivers and choices,” explains Mozo.

Further motivation in his endeavors lie with his younger brother, Jon. Allen taught Jon the basics of photography and lighting and Jon quickly mastered processing, printing and the light meter. “It was a classic case of the teacher teaches the student, student becomes a master, and in the end the student teaches teacher,” remembers Allen. The brothers both lived in Lā‘ie, feeding off each other’s fields of expertise: Jon worked well with people and excelled at business, technical execution and presentation while Allen would find great locations and waves, focusing on lighting, creative concept and camera support. “We constantly encouraged, drove each other and provided honest criticism and advice,” Allen says of working with his brother. In 2005, Jon died of massive head injuries while shooting at Pipeline. “While he was here and even more so now—I’m my brothers keeper,” says Allen. “I want to make him proud and represent the Mozo ‘ohana.”

In typical laid-back Hawaiian-style mentality, Mozo has no definitive plans for the future except to do what he does best. “[I want to] give back more than I take from Hawaii, help those around me and capture those around me who are bringing pride and dignity to the Hawaiian culture,” he says. Take a stroll through a Hawaiian paradise, float amongst the sharks in Tahiti, or catch a twenty-foot Mākaha bomb; experience the incomparable art of Allen Mozo.