Behind the Shot
In Hawaiian culture, when someone dies, memorials called paddle-outs are commonly held to celebrate the life of the deceased. After the death of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, a three-day paddle-out was held in his honor in Honolulu.
This close-up shot taken on the third day of the paddle-out shows just some of the people who came to honor George Floyd’s life. “There were probably a thousand people in the water and hundreds on the beach too,” says photographer Connor Trimble. At the end of the paddle-out ceremony, everyone splashed water together to symbolize compassion—which is how this shot got its name. This print is a moving reminder that it’s always worthwhile to show compassion.
