Following inspiration in all things, including the lens of a camera, says BYUH student, blesses his life and those he meets and photographs
Inspired by his family’s encouragement to explore positive activities during his teenage years, Kyle Abbott, a senior majoring in business management from Canada, said he discovered his passion for photography. As a typical teenager, he said he frequently immersed himself deeply into social media, particularly Instagram. His exposure to creative photographs from different photographers every day inspired him to explore photography with his junior high school friends, Abbott shared. He said instead of playing video games, he would choose to go to good locations, wear fashionable outfits and do creative photoshoots.
Remembering when he first began photography, Abbott said sometimes he felt insecure when he compared himself to other photographers. Each time this happened, he said he recalled advice that says, “It doesn’t matter whether it is good or bad for the first time, you just need to start.” A lack of photography gear didn’t prevent him from exploring, and he said he frequently borrowed his friend’s camera to upgrade his photography skills. “The best camera that you have is the one that you have on you,” Abbott shared. “At the end of the day, art is art and you can create something beautiful with any lens.”
One day during a photoshoot, he said he photographed a statue with “Vision a Reality” carved in it. Ever since then, he said he would envision his dreams into reality instead of keeping them in his mind. He shares this mindset with his models, saying, “Wherever I am photographing somebody, I allow a space for them to show deep emotion during the photoshoot so I can capture that emotion.” He continued, “It’s about bringing what’s inside to the surface because we all have a story to share and through a photograph, a story can be told.”
Pathway to Hawaii
Abbott said he went to Hawaii for a short vacation in 2020, and due to the restrictions on human interaction during COVID-19, he said he decided to capture professional surfers with his long-lens camera. His enthusiasm for the Hawaiian seas and landscapes was outwardly captured as his photography skills developed, he said. With the uncertainty of the pandemic, he said he felt prompted to cancel his return flight and find the cheapest place to live temporarily in Hawaii.
As he looked for a place to live on Facebook Marketplace, he said he got in contact with a landlord named Danny Kim, a community member from Waimea. Kim said he had been renting his property to people for a couple years, but all of the renters left because of the pandemic. Abbott said he negotiated a weekly rent with Kim that worked with his limited money.
Kim said, “Weekly pay doesn’t normally happen, but I was fascinated that he actually asked.” As he listened to Abbott’s mission story of returning from Portugal because of COVID-19, he said he felt moved. He asked Abbott, “So you dedicate your life to serve God?”
“Yes sir, I do,” Abbott replied.
“So do I,” Kim said. “Why don’t you just bring all your bags over and have a place to stay. We can work something out. You can help me and live here for free,” Kim said he told Abbott.
Kim said although the conversation was only on the phone, Abbott’s willingness to serve God and his desire to work in any job made him believe he could be trusted to take care of his property.
Deep into photography
Soon after moving in with him, Abbott found out Kim is an expert filmmaker and photographer. He said, “[He] became my mentor and provided me with an internship.”
Kim said he has encountered people who don’t have high standards or live their life’s principles, but with Abbott, he said, “[He] holds the highest standard of the teachings of Jesus Christ. It makes it easy to teach him.”
“Kyle is the type of person who will hope for the best for everybody who comes into his life,” said Kim. He said when training Abbott in the media world, he had to remind him people will try to take advantage of his skills and expensive camera gear. But Kim said he was impressed by the way Abbott responded to his warning, saying, “It’s okay, because sometimes you are there to minister to them. Not to take their pictures, but to see them in God’s eyes, to pray for them.”
Kim said, “I know that with the camera [Abbott] is going to teach people a lot about life because he loves God as much as he loves his own life.” Kim said they are still important in each other’s life, although they don’t meet up regularly. He said their difference in church denominations doesn’t mean anything when they both share the same light of Christ through their photography talents.
Follow a prompting
Abbott said, “One of the biggest lessons I learned is to follow the prompts given by the Spirit because I believe God wants to bless us with opportunities. When we put effort in, he will reward that effort.”
Tori Nicholes, an alumna from Washington, D.C., said she visited Hawaii in October 2023 with her family and intended to take a professional picture with them. At the last minute, her photographer canceled the appointment because he got sick. The family took some pictures on the beach with their Go-Pro camera, she said, but the person taking the picture was always missing.
Abbott was at the same beach that day, canoeing with the BYU–Hawaii Canoe Club, also known as Lahui Va’a. As soon as he finished, he said he had a feeling to stay back a little longer and walk along the beach. As he took a walk, he said he saw Nicholes’ family taking pictures from afar and approached to help them.
Nicholes shared, “He didn’t only take one or two pictures, he helped us for 30 minutes. It was like an entire photoshoot session, and my family is blessed with these pictures.”
She said, “As an alumna of BYUH, I always remember the motto, ‘Enter to learn, go forth to serve,’ and I am so proud of how he put that motto to action by being willing to share his talent without knowing who I was.” She continued, “Without realizing it, Abbott shared a positive ripple of light because he wasn’t afraid to reach someone else who needed help.” •