ISO 50 | 17mm | f 11 | 25 sec

In January I had the extreme privilege of spending two gorgeous weeks on the island of Kauai, HI.  It was literally a photographer’s dream-come-true.  The landscape couldn’t be prettier, the sunsets couldn’t be more vibrant, and I mean, who doesn’t enjoy getting lots of photos of huge waves crashing against the sand and rocks on a secluded beach somewhere?

For me the trip was inspirational, and I came away with some fairly decent images to boot!  I’ve selected some of the highlights from the trip and included a brief description below each image.  Enjoy!

ISO 400 | 17mm | f 4.0 | Bracketed

One of the first days we went walking along the beach.  The rocks, algae, and foam all caught my eye and I just had to get a snapshot of it.

ISO 100 | 200mm | f 4.0 | Bracketed

Some of the sunsets were absolutely stunning.  This shot was taken at the beach across from our hotel.  I bracketed my exposure and combined the images as an HDR to capture the full dynamic range of light in this shot.

ISO 400 | 17mm | f 4.0 | 1/400 sec

A panoramic shot taken from the top of Waimea Canyon.  It was impossible to capture the grandeur of the canyon in a single shot, so I stitched these images together to get a better view.

ISO 400 | 200mm | f 4.0 | 1/800 sec

One of the highlights of going up to Waimea Canyon was seeing Waipo’o falls which lies in the heart of the canyon.  This shot was taken from a lookout point on the side of the road.

ISO 100 | 70mm | f 4.0 | 1/500 sec

Spray and sea foam make for an interesting abstract (and a wet photographer).  Sat on the rocks while the sun was going down waiting for the right wave to crash against the rocks and shoot up this beautiful array of droplets.  It was exciting (and slightly damp).

ISO 200 | 100mm | f 8.0 | Bracketed

Trying to capture things that are rarely seen or often ignored.  I found this interesting perspective under the pier at Hanalei Bay.  I was drawn to the symmetry, the leading lines, the incredible variety of colors.  Yeah, it was pretty cool.

ISO 50 | 17mm | f 11 | Bracketed

Hiked 2 miles through the woods to this beautiful view of Ho’opi’i Falls.  Bracketed my exposure to capture the full range of highlights and shadows, and as a result the colors came out amazingly well.  As you can tell, the scene was quite incredible.

ISO 200 | 200mm | f 8.0 | 1/1250 sec

Stopped on the side of the highway next to a beach during one of our excursions.  The waves were incredibly strong and full of character.  I stood up on some rocks and snapped dozens of images trying to capture the curvature of the waves along with the spray, foam, sand, and aquatic colors.  This was one of the more successful images I got.

ISO 50 | 17mm | f 22 | 6 sec

Part of one of the most intense adventures we had during our trip.  This is a shot of Hanakapi’ai Falls, the end-destination of an 8 mile round-trip hike we took along the Napali Coast.  Though you can’t tell from this image, the falls is a stunning 300 ft. tall, and it was an amazing sight to see when we rounded the bend in the trail and beheld its full splendor.  I made it in and out, tripod-and-all, and came away with some incredible images.

ISO 50 | 17mm | f 22 | 20 sec

One of the things I had fun doing while I was over there was taking long exposures of the rocks and the waves while the sun was going down (or coming up).  The reduction in light allowed me to set my camera for a longer shutter speed, causing the water to take on a mist-like appearance.  That in combination with the rocks and the amazing sky really made this image for me.

ISO 200 | 175mm | f 4.0 | 1/5000 sec

On our trip back from Hanalei, we stopped at the Hanalei Valley Lookout.  While the view of the valley was fascinating, what caught my eye was the Hanalei Mountain Range and its many layers of ridges strewn across the horizon.  The dense atmosphere was an added bonus for this shot.

ISO 50 | 17mm | f 22 | 8 sec

Another long exposure I took early in the morning.  The color in the rocks really struck me in this image, as well as the dynamic nature of the water as it swirls and churns.  This was a cool shot to capture.

ISO 400 | 17mm | f 4.0 | 1/800 sec

This image basically sums it all up.  I love the way this image captures everything that I think of when I envision Hawaii.  Soft sandy beaches.  Endless ocean.  Spectacular sunsets. Gorgeous waves and plenty of sea foam.  This photo says it all.

Hope you enjoyed this pictorial review of Hawaii.  It was truly a gorgeous and inspiring place to visit, and I’m grateful for the opportunities I had to capture some of its incredible beauty.  More to come…