7 Reasons Why High End Photography Saves You Money

Recently, I was hired to photograph a very nice property at the Mauna Kea Beach Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii that had been photographed already by another photographer. Once Concierge Auctions was hired to sell the home via auction they needed to take on the extra expense of rephotographing the home because the images were  poor quality and did not live up to the standards of their marketing team etc. Concierge Auctions knows the power of high quality images, it is what sets them apart from other companies even though the costs are seemingly higher upfront.  Concierge Auctions’ cutting edge marketing and technology garners the highest average sales price in the industry having sold $2 Billion dollars of real estate in the $2.5 to $20 Million range.

After searching the Internet for another photographer they found my website and thus hired me to photograph the Mauna Kea Resort property.

Here are 7 Reasons Why High End Photography Saves You Money:

1. “Silent” costs, potential customers may not list their property with you if the imagery used in your prior listings are poor. Take a look at Concierge Auctions Website!  The images they use to showcase the properties they represent is second to none! http://www.conciergeauctions.com

Here is the Mauna Kea Beach Resort property I photographed http://web2.conciergeauctions.com/62-3459-aloalii-place-kamuela-hawaii

2. Potential buyers will ignore poorly photographed properties. In recent months my images have led to several offers on properties sight unseen. Why allow a qualified buyer to miss your listing?

3. Having to reshoot a home because the photography was not of high enough quality for luxury real estate publications. Having to reshoot a home cost more in marketing dollars and time, both of which are limited, and in this case included contact with Mauna Kea Resort for permission to photograph the golf course, tennis courts and world famous Mauna Kea Beach, restaging of the home and coordination with the house manager.

4. The photographer does not have General Liability insurance and something breaks during a shoot. One agent told me about a $100,000 Italian hand blow glass decoration that a photographer broke during a photo shoot. I have up to $2,000,000 in General Liability insurance. Why take that risk?

5. Efficiency and getting the job done in a timely matter or making promised deadlines. What good are your images if you do not get them in time for printing of the marketing materials for your listing and posting on MLS? Concierge Auctions needed the images in 48 hours. My assistant and I photographed the home for 13 hours and provided the images on time.  Payment was taken via a major credit card and the high resolution images were provided via the internet.

6. Having contracts and other paperwork in place so everyone is in agreement about the execution of the imagery including types of licenses, agreed upon shoot list, photography checklist etc.  Businesses and individuals these days have slightly lower budgets for marketing etc, my aim is to produce the best images backed by the best pricing and service available. Knowing up front the different types of image usage such as a full buyout, exclusive vs. non exclusive etc. can potentially save the client money and all of these things can be spelled out and negotiated prior to contracting.

7. Lower the costs of photography by suggesting and putting together shared contracts for multiple parties. Read My Blog post on sharing costs http://www.ethantweedie.com/quality-photography-reflects-your-business/

If you are looking for a professional photographer to provide excellent luxury real estate/architectural imagery that will set you apart from your competitors please give me a call. I would be happy to provide a site visit and estimate.

You may reach me at:

808-938-4665
ethantweedie@gmail.com

If you live outside the Hawaiian Islands you can find other professional photographers by searching this site.
http://www.findaphotographer.org

Mahalo,

Ethan

Quality Photography Reflects Your Business

Quality Photography Makes A Difference

Quality photography is very important as it represents your company’s values and how the marketplace perceives your business. There will always be a photographer who will be willing to capture images at a lower price, however bargains can quickly turn into a nightmare if the images do not meet the expectations of your company and the project needs to be re photographed costing time and more money. Hiring a professional from the beginning is a great way to save headaches and allow you to position your company in the best light.

Share The Costs With Others

One way to benefit from quality photography and still keep your budget in check is to share the cost with other interested parties. If you are a contractor you may want to contact the architect, interior designer, landscape architects, consultants, product manufacturers and even the home owner or business owner. The home above was photographed initially for the architect and after speaking with him regarding the licensing of the images it turned out that there was several other parties involved who would be interested in receiving images. The final image costs were shared among three parties thus saving money and time for everyone. A win win as I like to say!

If you are looking for photography for a new project whether you are an architect, contractor, home or business owner give me a call to discuss your project. Upon initial consultation I can do an on site visit and provide you with an estimate.

You may reach me at

808-938-4665
ethantweedie@gmail.com

If you live outside the Hawaiian Islands you can find other professional photographers by searching this site.

http://www.findaphotographer.org

Mahalo,

Ethan

Big Island Lava Ocean Entry

6AM, 6:30AM and 7AM

 

What a morning!

After almost a year without lava entering the ocean, Kilauea ramped up her activity just in time for the 30th Anniversary of the current eruptive phase!!

My day started out at 1:15 AM in order to make it to Pohoiki Boat Ramp (Puna) by 4:30AM.  We all boarded the Lava Ocean Adventures tour boat and took the 45 minute boat ride out to the where the lava was entering the ocean.  It was great seeing all the stars and even the Southern Cross on the way, but most of us were pretty tentative on whether we were going to see lava or not as there is no way of knowing till you get there.

About a mile out from the site we could see the lava and lots of it!!  There were two distinct lava entries as we approached and Captain Shane Turpin slowed the boat down to creep.   We were still a good football field away and you can feel the radiant heat from the lava!  As we got closer it was still pitch dark and the photography wouldn’t be super good so I spent some time just in awe of the amazing spectacle before my eyes.  The first picture was from that time frame.

Captain Turpin kept the boat moving in between the two ocean entries and made sure both sides got equal amounts of viewing although I wish we could move side to side, but trust me one thing you don’t want to do is rock the boat!  As the light got brighter towards sunrise the photo ops got really good with the twilight sky and eventually the sun came up to reveal the scene in daylight!  The whole time out there you could see, smell and hear the lava as it hissed and sputtered into the water.  WOW!

If you are on the Big Island and there is lava entering the ocean this is a must see and do tour.

Ethan

EthanTweedie@gmail.com

808-938-4665

Mele Kalikimaka 2012!

Cottage 1 at Kukio

 

Kukio Cottage 1

Kukio is private beachfront community and golf club located here on the Big Island of Hawaii. The project has an 18-hole championship golf course and a 10-hole short course both designed by Tom Fazio, a private beach club, and 375 custom estate residences and cottages on over 1,400 acres of prime Kona Coast land. Lot prices at Kukio range from $1M to over $15M+

Nicole Vincent, Top-producing Realtor at Island Land Company, hired me to photograph her listing, Cottage 1 at Kukio. I was really looking forward to photographing this luxury property for Nicole because Kukio is such a beautiful setting.

To photograph this unique property we planned on shooting at two different times, in the morning to capture the views of the ocean, pool and blue sky and in the evening to photograph the peaceful ambiance of the home during sunset and twilight.

It is hard to convey this property with just several images, but this composite highlights a few aspects of this finely appointed property.  Below is Nicole’s listing description of the property:

Offered at $5,995,000 Furnished

“One of the few, front row cottages at Kukio, this elegant three-bedroom pod-style cottage is conveniently located in the heart of Kukio Resort providing walking distance to the Club for use of the spa & fitness center, dining and ocean pursuits activities.  Magnificent views from this property sweep from the white sandy beach of Uluweuweu Bay to the serenity of ancient Hawaiian anchialine fishponds.

Recently renovated with a fresh, modern Hawaii feel, this cottage is a must see if considering Kukio.”

If you are in need of images of your Luxury Listing/Vacation Rental here in Hawaii please give me a call.  I would be happy to provide a site visit/estimate or your upcoming listing.

Ethan

Ethan Tweedie Photography – Hawaii Luxury Architectural – Vacation Rental – Real Estate Photography

www.ethantweedie.com

808-938-4665

EthanTweedie@gmail.com

Happy Halloween From Hawaii!

Kona Sunset House

The Kona Sunset house is a new listing by Karen Ferrara of Hawaii Life.   I call this house the Sunset House because it faces directly at the sunset as well as awesome views of  the Ocean and Kailua-Kona.  It is tough to see in the image of the ocean but you can see the Ironman Triathletes swimming in the Bay from the home!  In fact the race goes right by the house!  Link to the virtual tour http://www.tourbuzz.net/public/vtour/display/81841?idx=1

If you are in need of Luxury Real Estate or Vacation Rental Photography give me a call!

Ethan

908-938-4665

EthanTweedie@gmail.com

 

Virtual Tours in Hawaiian Islands

 

Hualalai Resort Luxury Property, Hale Ku Mana

Hale Ku Mana is a private residence at the Hualalai Resort here on the Big Island and is currently listed at $16,500,000.  The home has over 10,000 square feet of high-end living space on 1.3 acres and the home features 5 bedrooms and 5 and half baths.  It features a stone tiled salt water infinity edge pool, stunning ocean/sunset views and is surrounded on three sides by the members only Keolu Golf Course.

Photographing this house would be a real challenge as it is such a beautiful place and one could spend a week getting images of this resort-sized property.  In total, I spent eleven hours capturing this property, from sunset on the first night then returning at 4:45 AM the next morning to capture the colors of the sunrise, I took over 2000 images!

If you are in need of photography for a luxury real estate listing, vacation rental or resort please give me a call.  I would be happy to meet with you for a site inspection and discuss your needs for high quality images.

Mahalo!

Ethan

ethantweedie@gmail.com

808-938-4665

Ancient Mamane Trees

The Ancient Mamane Trees covered in lichen on Mauna Kea as the Moon Rises. Taken September 2nd 2012 at 8.26 PM. Elevation 9,000 ft.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

808-938-4665

Streamside in Sandalwood at Waimea

Some real estate I photograph is really difficult.  The “problem” with this home here in Waimea on the Big Island is it had so many interesting angles, vistas and views.  Located in the Sandalwood development, the home has views of The Pu’u (Hills) of Kohala Mountain, stunning views of Mauna Kea (13,796 feet), Mauna Loa and Hualalai. For this shot, I chose to cross the stream and shoot the house from Parker Ranch with Pu’u Hoku’ula in the distance in order to give some perspective on the location of the home here in Waimea.

If you’d like to see more images of this home you can see pictures in Clark Realty’s Luxury Portfolio http://bit.ly/R8Ppel

If you need a luxury property photographed for Real Estate, Vacation Rental or Commercial give me a call.

Ethan

808-938-4665

Gorgeous Sunset at the Mauna Kea Resort

Gorgeous sunset at the Mauna Kea Resort this past Monday.  I love it when all the elements of my fine art photography come together when shooting real estate/architecture!

Call me if you need a property photographed!

Ethan

808-938-4665

ethantweedie@gmail.com

Moonrise and Lava Glow

It was a very dark night at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  I knew the Moonrise was at 9:39 PM so I decided to hike along the coast to grab some shots of the ocean with the cliffs and Moonlight.

It was very difficult hiking along the coastal lava plain because it is very hard to see with the black lava etc.  After setting up for this shot, being all alone, I was startled out of my skin by some nesting seabirds below me on the cliff!!!

Off in the distance you can also see the lava glowing and reflecting on the clouds as it comes down the pali.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

www.EthanTweedie.com

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Kohala Mountain Road Moonbow

It was a blustery evening with driving rain and the hopes of capturing another Moonbow looked dismal.  As I left my house I could see the bright moonlight from a 98% full moon still relatively low in the sky, but it was very windy and rainy, mainlanders might call this rain “blasting rain” but here in Waimea we call this type of wind driven rain Kipu’u’pu’u rain.

The name Kipu’u’pu’u comes from long ago when Kamehameha needed more spear fighters and having heard of a company of twelve hundred young men of Waimea who were trained runners he went up the hill to Waimea to see these warriors.  Kamehameha was pleased with their swiftness and knew that they would make excellent spear fighters.  These warriors called themselves the Kipu’u’pu’u after the icy cold stinging rain of their homeland.

Last night was certainly a fine example Kipu’u’pu’u rain  with winds easly at 35 to 40 mph.  As I took this shot I could barely stand and I was a little skeptical if I could even get a shot.

After capturing three shots of the Moonbow I was completely soaked on my backside from the driving rain and I was freezing cold from the 3500 feet in elevation even though I had jeans and a sweatshirt on!

Click here for another picture of a Moonbow from last year!

http://www.ethantweedie.com/have-you-ever-seen-a-moonbow/

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

www.EthanTweedie.com

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Hokuloa Church, Puako Hawaii

The Hokuloa Church was erected through the inspiration of Christian faith instilled in Hawaiians by the Rev. Lorenzo Lyons (1807-1886), an American Congregational missionary who came to this island in 1832. The church structure now stands as a tribute to his labors which began in the village of Puako about 1835.

Some history of Puako from The Puako Store Website

http://puakogeneralstore.com/History.html
The Puako area, in the times of the Hawaiian monarchy, was called Lalamilo and was part of a wedge shaped (ahupuaha) land division of the government (crown) land of Waimea in the district of South Kohala. The earliest written documentation about Puako comes from William Ellis during his 1823 circumnavigation of the Island. Lorenzo Lyons, the missionary who came to Waimea in 1934, had Puako as part of his parish, and the entire village of 60 people built the Hokuloa Church in 1852. The Chapel still stands, but the accompanying coral and limestone schoolhouse was lost to the 1946 tidal wave.

No one knows the native origins of the Puako name, but the area was named before William Ellis and Rev. Lyons arrived and written as Puakoo, Puakou and Puako. Old timers also suggest it was named for the tassling sugar can, an indigenous plant of Hawaii. Puakou, possibly speaking for the beautiful orange flower of the large and shady Kou trees which lined Puako Bay until the kiawe edged them out, is another possibility.

The first known photograph of Puako was taken in 1859 during the low flank eruption of Mauna Loa when an enormous cinder cloud hovered over a village of 15 to 20 grass-roofed homes and the church.

From the 1900 to 1914, John Hind of Kohala had a sugar plantation on the plains behind Puako. Initially, the harvest was excellent, but the source of water became erratic and the soil salinity could not be controlled. The mill was at #78 Puako and train tracks were laid along the beach to haul cane. The tracks are still visible in spots, but are covered at high tide, as the beach was 30 feet wider at that time. Originally, mules pulled the sugar carts, but a modern steam engine, names Puako, was specially built and put in service.

Until the 1950s, Puako was accessible only by boat, and by the trail known as the Kings Highway, which could then be followed all the way to Kona. Several konani game boards can be found etched in the black lava on the beaches, and a field of some 3,000 petroglyphs of great variety and mystery is not far inland from the community. Puako has long held “mana” and a sense of importance far beyond its recorded status.

In 1952, the county began selling lots along what was then a narrow dirt road. Puako was undeveloped and undesirable to some, while a lure of great magnitude to others. For all who came to see their purchase in 1952, it was a kiawe jungle; the beaches was often inaccessible for weeks as new residents cut and fought and cleared their way towards the sea. Few lots sold initially, and a second auction was held later. The initial lots sold for $300 to $1,000.

Forty-five years have passed since development began in much the same warmth and gentle weather pattern so admired in the islands. When catching the onshore breezes from the ocean, or the scented trades from the mountains, life at Puako is pleasant almost beyond all description. Puako is the area with the least amount of annual rainfall on the island and some say, the most sunshine.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

www.EthanTweedie.com

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Wishard Gallery Reception

I hope to see you at the Gallery!!

Puako Twilight

After a long day of shooting, nice to relax and see our beautiful Hawaiian stars!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

www.EthanTweedie.com

 

EthanTweedie@gmail.com

808-938-4665

Spiral Cloud Over Mauna Kea?




On February 18th 2012 I looked up towards Mauna Kea (13,796 ft.) and saw this most unusual cloud formation, it looked like a seashell, cork screw or a spiral? I looked and looked for other cloud formations similar, but I could not find any?

Anyway, I thought it was really cool!!!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan
www.EthanTweedie.com

EthanTweedie@gmail.com

808-938-4665

Green Flash!

The Green Flash

I have personally seen the green flash dozens of times.  Once you know what to look for all you need is an unobstructed horizon!!  Easier said than done, but if you are patient you will see one.

When you have the unobstructed horizon (Many times you think you might have a clear horizon only to find out right as the sun sets there is a cloud!) you must wait till the very last portion of the sun is about to go down.  Don’t stare too long at the sun before though!

This image was taken with a 350mm lens on a tripod at ISO 320 f/5.6 at 1/160

Here is what Wikipedia has to say:

Green flashes and green rays are optical phenomena that occur shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when a green spot is visible, usually for no more than a second or two, above the sun, or it may resemble a green ray shooting up from the sunset point. Green flashes are a group of phenomena stemming from different causes, and some are more common than others.[1] Green flashes may be observed from any altitude (even from an aircraft). They usually are seen at an unobstructed horizon, such as over the ocean, but are possible over cloud tops and mountaintops as well.

Green flashes are enhanced by mirage, which increase the density gradient in the atmosphere and therefore, increase refraction. A green flash is more likely to be seen in clear air, when more of the light from the setting sun reaches the observer without being scattered. One might expect to see a blue flash, but the blue is preferentially scattered out of the line of sight, and remaining light ends up looking green.

With slight magnification a green rim on the top of the solar disk may be seen on most clear-day sunsets, although the flash or ray effects require a stronger layering of the atmosphere and a mirage, which serves to magnify the green from a fraction of a second to a couple of seconds.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

www.EthanTweedie.com

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The Weather Channel Features My Mauna Kea Photos!!

Hey its not often you or even your pictures get on The Weather Channel, but that is exactly what happened on the morning of February 27th when I saw my pictures featured on the Weather Channel’s Morning Update on TV!

This is a screen shot of the picture on their website!

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/hawaii-snow-slideshow_2012-02-28?page=2

Anyway, it just goes to show you, if you have fun what you are doing, fun things happen!!  I couldn’t have done this alone, so a big Mahalo goes out to Brenda Salgado, Malika Dudley and Rich Meiers of KGMB Hawaii News Now, thank you very much!!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

www.EthanTweedie.com

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Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa Snow 2-19-12

Some of the pictures from an incredible day shooting from 11,000 feet on the slopes of Mauna Loa.  Moku Nui No Ka Oi.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

www.EthanTweedie.com

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The World’s Tallest Mountain, Mauna Kea

The world’s tallest mountain you say?

Well yes!  Most mountains are measured at their base, which happens to be sea level.  What if you measured a mountain from where it began its life as is the case with volcanoes?  Mauna Kea is a massive volcano here on the Big Island that began its early days at the bottom of the ocean some 15,000 below sea level!!  Even if it just barely made it above sea level, it would still be a big mountain in its own respect, but the story doesn’t end there!

Mauna Kea is so massive and heavy it actually bends the earths crust another 3,000 feet! Mauna Kea rises 18,000 feet to just reach sea level!  She didn’t stop there though, layer after layer of lava, like a giant wedding cake, she reached a magnificent height of 13,796 feet above sea level!!  Let’s do the math, 18,000 + 13,796 is almost 32,000 feet!  That is taller than Mt. Everest at just over 29,000 feet!

Mauna Kea had glaciers!!  Glaciers you say?  15,000 years ago when the Earth was much cooler Mauna Kea had a glacier some 25 square miles and around 500 feet thick.  You can see glacial moraines, rocks with glacial striations on Mauna Kea.  Mauna Kea even erupted underneath the glacier creating massive melting of the glacier and the subsequent run off eroded the side of the mountain creating gulches, a well know gulch called Pohakuloa Gulch can be seen from the Saddle Road.  Since that time the Earth has warmed back up melting the glacier on the summit.  Mauna Kea still gets snow each year, some more than others.  In college I was the Vice President of the University of Hawaii Ski Club!

Mauna Kea has a lake on it!  A lake you say?   Lake Waiau, which is at 13,024, makes it the 7th highest lake in the United States!

Bugs with Antifreeze?   Just when you thought you’d heard everything…. The Wekiu bug likes to eat its food frozen, it waits for bugs from lower elevations to get blown to the summit area where the freeze.  The Wekiu bug then sucks their blood out!  How does the Wekiu Bug keep from freezing?  It has antifreeze in its blood!

Dark Matter and Black Holes?  Mauna Kea is the best place in the world for viewing the night sky and is home to 13 observatories.  Mauna Kea is the choice place because of two primary reasons, its altitude making the summit area above the weather below keeping the summit clear for viewing.  The second  reason is there isn’t much light pollution hear on the Big Island.

Of the many observatories the Keck Observatory really stands out, being responsible for many breakthrough discoveries, such as the detection of planets outside our solar system and direct evidence for a model of the Big Bang theory. This instrument has detected more extrasolar planets than any other in the world.   In the near future there are plans to build the World’s largest telescope called the TMT or Thirty Meter Telescope.

Aside from all the facts and figures, Mauna Kea is a beautiful and majestic mountain.  It has so many moods and it changes daily with its various clouds and colors.  No matter where you are on the island each angle has its own unique profile.  Even Captain Cook back in 1778 marveled at the snow-covered peaks here in the tropics.

This image was taken from Mauna Loa at 11,000 feet looking across to Mauna Kea.  That morning there was a really big snowstorm, which kept the Mauna Kea summit road from opening, so I opted to see if I could get a picture from a different vantage point.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Finally Got Some Snow!




Finally got some snow and rain here in Waimea!

This has been a strange winter.  December started out very cold and wet with some snow on our mountains Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa (Both mountains/volcanoes are just under 14,000 ft.) and from the end of December till today we have had very little rain.  It was starting to get a little scary with brush fires around the island, something that is more common at the end of summer.

What we got this morning is great, but continue to pray for more rain and snow for our island, ranches and farms.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Bull’s Bodyguard


Bull’s Bodyguard

What is it about seeing a bird on the back of a cow (Bull in the case) that brings a smile to one’s face?

Taken in North Kohala near Pololu Valley, Big Island.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan
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Two Secrets to Great Sunset Images




Two Secrets to Great Sunset Images

  1. Don’t actually take pictures of the sunset!
  2. WAIT!!

Yup, that’s it.

You’ve been there, you are on vacation at some tropical paradise and everyone gathers to watch the sunset, maybe even see the “Green Flash” but as soon as the sun goes below the horizon everyone leaves because supposedly the main event is over.  (I know you have done this!)

Sure, now you have a picture of the big yellow ball of fire on the horizon, but the magic is just beginning and it is called Twilight, that magical time between day and night.

There are technically three phases of Twilight.

Civil Twilight- This is the brightest phase of twilight and it lasts when the sun just dips below the horizon until it is 6 degrees below.  The light tends to have very soft hues of yellows and pinks giving images that “glow.”  Be very focused during this phase because the light will be changing rapidly.   During Civil Twilight it is possible to take pictures without a tripod.

Nautical Twilight- This phase occurs when the Sun is between 6 and 12 degrees below the horizon.  Primary colors are deep blue.  This is the time frame when the balance of natural light and city lights becomes a potential object of focus.   A tripod is necessary during Nautical Twilight.

Astronomical Twilight- This phase occurs when the Sun is between 12 and 18 degrees below the horizon.   Night occurs quickly during this phase.  Here cityscapes really can stand out.  The sky will still have some light, but it is very dark blue.  The brightest stars and planets are also visible during this phase.    A tripod is necessary during Astronomical Twilight.

This series of images was taken in Waikiki this past October.  Each picture is separated by about 15 minutes!  During the time frame when the sun was actually setting there were all kinds of people in my location including another photographer taking wedding pictures.  As soon as the sun set everybody left (Which is fine by me!).  That is when the show really got interesting if you ask me!!  Also of note, I am actually facing opposite the sunset.  Choose an interesting subject like a cool looking tree, a building, moving water etc. and then wait for the sky to change colors!

Lastly, I hope my blog entry will inspire you to think differently about sunset pictures.  Getting these types of images takes commitment because it will be long after dinnertime and you will have to lug around a heavy bulky tripod.  Hopefully you will come away with some unique images and be the envy of your Facebook friends!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Whale Watch Tour Gets Show of Lifetime!!!!!!




I was down at the Mauna Lani shooting this morning and saw quite a few whales and at least 10 breaches. Most of the activity was pretty far away then I spotted Adventure X Rafting Whale Tours.  I knew then they must see some whales so I waited patiently for some action. Sure enough a Humpback Whale breeched right in front of the boat and I was lucky to capture the whole thing!

The North Pacific Humpback whales migrate to Hawaii each November through late April to mate and spend the winter.  They travel over 4000 miles to Hawaii!!  The area of the West coast of the Big Island is a great place for the whales because there is a shelf that is roughly 250 feet from the Kona Airport to Kohala.  To put it simply it is a perfect nursery for the baby whales!

So if you are coming to visit the Big Island or you are a local, I strongly recommend Adventure X Rafting Whale Watch tours!  Give them a call at 808-937-7245 and tell them Ethan sent you!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Sunset at the Eva Parker Woods Cottage

The Eva Parker Woods Cottage was built by Frank Woods and Eva, the descendants of John Palmer Parker, who founded Parker Ranch. The Cottage is located at the Mauna Lani Resort here on the Big Island.

Over half a century ago, the late Francis H. I’i Brown, a sportsman and socialite with royal Hawaiian lineage, acquired the fishponds and surrounding lands from the family of Eva Parker Woods. A man equally at home in the worlds of black tie and fast cars, Brown treasured Kalahuipua’a as a retreat from the demands of urban life: a place to fish, talk story; a place where he could reach back to the simpler lifestyle of his royal Hawaiian ancestors.  He spent the most time here with his sweetheart, Winona Love, the acclaimed Hawaiian hula dancer.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Three Pu’u above Waimea

The weather in Waimea throughout the month of January has been nothing less than spectacular.  After about two weeks of heavy rains in the month of December the Pu’u or hills above Waimea have really “greened” up.

From left to right are Pu’u Laelae (Clear hill), Pu’u Pelo (Turned over hill) and Pu’u Hoku’ula (Hill of the red star).

The rain is good news for our Ranches as the grass has become very thick and green for the cattle and other livestock.  The other plant that does well with the rains is the Fireweed with its beautiful yellow flowers, which you can see in this image especially in the section above  and adjacent to Hawaii Preparatory Academy.

The bad news is the Fireweed is considered very invasive and is on the Hawaii State Noxious Weed List.  Fireweed is toxic to livestock when eaten and causes slow growth, illness, liver malfunction and even death in severe cases.   It was discovered in Hawaii pastures in the early 1980s.

The Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture is working on a biological control by way of a moth that feeds on the plant….  Secusio extensa.  The alternative is to use a lot of pesticide, repeatedly and extensively.  Seeds can stay viable for years in the soil.

For now enjoy the views.

Ethan

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Pololu Valley Dreams


My Mom and I got up at 5:30 AM this morning to go take pictures of Sunrise at Pololu Valley. While I was shooting I couldnt help notice her just mesmerized by the beginning of a new day!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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A Voggy Sunset Reveals Sunspots!!

I was down at Kawaihae to photograph a (hopefully) spectacular sunset, but the VOG (Volcanic Originated Gasses) ended up obscuring the sun so much it wasn’t very bright or vibrant.  When I got on the computer to edit the images I noticed some dots within the picture of the Sun.  Turned out every picture had the same dots?  I thought at first it might be dust on the sensor, but the dots were too small, then I considered they might be sunspots?  I decided to check NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory and sure enough the spots lined up perfectly of the last sunspot picture!!

Due to the large amount of particles in the sky the sun was dark enough to be able to capture the spots!

Close up of Sun.  Sunspots can be seen at 12 o’clock and 7 o’clock.

NASA picture of the Sun on January 4th 2012

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Mele Kalikimaka from Waimea Hawaii!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfuUlZdUtbg

Surreal to Sublime – Lunar Eclipse to Full Moon Set

Last bit of moon before the full eclipse.

Lunar Eclipse at its peak.  (Jupiter in the lower left)

Keck Observatory using a laser for adaptive optics.  Moon 85%

International Space Station as it went by at 5:09AM in the NNE

Orion to the left of the moon.  Foreground is Subaru, Keck and NASA Infrared Observatories.

A little twilight coming in from the east and moonlight shining on Gemini Observatory.  Just to the left of the observatory is the Southern Cross

Sunrise coming, the city of Hilo below.  One person on the summit.

A group up at the very summit of Mauna Kea, 13,796 feet.

Moon was so full and bright.  I hadn’t noticed in the dark that I parked on a rock.  Notice the rear right tire? LOL

Full moon set with summit observatory complex in the foreground.  Pu`u Poli`ahu on the left is just getting lit by the sun.

Full moon set above the shadow of MaunaKea.  Subaru on the left and Keck I on the right.

Surreal to Sublime – Lunar Eclipse to Full Moon Set

After a lot of deliberation on the best location to see the eclipse I decided on heading up to the summit of the 13,796-foot summit of the dormant volcano Mauna Kea.  The peak time for the eclipse was at 4:15 AM, which meant I would need to get up at 2:15AM to get up to the summit in time.  I also had to prepare for the viewing conditions at the summit and I knew it would be cold so I put on my ski pants and gathered my gloves, hat and ski jacket.

The hour drive up to the mountain was easy enough and I engaged my four-wheel drive as I went past the already busy Visitor Center and headed up the 5-mile road to the summit.  As I past 11,000 feet the temperature dropped to below freezing and reached the summit at around 3:50AM where the temperature was “balmy” Hawaiian 25 degrees Fahrenheit.  I knew based on where the moon would be during the eclipse that a better juxtaposition to get some of the telescopes in the foreground would be from the Canada France Hawaii Observatory.  There was only one other vehicle there and it was a fellow photographer.  He was from the Subaru Observatory and he was doing the same thing I was doing, getting his telescope in the foreground of the eclipse.

By the time I got out of my vehicle the moon only had a tiny sliver of unobstructed surface.  I started to feel a little panicky, as I had to get my cameras set up and then pray I was in the right location!  One thing is for sure, when taking pictures at almost 14,000 feet your brain doesn’t think clearly.  I kept forgetting things; first I forgot my remote shutter release cable, then my gloves, then my other camera etc?  After several trips back and forth to my vehicle wear my gear was located I finally got my act together and got both cameras set up and started taking the long exposures.

The view truly was surreal with the lights of Waimea and Hilo below and the stars were just amazing.  I could see Orion, the Southern Cross, several shooting stars streaked across the sky and of course the moon was beginning to turn red with a hint of blue, but it was absolutely freezing up there.  I made the mistake of repositioning my METAL tripod with bare hands and it ended up being very painful.

Once the moon was in total eclipse I took several close up shots of the moon and I felt quite pleased with the results.  I then wanted to get some shots of the Observatories in the foreground and the Keck Observatory had their sodium (reddish) laser pointed up and to the north in the viewing area so I framed the shot to capture the moon within the scene.

After shooting the moon I then recalled that the International Space Station would be coming up at 5:09 AM in the North North Eastern sky so I moved my camera over to the north side of the Canada France Telescope and waited patiently.  Then, all of a sudden, the ISS appeared in the sky.  I repositioned my camera and then I hit the shutter and as soon as I did that a huge shooting star streaked across the sky!!  Too cool!

As the moon reappeared the dawn twilight began to come up and while most viewers headed to the east side of the summit to watch the sunrise which was looking un-dramatic I headed to the west side of the summit and trained my cameras on the full moon set just above the shadow cast by the Mauna Kea.  The colors were just so creamy and sublime with a hint of purples and light blues.  It was a neat contrast against the red cinder at the summit.  There was about 5 minutes of just really neat color and hues and I was totally in the zone!  Like all good things, the show came to and end and the moon set below the horizon.  Whew! The few of us that stayed to watch the moon set all had big smiles on our faces!  :)

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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When Mauna Kea Turns Pink – The Story of Two Lovers


The story of Kukahau`ula and Poli`ahu

In the story, Kukahau`ula — Ku, a deity representing the male force in the form of the rising sun — pursues Poli`ahu, the woman of the mountain. In Ku’s constant pursuit of Poli`ahu he is constantly thwarted by frost, snow and freezing rain. When Ku finally embraces his lover Poli`ahu with his brilliant pink robe the glorious pink light is cast over the summit of Mauna Kea.

Each time you see this glow over the summit of Mauna Kea think of these two lovers embracing.

For a more detailed rendition of this story click here: http://bit.ly/tevo4V

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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2nd Annual Christmas Tree Lighting in Waimea


It was a perfect evening for the 2nd Annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Parker School here in Waimea on the Big Island.   Residents of all ages showed up and watched the tree lighting at 6:30 PM and then enjoyed hot cocoa, Christmas Carols and a talk story of Christmases past!!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Furry Friends


My loyal furry friends always come running to say hello when I come visit.  These guys have to be the nicest horses and donkey I know!

I have a big bag of carrots ready for my next visit.  Do you think they would be pleased to see me even more?

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Crazy Thanksgiving Sunset

After a great long Thanksgiving weekend out in Volcano with friends I came home to Waimea to a most spectacular sunset, one of those sunsets that is really impossible to capture exactly the way it was that evening.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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The Pink Hotel – Royal Hawaiian Waikiki


I was in Waikiki to photograph Diamond Head for a private client and as I walked by the Royal Hawaiian the clouds and sky were so dramatic.

What is it about the Royal Hawaiian Hotel that brings a smiles to people’s faces? Nostalgia of old Hawaii, the color of the hotel, the Mai Tais? Whatever it is, it is a beautiful hotel right on the beach in Waikiki.

I have never stayed at the hotel, have any of you?

Here is a brief history of the hotel.

One of the first hotels established in Waikiki, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel is considered one of the flagship hotels in Hawaii tourism. It opened its doors to guests on 1 February 1927 with a black tie gala attended by over 1,200 guests. The hotel quickly became an icon of Hawaii’s glory days. It was the Hawaii residence or Western White House of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and boasts the bar that invented the Shirley Temple cocktail (as does Chasen’s restaurant).
The Royal Hawaiian closed on 1 June 2008 for a complete renovation. The property reopened on 20 January 2009[1] as a member of The Luxury Collection Resort division of Starwood Hotels.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan
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Ooh the Sunrise!

I woke up early this morning and began making my coffee to start the day and saw this really cool looking cloud beginning to be highlighted by the morning sun.   I ran and grabbed my camera and tripod and set up in my front yard.  Granted, this isn’t some cool mountain shot etc., but the sunrise was so pretty!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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My High School 26 Years Later


I am happy to say that my Alma Mater is going strong after the 26 years since I walked across the stage for graduation in 1985. I got up early this past Sunday and decided to see if I could get some pictures of my school. It isn’t often you can find the school quiet as there is always some activity in and around the school.

A little history of Parker School- Parker School opened its doors in 1976 after community leaders, including Richard Smart, wanted to serve the area’s high school students and the students whose parents worked on Parker Ranch.

In order to best serve the community, there were to be no restrictions as to race, creed or geographic location of residence, and tuition was to be held at a reasonable amount. Initially, the school was opened to serve grades 9 through 12.

Middle school grades were added in 1977 and, in 2005, Parker School became a full curriculum school with the addition of kindergarten through 5th grade. Parker School continues to grow as Waimea, and its needs, grow. In 2007, a new, beautiful Lower School campus was opened.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Da Green Church (as we say in Waimea)


My home, Waimea, a place I am so proud of…

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Diamond Head and Waikiki

This 760-foot tuff crater is one of Hawaii’s most famous landmarks and one of my favorite places to hike.  I didn’t get a chance to hike it this trip, but if you are on Oahu you need to put that on your list of things to do!  Go early in the day as it gets hot climbing the 175 steps and zig zagging trail.  If you are afraid of the dark I would bring a flashlight too.  You will be rewarded with one of the best views on the island.

Known as Leahi (brow of the tuna) in Hawaiian, the crater was named Diamond Head by 19th century British sailors who thought they discovered diamonds on the crater’s slopes. These “diamonds” were actually shiny calcite crystals that had no value.   Another story I have heard is there used to be a Chinese Produce store nearby and they used to sell cabbage for “dime a head!!”  Ok, I know that is cheesy, but it is still funny.

Diamond Head Crater was formed during the Honolulu Volcanic Series or post erosional phase of volcanism.   Diamond Head was built by hydromagmatic explosions that ripped through 200,000 year old coral reefs and Ko‘olau basalt. As a result, you can see pieces of coral mixed in the tuff of the cone! The eruption most likely occurred in a very short period of time from days to perhaps a month.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Sunrise Over Kalama Valley

Just took a couple snapshots off the porch of the high puffy clouds because the pattern looked so cool!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Miles of Sandy Beaches on the North Shore

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Sailing in Kane`ohe Bay

Spent a great day sailing on Kane`ohe Bay on Oahu!!

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House of a Lifetime

‘
I was asked to photograph the most prestigous property at the Four Seasons Hualalai. It is an amazing house with stunning views of the ocean, golf course and beach!

Here is a image tour of the property.

http://www.tourbuzz.net/public/vtour/display/41381?a=1

Aloha,

Ethan

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Snow on Mauna Kea September 15th 2011 !!!

Woke up this morning and got an email from a friend saying there was snow on Mauna Kea!! I didn’t see that coming! That is two snowfalls this summer one on June 4th/5th and one today September 15th! Thanks Paula for the heads up!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Standing on the Edge of Earth’s Shadow

The Sun had just set as we stood on the summit of Mauna Kea at 13,796 feet, we decided to dash over to the Eastern sky to see if Mauna Kea was still casting a shadow below. What we saw instead was Earth casting its shadow towards the sky; we were literally on the edge of day and night.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan
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Wailoa Big Island Style Art Show!!!



I want to thank all of my family and friends (and those who were there in spirit) who came out last night for the reception!! It was a great night with lots of fine art and conversation!!

If you missed the reception the show will be on display until September 29th

Wailoa Art Center Hours are as follows:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30 am–4:30 pm; Wednesday noon–4:30 pm; 
Closed Saturday, Sunday and State Holidays

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Beams of Light at Sunset





I was headed home after a meeting down at Hualalai and noticed the light was looking nice.   I happened to have my camera with me so I took a drive out between Kohala Mountain and Mauna Kea.  The thing that struck me is how dry it has gotten in the last month and half.  The mountain was aching for the rain and snow of winter.

As the sun went down the light grew very dramatic with these beams of light shooting up along the elliptic.  I wasn’t sure if the subtle color would render, but as you can see it did!

If you looking for something to do this evening I am showing my images at the “Big Island Style” Art show! There will be eleven other fine artists showing their work as well so come on down and enjoy some art and light Pupu’s then go to a movie or dinner after!

The Show is at the Wailoa Center from 5 to 7PM.   Hope to see you there.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Kiholo Bay

Sunrise looking over at Maui.

Sunrise light and the water from a heart on the shore of Kiholo

Sunset my first night at Kiholo

Sunset my second night.  I like the way the ocean is spraying in the foreground.

After photographing the sunset I fired up my grill and had some grass fed big island beef.  So ono!

The Big Dipper pointed the way to the North Star or Polaris.  I took a very long exposure at 6 and half minutes.

Here you can see the Milky Way going up vertically.  The lights in the foreground look like lava flows but it is Waikoloa Village and Resort.

Sunrise on day two. The color lasted about 2 minutes.  It was time for coffee after shooting.

Kiholo Bay (Kiholo means fish hook and probably comes from the shape of the bay which resembles a wooden fish hook used to catch large fish) is a beautiful and historic place.  It is located within the Ahupua’a (Land Division) of Pu’u Wa’awa’a on the West side of the island of Hawaii.

Kiholo has been residence of many chiefs and a primary fishing village including Chief Kamanawa and his twin brother Kame‘eiamoku.  Both chiefs were very powerful and were said to be “uncles” of Kamehameha I. It is these two chiefs whom appear on the official shield of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Kamanawa and Kame‘eiamoku would be closely bound with the history of the Hawaiian Islands during the period of the rise of Kamehameha I.  Presumably, whoever had control over the leeward ports of the Island of Hawai‘i would play an important part in the history of the Islands during this early historical period. As it was, that role fell to Kamehameha, Kamanawa, Kame‘eiamoku, and Ke’eaumoku.

As time went on Kamehameha’s power grew and he decided to have the fishponds restored at Kiholo.  It was this source of food derived from the fishponds that helped Kamehameha support his vast fleet of canoes/warriors on their conquest of the rest of the Hawaiian Islands and finally uniting the islands under one rule by King Kamehameha the Great.

The fishponds were said to have encompassed a diameter of 2 miles with walls 6 feet high above the water with 20-foot thick walls.   One pond south of Kiholo was threatened and then destroyed by the 1801 lava flow from Hualalai, but the flow stopped short of Kiholo.  Then in 1859 Mauna Loa erupted from some 33 miles away and lava traveled that distance in 8 days and the flow completely destroyed the large fishpond, which created a new coastline.

Since the time of the destruction of the fishponds the area has had very little development as much of the land under private ownership.  Only a few residences exist to this day, thus it remains a very peaceful place.

After spending the prior few weeks intensely preparing for my Art Show, I felt that I needed some Rest and Relaxation.  The weather was looking really good and it was during the week and thus it would be un-crowded so I decided to spend some time camping down at Kiholo.   I have been to Kiholo many times, but had never gone camping so I was really excited to get down there.

My time down there was rejuvenating and I had a wonderful time swimming in the ocean, watching the Green Sea Turtles, the sunsets and sunrises, the kite surfers and just enjoyed looking at the myriad of stars at night under a moonless sky.  I did, however, get the feeling that many people had been here before me, I could feel their presence or spirit, nothing sinister or evil just all encompassing and it gave me a real sense of respect for this place.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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The 7 Image Mauna Kea Panorama

This image of the summit of Mauna Kea taken August 4th 2011 was created by taking 7 pictures and then stitching them together.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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2011 Hawaiian Cultural Festival at Pu’u Kohola Heiau











Scenes from today’s Ho`oku`ikahi Establishment Day Hawaiian Cultural Festival

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan
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Bald Eagles-Difficult Photography Subjects

I was looking through some files from a few years ago and came across one of my favorite pictures of a female Bald Eagle at Lake Texoma in North Texas.

While living in Texas I became fascinated by Bald Eagles. Each fall and winter the Eagles would migrate from up North to spend the winter in Texas. This particular Eagle I had been photographing for the prior 4 years and after a while I think she finally got used to me, another advantage was shooting from my boat. Eagles don’t seem to associate danger when in a boat. Finally, after years of trying to get the perfect Eagle picture all things came together. I had the right lens, a Canon 600mm F/4, the right camera, a Canon 1Ds Mark III and perfect calm sunny weather.

As I approached with my boat in the shallow water she took a look at me, but didn’t’ seem to mind my presence. I felt as though we had connected and she knew I meant no harm. Slowly I maneuvered my boat and began shooting. Ideally when shooting with such a long lens you would want to put the rig on a sturdy tripod, but that isn’t possible on a boat that is floating! So I had to manhandle the lens and camera and rest it on my windshield and try to steady the shot. From the moment I took the first few shots I knew I would capture something I had been trying to get for a long time!

If you would like to purchase this image or any other please contact me!

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan
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Often Missed Highlight of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park


Many people visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and dream about seeing lava flowing down the side of the volcano and or an ocean entry with its dramatic steam cloud ascending into the sky.  For sure, all dramatic events that do occur at the Park, but Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate!

Lately the lava erupting from Kilauea has confined itself within Pu’u O’o crater/vent and up at the summit where a lava lake is deep within a 500 ft diameter near-vertical vent inset within the east wall and floor of Halema`uma`u Crater.   I have many friends and potential visitors say they heard “nothing” is going on, but I can assure you that there is much going on within Kilauea.  Soon there will be lava flowing on the surface, but until then don’t miss out on seeing the dramatic glow up at the summit from the Jagger Visitor Center!

Ideally you ought to get to Jagger Visitor Center just as the sun is setting, as I write this that is around 7PM.  As the light fades in the sky the otherwise hidden glow from the lava lake slowly begins to show its intensity.  The evening I took these pictures the glow was very bright as the lava lake is very active and close to the surface right now.  You could hear the lava churning inside the 500-foot diameter crater bubbling and churning even though you stand almost a mile away!  Very cool!!

So go spend an afternoon playing at the park then head over to Volcano Village and grab dinner from many of the fine restaurants then go back into the park in time to see the Sun’s light fade and the glow increase from the lava within Kilauea!

Suggestions for taking images of the glow:

  1. Put your camera on a tripod or rest on the wall at the lookout.
  2. Set your camera on manual focus (DSLR)
  3. Set ISO to 800+
  4. Set camera to Manual
  5. Shutter speed at 10-30 seconds
  6. F-Stop should be relatively wide open at f/4
  7. Gently press shutter and let don’t touch or move camera while it takes the exposure.
  8. Good luck! And lets see those shots!

Ethan

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On the Edge of Light at Waipio Valley



Stunning and remote Waipio Valley.

The place name means “Curved Water” and certainly it is water that created this valley, rivers eroding Kohala Mountain over the last 450,000 years, the ocean once filled the valley when the level was higher and in recent history both in 1946 and 1960 the valley was inundated by devastating tsunamis.

The valley is often referred to as the Valley of the Kings as it was the capital and permanent residence of many early Hawaiian aliʻi (kings).

Today almost 2000-foot valley walls surround this lush valley, home to around 50 people. Many waterfalls cascade down these valley walls including Hiilawe Falls, which is around 1500 feet high! The only way down is with a 4-wheel drive on the steepest road in the United States at a maximum grade of 45 degrees! Unless you feel like hiking!!!

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The Legend of the Nightmarchers…

The Moon shining through the Koa Trees with my tent in the foreground.

The eerie shadows cast by the moon or were they the Nightmarchers?

A group of us all went camping up to Keanakolou Cabins.  Keanakolou (The Three Caves) is about 25 miles, about an hour and a half, northeast of Waimea off a bumpy and dusty 4-wheel drive road.  Needless to say the place is isolated, no power, phone, light etc.

There are several cabins at Keanakolu, but I opted to sleep in my tent to hopefully get some shots of the stars and moon etc.  Besides who could resist the cool mountain air and only the sound of the wind?  I set up my tent at the edge of the Koa forest; the others all bunked together about a football field away inside the main cabin.

On the second night we all turned in pretty early after hiking etc and I headed down to my tent around 10pm.  It didn’t take long to fall asleep, but I ended up waking at around 1 am as nature was calling.  I reluctantly crawled out of my warm cozy nest and stepped into the cool and windy night.  The moon was very bright and shinning through the old Koa trees casting some eerie shadows and the wind was stirring robustly.  The stars were also very bright, looking like diamonds, even though the moon was so bright. One of my philosophies about my photography is to always make the extra effort and get the difficult shot.  At this particular moment, the last thing I wanted to do was get my camera and tripod out and take some pictures, but that is what I opted to do.

Thoughts about being all alone in the middle of nowhere started to dominate my psyche and I began to remember the stories about the Nightmarchers (My best friend Jonah used to tell stories about hearing the Nightmarchers when he was hiking back from Waimanu Valley.).  According to Hawaiian legend, night marchers (huaka‘i po in Hawaiian) are ghosts of ancient warriors. They supposedly roam large sections of the island chain, and can be seen by groups of torches. They can usually be found in areas that were once large battlefields.   Legend has it that if you look a night marcher straight in the eye, you will be forced to walk among them for eternity, but if you have a relative taken by them, you will be spared. Hawaiians say that in the presence of night marchers, one should lie down on their stomach, face down to avoid eye contact, stay quiet, breathe shallowly, and don’t move. Some say that they may nudge you to provoke a reaction so they can take you.

After getting several long exposures I had to keep telling myself to just relax, that it was only my mind that was scaring me.  Luckily there were no Nightmarchers this time… just in my mind.

What would you do if you heard the Nightmarchers?  Do you have any stories about them?   Leave a comment!

Speechless

These are the moments that make me speechless.

Mahealani’s “I Love Being 40″ Photo Shoot!








Mahealani contacted me to do some “Sexy I Love Being Forty” photographs so we set out one morning really with no agenda and just followed our instincts on light etc.  We found a couple cool locations to shoot up off of Saddle Road and I think we got some fun stuff.  Most of all, we had a good time and I think that shows.  So if you would like to do a similar type of shoot and are not afraid to lie in the middle of the road, give me a call!!

Ethan

808-9389-4665 or ethantweedie@gmail.com

Kohala Mountain Panorama

Waimea’s beloved Kohala Mountain as taken from the plains of Mauna Kea on Parker Ranch.  Kohala is the only extinct volcano on the Big Island and last erupted over 60,000 years ago and is about 450,000 years old.  The mountain is close to 5,500 feet tall.  There is no literal Hawaiian translation for Kohala, which is the name of a district of northern Hawai`i.

This image compiled using eight separate images and stitched together.  Click on picture to see a larger version.

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Altocumulus Clouds at Church Row Waimea, HI


More cool clouds last night above the Big Island. This year seems like we have had a lot of high clouds forming laminar layers.

I was headed up Kawaihae Road from a photo assignment and saw these high clouds above Waimea so I cruised over to Church Row .  The first picture is of Imiola Church (Circa 1855). http://imiolachurch.com/# The second picture is Ke Ola Mau Loa Church or fondly named the “Green Church”

I hope you enjoy.

Ethan

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Kahinahina “Road”

We began our adventure from Saddle Road around 6,000 feet to circumnavigate Mauna Kea on the Kahinahina “Road.” Kahinahina is Hawaiian for silversword .  We started our drive at around 1:30 and drove all the way to our overnight stay at Pu’u Kaluamakani arriving at around 5 pm.  After watching the sunset and then the amazing stars we fell asleep in our tents.  The night air got pretty cold!  We all awoke to a beautiful morning and had some strong coffee and breakfast all the while watching our native birds the Amakihi forage in the Mamane and plumb trees next to our camp.   The next leg our our trip would take us from 7,500 feet to around 9,500 heading around the northern part of Mauna Kea.  The going was pretty slow as the road was pretty gnarly in places.  We saw one vehicle parked during our entire drive and one vehicle on the road and a total of two people over the two days on the road.  All in all it was a great time with some great friends.

This was at the end of the trip after I connected with the Mauna Kea Access Road.  I was coming down the hill and noticed the (never before seen) penumbra or Earth’s shadow at sunset.

Almost home after our camping trip I came upon Pu’u Nohona o Hae and the crescent Moon above.

It was so dark at night and the stars were unbelievable.  You may not be able to discern the Milky Way in the small image, but you can see the lights of my 4Runner.

Our overnight stay in a Pu’u included ripe sweet plumbs.  We were at about 7,600 feet elevation.

Our “Hotel” room view was great for sunset.  Maui is to the right of the sun just barely above the clouds.

Rounding the North side of Kahinhina Road. We are at around 9,500 feet.  Below would be Lapahoehoe.  Not shown in this picture is a plane crash on the side of a cinder cone on Mauna Kea at 11,300 feet.  A Navy pilot in 1971 crashed his jet and died.

Our trip would not have been complete without seeing some Silverswords along the way!

Amazing Clouds Over the Big Island!

The first day of summer was really quite amazing here in Hawaii Nei. All day there were these very high clouds (Cirrus) and when I got home I just had to grab my camera and take a few shots. I was a little disappointed that the clouds moved in to obscure Mauna Kea, but that just forced me to look for other things. I came across these blooming Yucca and some bright fuchsia Bougainvillea and thought the juxtaposition of the green grass and clouds made for a nice image.

I hope you got to see the clouds today!!

Much Aloha

Ethan
808-938-4665
www.ethantweedie.com

Good Morning Good Coffee!

Ran into my friend David (The owner of Hawaii White Mountain Coffee Co.) at the Parker School Farmers Market yesterday. I picked up a bag of his Javaloha Peaberry and thought I would start my day off with a cup of his coffee. This morning it is especially good as the cool misty rains of Waimea have returned!  Thanks David for an excellent cup of coffee!!

A little bit about Peaberry coffee, it is the rarest of rare. Only about 6% of all harvested beans are peaberries and the single bean results in a very concentrated flavor. Peaberries form when one of the two halves of the seed develops, thus all the nutrients go into the remaining seed. Because the remaining half gets all of the nutrients the density of the been is more complex thus giving the coffee a wonderful robust flavor. (Here is a diagram of a normal two halved bean)

If you would like to try this coffee and others go to David’s website for locations http://hawaiiwhitemountain.com/index.aspx

You can also be a fan on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/javalohacoffee?sk=wall

Rainbow and Ohia Lehua at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park


I got to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at about 7:30AM and it was one of those rainy days at the park.  I decided to heard over to the Jagger Visitor Center to check out the Caldera and use the restroom before a meeting I was scheduled to attend at 8AM.  I could see a faint rainbow off to the west as the sun rose, but nothing to really get too excited about. When I came back to my vehicle I again saw the rainbow only now it was way more intense.  Frantic to capture the rainbow I also wanted to frame the picture with an Ohia tree etc.  After roaming around I finally found some Lehua blooms that would be worthy of a picture!  I hope you enjoy.  If you would like to purchase this image please go to http://ethantweedie.smugmug.com/Landscapes/Prints/16653856_jRqpmL

Good Friends and June Birthdays!

My friend Sabrina put together a gathering at her ranch up on Kohala Mountain to celebrate her birthday as well as 6 other June Birthdays including mine!! We met at her house then got into a caravan of 4 wheel drive vehicles and went up the mountain to the edge of the Ohia forest. We all hung out in the mist and sun and had a great time!!!

Thanks Sabrina!!! I can’t wait till next year!

Ethan

Mauna Kea Snow June 2011!!




What an amazing birthday to see Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa cover in snow on June 5th!! In fact the mountain got over 8 inches at the summit and the road is closed!  I was dreaming of putting my skis on!  What a coup that would have been!!!

Bucking Bronco!!!!


Tyler Cox rides this bronco like no other! I don’t konw about you, but this has to take a lot of guts to get on a horse or bull and hold on for dear life!! Get R Done!

Taken at the Honoka’a Rodeo Memorial Day 2011

The Cuteness Factor



We were on our way to the Honoka’a Rodeo and passed by these cute little lambs. I quickly turned around and headed back to try and get a few images of them. I got off a few frames and then they got up and headed towards “Mama” for some milk!

The Amazing Journey of Life

Sometimes you don’t know where the journey is going to take you.  You might come to a fork in the road?  Do you listen?  Follow your heart and that is the path you should take.

That is my journey.

Ethan

The Painted Skies of Mauna Kea

I took this shot almost a year ago and didn’t do anything with it because there was some other shots I took that at first glance were more compelling, but I had some inspiration to go back and look at the shots from that day and thought this deserved coming out of hiding.

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Getting Ready for the Honoka’a Rodeo




I left my house not knowing where I was going to go take pictures when I noticed a ton of vehicles at the Parker Ranch Rodeo Arena. I decided to check and see what was going on!

All the riders where getting ready for the Memorial Day Weekend Rodeo out in Honoka’a. I saw one of my friends Kimo out there so I took a few pictues of him.

Enjoy

Ethan
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The Light on Hoku’ula (Buster Brown)

Climbed up Hoku’ula (Buster Brown) to watch the sunset. The light that streams across from the Kohala Mountain is always so amazing.

Pu’eone

I went camping this past weekend at a place called Maelekahana over on the North Shore of Oahu.  My friend Tommy brought his canoe Pu’eone and on Saturday we rode the waves just outside the beach break.  It was a lot of fun getting back in a canoe again!!  I remembered Pu’eone from my paddling days out Outrigger Canoe Club in Waikiki as Tommy bought the canoe from the club.  I asked my friend Tommy if he knew what Pu’eone meant and he didnt know.  My friend Mahealani said it meant sand hill or dune and that meaning didn’t quite fit.  I then googled the meaning and found some lyrics to a Hawaiian song and the translation in the song said it was like a roller coaster.  So that would make sense because this canoe is designed to ride waves or hills of water!!   So if that is the case then Pu’eone is a perfect name!

If anyone knows a better translation let me know!

Thanks Tommy for bringing Pu’eone!!

The Koa Tree

The Koa tree is one of my favorite trees, such a majestic tree. In the highlands you will find this tree covered in lichen like this specimen off Mana Road. You can see the light green lichen reflecting the light of the “Golden Hour”

Image may be purchased at http://ethantweedie.smugmug.com/Landscapes/Need-to-Print/16653856_jRqpmL

Kilauea Summit Eruption 5.10.11

With just a little light left the sky had some blue hues and the gas cloud was a nice purple color.  I shot this at ISO 800 at f/2.8 for 20 seconds with a Canon 1D Mark IV at 7:37PM HST

TO ORDER PRINTS ONLINE GO TO: http://bit.ly/in4a4j

Grady Turns 3!!

Grady about to give a go at the piñata!

Chris at the helm of the piñata controls.

Nothing like a shirt full of candy after the piñata is broken to make a kid smile!

May 2nd 2011 Mauna Kea Snow and Rainbow



Well we have had some interesting weather patterns here in Hawaii!   There has been a cut off low with some very cold temperatures that creates lots of instability and thus we have had a lot of thunder and lightening and snow on our mountains.  The sky parted at sunset to reveal the summits of our mountains.  Both Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa have had snow the last two days in row!  This evening a small little rainbow appeared at sunset.  So beautiful!!

God was out with his paintbrush last night!!


I was moved last night to grab my camera gear and go find some light.  It was around 4:30PM when the light just seemed nice and there was cool high clouds.  In my mind I was drawn to this one area in Waimea and I was going to climb a cinder cone that I had never been up.  When I got there it didn’t feel right so I turned around and headed down the Upper road towards Kona (190).  I pulled into the Waimea Airport and saw our beloved Kohala Mountain lit up like a painting.  The second photograph.  This image was taken with my Canon 1D Mark IV with a 70-200mm lens and was compiled by taking a total of 10 images and then stitched together.  The final image was over 2 gigabytes of data!!!  I can see one of my friend’s cars in the image at the soccer field.  The image on here is way too small to see that, but on the big screen it is really cool!!

After taking the Kohala shot I headed towards wet Waimea for some Mauna Kea shots but when I got there it was too cloudy so I turned around and headed back to town.  I took the new cut off road behind Parker Ranch Center and pulled off the road.  I waited for the sun to set and then all the color just disappeared.   Some little “voice” said just wait and be patient.  So I sat in my car.  I checked my email and after several minutes I looked up and there she was, Mauna Kea was surrounded by high clouds that were glowing!  This shot was taken with my Canon 1Ds Mark III and was two images stitched together.

I hope you enjoy!!  Let me know what you think!!!!!

Ethan

Our Little Church Survived the Tsunami

One of my favorite places in Kona, St. Peter’s By The Sea Catholic Church. Here is some more info:

A popular photographic subject on postcards, picturesque St. Peter’s by the Sea Church was built in 1880 across from La‘aloa Beach Park and named after Peter Kahulamu. Noah Kanewa allowed the church to use that initial property. The tiny church was relocated in 1912 to its current location at Kahalu‘u’s Ku‘emanu Heiau, a Hawaiian surfing temple in Keauhou.

Josephine Kaomea Aiu donated “use” of the Kahalu‘u church site. Catholic families in Kahalu‘u “worked together” to erect the church, moving it more than a mile to its present location on donkeys.

Located on the makai side of Ali’i Drive, the church was pushed off its foundation twice by hurricanes. Father Benno Evers added the church’s belfry and porch in 1938. In 2007, St. Peter’s got new flooring, paint and the walls were reinforced. The rock walls outside the church were neatly restacked and fortified with concrete. The street fronting the church is the annual location of Aid Station Run #5 for the Ford Ironman World Championship—a popular spot with spectators.

How about a Black and White?

Sometimes you can look at a picture and just tell it might be a good candidate for BW. I have been getting images ready all day to get printed and came across this picture I took off Hapuna last year and wasn’t inspired by the image when it was in color. It is fun to go back and look at things and re-edit.

Let me know what you think!!

Ethan

Get the Boot!



A friend of mine who is involved with many things in our little town of Waimea asked me if I could get some shots of the boot. I was coming back from getting some April snow shots of Mauna Kea and the light seemed good for some boot shots.   The boot celebrates the 100 years of  since Ikua Purdy won the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo in 1908.

Below is some verbiage regarding Cheyenne Rodeo etc.

In July 1908, however, a particular event changed these perceptions of Hawaii.  The Cheyenne, Wyoming (“Waiomina” in the Hawaiian language), Frontier Days Rodeo, then in its eleventh year of existence, was known as the greatest and grandest western rodeo.  A winner in the Cheyenne competition was acknowledged in American ranching circles as a true champion.  In 1908, Eben Low, a Hawaii rancher, picked three of the best Hawaiian cowboy ropers, known as paniolo, that he could find and entered them in the rodeo at Cheyenne.  They took first, third, and sixth places in steer roping, and the cowboy world on the continental United States was stunned.  It became obvious that the Hawaii men who could win using borrowed horses were expert horsemen and could use well-trained horses that they had trained themselves.  Within a year or so, the horses of Hawaii had attracted the critical eyes of the United States military, when the cavalry at that time rode horses and mules instead of four-wheel-drive cargo trucks.  By World War II, Hawaii horses were considered better for military purposes than those raised and trained in the continental United States.  General George Patton, who later led the United States tank cavalry in World War II, came to Hawaii as a major and bought, trained, and rode Hawaii’s excellent horses.

Mauna Kea Spring Snow!!!

Lots of storms today and our beloved Mauna Kea got a nice white snow today April 6th 2011!!!! She cleard just enough to get a few pictures this evening.

Have you ever seen a Moonbow?

I have been trying to get an image of the elusive Moonbow for a long time. This evening on the way back from the Volcano there it was!! It was cold, windy and raining but I toughed it out. After getting some images the CF card failed and all the pictures were gone. Undaunted I dug into my camera bag and pulled another card! I had just enough time to get two pictures off before it disapeared!!! Here is what I got!!!!

Camera and Settings

Canon 1Ds Mark III with a Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L and a Manfrotto Carbon Fiber Tripod and Manfrotto Midi Ball Head.

Image was taken at ISO 1600 at f/2.8 for 30 seconds.

Processed in Lightroom 3 and CS5

The Amazing Light of Waimea



There are a few places on this Earth that are just blessed with the right light and amazing colors. Waimea is one of those places. Everyday I pinch myself that I actually live here.

Waimea is “up-country” at an elevation of around 2800 feet it is cooler than down at the ocean. Home to the W.M. Keck,  Canada France Hawaii Observatories and Parker Ranch. It has a unique character all its own.

I hope you enjoy.

Hidden Beauty of The Big Island

Waterfall and clear mountain water.

Hog the Bounty Hunter!!

Roger and Tammy Faye!!

Tammy Faye the Hog

Tammy Faye the Hog

You probably have seen Hog The Bounty Hunter along the highway between the Mauna Lani and Hapuna Beach. I have often wondered what his story is so today I finally had the chance to check him out!

His real name is Roger Downing. He is from Mississippi. Roger is a really nice guy, very smart. Roger told me he is about to close on a place in Ocean View Estates, so in the meantime he has been camping out on this side of the island.

The pig is from Manoa Valley on Oahu. A hunter there shot it with a bow and arrow. He had it stuffed and now carries that pig where ever he goes. Today was funny because the wind was blowing its tail and it looked real! Be sure to stop by and meet Roger and talk story, Roger has many!!

Cynthia Sweeney of Big Island Weekly interviewed Roger. Her article is great!!!! Below is the link.

A Hog Day Afternoon

Hog The Bounty Hunter’s Website

Youtube

Knowing When The Light is Right!!


As I shot Mauna Kea and the cows these birds flew by!!


I have some friends who wanted me to get some pictures of the Cherry Blossoms!! I have been so busy I only caught the tail end!! Better than nothing?


You can’t beat the light in Waimea! Church Row.


A late evening sunset over Buster Brown (Hoku’ula)!

Going up Kohala Mountain Rd. I found some native Morning Glorys! Usually you see them at the beach but there they were with the sunset in the background!!

Coming home from my “day job” you could just see the light was going to be right. i could see a rainbow in Waimea all the way from Kona on the way home. I pulled into my drive way and began to explore. Both cameras on my passanger seat, one with the 70-200 and one with the 16-35 and off I went. These pictures are some of the highlights of the excursion. I hope you enjoy. Please comment if you like what you see!!! I love to get feedback.

An Encounter with 200 Spinner Dolphins! What a Magical Place!!!






Whale Watch with Adventure X Rafting with Captain Casey!!  Captain Casey is a great guy, full of enthusiasm and knowledge we set out on our whale watching tour.  We saw at least 30 whales, too many to count really.  The ever illusive whale breach was seen but I was unable to capture on film.  I did get a baby whale breaching though!
After heading north from Puako we then changed directions and went south.  On the way we came across at least 200 spinner dolphins!!  I felt like a fighter pilot in WWII in a dog fight as these guys were all over the place, under us, beside us, surrounding us!  Too fun!
It was a fantastic day on the water with our majestic Mauna Kea in the background with snow!
http://www.adventurexrafting.com/ Take a tour with Captain Casey!!!

Kilauea Volcano Erupting in Two Places!!

Prior to Saturday March 5th many changes occured on the east rift zone of Kilauea. There had been many small earthquakes under the volcano in the area just east of Kilauea Iki. I had noticed the birds were seemingly agitated and thought to myself this is something interesting. Also, churning lava lake inside of Halemau’mau had been steadily rising. Last summer it was generally 500 feet below the rim and most recently it had risin to 230 feet below the rim. That alone was quite spectacular!

Many of us who are regulars in the park felt something was going to happen and it did on March 5th. Around 2:30 in the afternoon the crater floor of Puu O’o vent collapsed. The downstream dike feeding the TEB vent must have gotten blocked so pressures began to build. Shortly after around 5:15 PM the pressue was so great that the magma began to litterally crack the Earth open and what is known as a fissue opened up. A new area of eruption began with a 1.4 mile long fissue with lava being extruded out.

This picture was taken the evening of March 8th just 3 days after the fissure opened up. It is taken to the east looking down the rift zone. In the foreground is the pit crater inside of Halemau’mau that began erupting in March of 2008. The glow on the left is the new fissure it is about 8 miles away as the crow flies. The hill on the horizon is Mauna Ulu.

Darn Cute Little Baby Turkeys!!

This is the first time I have ever seen baby turkeys!! There were 5 of these cute things just cruising around this morning. They certainly gave me a nice little chuckle!

Sunset From Last Summer

The last two weeks we have had a lack of tradewinds our prevailing winds. Without these winds the gasses from the volcano just hang around the island chain making things hazy and dull. I am so ready for our winds to come back. Can you guess where this might be taken from? There is a big clue in the picture if you look close enough.

The “Mana” of Mana Road

Red dirt, green grass and a snow covered Mauna Kea. Does it get any better?

Amazing Night at Kilauea!!!

I have been going to view the summit eruption of Kilauea for quite some time, but in the last couple weeks many chnages have occured. About two weeks ago there was a relatively large earthquake of 3.5 at the summit created by a collapse of the pit crater. From that time on there have been some very high lava stands. Last night the churning lava within the pit crater was less then 300 feet below the rim, the highest it has EVER been. It was so bright last night, bu the amazing thing was we could hear the lava churning and hissing from a mile away!! That was amazing.

Lastly there were 23 small earthquakes yesterday alone beneath the volcano. The last few times I have been in the park, within the last week, I have noticed the birds flying closer to the ground and more of them. Not sure what is going to happen, but it sure is interesting! Do you think the birds know something??

Stay tuned!

Would you jump?

I was exploring a stream in Waimea and came across this awesome waterfall.  I was getting my camera equipment set up and some kids showed up, they were gonna jump!!   These two girls jumped at least 35 feet from where they climbed up the side of the waterfall!!  Oh how this reminds me of when I was growing up jumping off Anna’s Pond.  I remember it clearly, it was like jumping into a pile of car tires!  At least that is how I describe it.

I dare you!

Sometimes I feel like I am in the African Safari?


Taking a closer look at the Donkeys I noticed some of them have striped legs like Zebra?  The sun had gone down this evening on the way back from Waikoloa and the greens in the grasses were so vibrant.   The hill or pu’u is named Nohona o Hae.

Aloha Spirit

I am forever blown away by the spirit of Aloha. My good friend and real estate agent, Stacy Disney, (http://stacydisney.com/) brought me some fresh Mahi Mahi and my other friend Mahealani Winters dropped of some of the BEST avocado ever!! I love my friends here on the Big Island, they are the reason I came home to Hawaii. I love you guys.

So I pan seared the Mahi Mahi in olive oil and added some sea salt and black pepper.  I also added some Lehua Honey and let in blacken ever so slightly and then let it simmer.  I cooked some brown rice and then drizzled the sauce from the Mahi Mahi.  For my side salad I sliced the Waimea avocado and sprinkled it with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Simple but so good!

Ethan

Who Can Resist a Cute Puppy!

This is Bonnie, my friend Sabrina’s yellow/white lab!  Seriously, how cute is she???

The Things I saw Today January 21st 2011!




Crazy sunrise on Mauna Kea, it was some effect from my lens, but I have never seen that before??

Beautiful snow on Pu’u Ha’u Kea with Mauna Loa in the Distance.

My shadow with moon

The last photo was taken a few hours later at Hapuna Point!!!

What a day!!

The End of One Day Heralds a New

The sky was changing so fast and these colors last a mere moments!!

One of My Favorite Places

I am always so fullfilled when I am in a place like this, Buster Brown has always been one of my most favorite places to be. The warm sun on my face, the cool trades blowing and the majestic view of Mauna Kea looming in the distance.

In All Her Grandeur: Mauna Kea Panorama (PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE)

This photo of Mauna Kea was taken with 3 separate images using the Canon 1D Mark IV and combined in in CS5.  It was shot with the Canon 85mm f 1.2 at f/10 at 1/45 ISO 200 (If you wanted to know!)  I hope you like the photo as much as I enjoyed taking the image!!

Mauna Kea finally reveals herself!

After a nice snow storm Mauna Kea stayed hidden all day yesterday.  She revealed herself briefly this morning just before another storm approaches.  These two photos were taken within a few minutes of each other!!

From Hawaiian Cowboy Country

This cow was walking along the fence and crossed the path of the sun, I thought it looked cool.  Very spiritual place along Mauna Kea Ranch Lands.

Where Glaciers Used to Roam

15,000 years ago a glacier sat on top of Mauna Kea.  What you are looking at is the glacial moraine at the top of the mountain.  Then Mauna Kea erupted under the ice sheet and the melt off created the Pohakuloa Gulch.  After the Earth warmed 15,000 years ago the ice melted.

Going Going Green Flash!!!

Hiked up to the summit of Hoku’ula (Buster Brown) and captured the sun as it dipped below the horizon.  It was a wonderful surprise to end a beautiful day!!

Mr. Pueo!!! (Hawaiian Owl)

So there I was, heading up the Saddle Road towards Volcano National Park.  Camera at the ready searching for Mr or Mrs Pueo.  Then I saw what I thought was an owl on the fence and the realized it was a piece of plastic that I have seen caught on the fence.  In my mind I had written the Pueo sighting off, then as I passed the piece of plastic that I thought had tricked me was a Pueo!!  Quick, reverse!!!!!!  My friend stayed long enough for me to take some nice photos in the morning light!!

Feathered Friends

I was cruising along the Saddle Road just before the 1935 Mauna Loa flow and saw two Nene feeding near the road.  I pulled a U-turn and thankfully had my telephoto lens on the camera and ready to go!  I was far enough away not to bother them, but close enough to get some excellent shots in the nice morning light.  Eventually they made there way beyond where I could see them, but it was a nice treat!!!  There are approximately 500 Nene in existence in the Hawaiian Islands.

Wow!! Another Mauna Kea Sunrise??

Amazing Mauna Kea Sunrise

First Snow on Mauna Kea!!

Mele Kalikimaka from Waimea Hawaii!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfuUlZdUtbg

Parental Joy

Nothing could be more fun than seeing my Mom and Stepfather’s faces when I took them to Kiholo Bay!

AMAZING Rainbow in Waimea!!

Birthday at Kua Bay!!

JUMP!!

Lake Waiau, Mauna Kea Summit

The 7th highest lake in the United States!  A sacred place on the summit.

Mauna Kea Summit and Keck

Couldn’t resist taking a shot of the Keck Telescopes under the bright moon!

Full Moon at Kilauea Caldera

Hot Magma!!

Panoramic of Mauna Kea!!

Panoramic of Mauna Kea!!  I took 4 separate shots of Mauna Kea to get this one picture.

Purple Mauna Majesty

So I am am sitting at my computer and I look out the window and see Mauna Kea with perfect light cast upon its slopes and I think to myself, “gee how many pictures can I take of this mountain?”  Well, I am glad I captured the late summer light because the hues of purple were incredible.  I hope you enjoy!!  If you like this picture let me know!!

Beautiful Waimea, My Hometown

Waimea on the Big Island is a beautiful place.  It is situated between Kohala and Mauna Kea at an elevation of 2500 feet which keeps the days and nights cooler than down at the ocean.  It is home of Parker Ranch, Canada France Hawaii and Keck Telescope headquarters.  A visit to the Big Island isn’t complete without a visit here!

Puako Bay, New Moon and Venus about to set.

After chatting with some guys fishing way after the sun set I had to capture the moon setting with venus.  What a beautiful night!!

Puako New Moon and Venus

I love the beams of light after sunset!

Puako Bay at Sunset

After a great day working I decided to photography the sunset at Puako.  Some things never get old?

Sunny Afternoon at Waipio

Located along the Hamakua Coast on the northeast shore of the Big Island of Hawaii, the Waipiʻo Valley is the largest and most southern of the seven valleys on the windward side of the Kohala Mountains.  The Waipiʻo Valley is a mile wide at the coastline and almost six miles deep.  Along the coast is a beautiful black sand beach often used by motion picture production companies.

On both sides of the valley there are cliffs reaching almost 2000 feet with hundreds of cascading waterfalls, including one of Hawaii’s most celebrated waterfalls – Hiʻilawe.

Mauna Kea Sunrise

Mauna Kea has many different moods.  The hue of colors this morning were very relaxing and needed to be captured!!  You can see some of the 13 telescopes at the summit.  Mauna Kea is the premier location on the planet for viewing the night sky and is home to the largest telescope on the planet the Keck Observatory.

What shall we name this puffer fish???

I was down at Kiholo Bay last week and this guy was fishing and caught a puffer fish!!  Thought I would get a picture before he threw him back!!  What shall we name him??

Pufferfish are poor swimmers, but can quickly ingest huge amounts of water to turn themselves into a virtually inedible ball several times their normal size.  To learn more about these guys heard over to National Geo

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/pufferfish/

Kilauea Summit Eruption-What will happen next?

The summit eruptive vent within Halema`uma`u Crater hosted a lava pond that produced red glow visible from the Jaggar Museum overnight on August 24th 2010.  There is some conjecture that since there is degassing which cools the magma before it reaches Pu’u O’o that at some point the dike that feeds the current lavas at TEB will get “clogged” and potentially cause a summit eruption.  Of course nobody knows the answer, but it is interesting!!  Stay tuned.

Beautiful and friendly horses of Waipio Valley

Spent the afternoon last weekend down in Waipio Valley.  We came across this mother horse and her foal and fed them some bananas which the really loved!!!  Can you see the love in Momma’s eyes?

Funny Faces!!!

Making friends here in Hawaii!!!

The Lonely Road Less Traveled

I was setting up for this shot of the road and along came a vehicle.  My first intuition was get back in my car before I get blasted by dust!!  Then I looked at the image through my viewfinder and thought the shot looked a lot cooler with the car blasting down the dusty road!

Mauna Kea and the Moon

Friendly Donkey while photographing Mauna Kea

I was exploring some roads near Mana Road and came across a friendly Donkey.  He had a fascination with the camera.  I will have to post some pictures of him while he was about to eat my camera.

Mauna Kea Sunset!!!

We went up to Mauna Kea to see the shooting stars but who cares if we only saw two!!!

Art that is art?!

Onomea Bay is a beautiful place, I opted to get some pictures of things that most people miss like this gallery that was a piece of art.  I saw the colors and thought it was cool!  What do you think?

Kawaihae Sunset, Big Island

Kawaihae harbor is the witness to much history here on the Big Island.   This is the home of Pu’ukohola Heiau that Kamehameha built.  Kapoukahi, a powerful kahuna from Kauai, prophesized that war would end if Kamehameha constructed a heiau dedicated to the war god Ku at Pu’ukohola.  All of the stones that were used to build the Heiau were carried man to man from Pololu Valley forming a human chain nearly 25 miles long, the laborers handed the water-worn lava rocks one person to another up and over Kohala Mountain to this site.  It is also the location that the young John Parker arrived on a sailing ship bound for China.  He liked Hawaii so much in 1809 he decided to hide from his ship in the bushes until the ship was out of site.   Eventually John Parker would go on to create one of the oldest and largest cattle ranches in the United States, Parker Ranch.

Twilight Glow at Kalapana Lava Entry

Lava enters the ocean in a fairly wide area at Kalapana on August 4th 2010

Pali Me ‘ili’ili Beach is no more (Fox’s Landing).

What a moment!  It would be the first time to see this beautiful beach and also the last time, forever.

Lava covers Fox’s Landing Beach

Sad to watch this beautiful beach disappear right before my eyes.  It was obvious that these fellow hikers were also pondering the moment.

Beautiful Waipio Valley at Sunset

July 7th 2010 – Last night I finally got a chance to make it down to Waipio Valley since returning to Hawaii.  For those that have never been to Waipio it is like stepping back in time to the old ways of Hawaii.  To get into the valley one either must hike down the 2000 foot side of the valley or go by 4 wheel drive.  There is a river down the middle of the valley and at the back the valley splits in two.  On the left side there is a 1450 foot water fall  called Hi’ilawe Falls.  There are lots of taro patches and other crops grown on the valley floor.  To see the rest of the pictures go to Galleries/Waipio Valley

Aloha,  Ethan

For more information and history check out this site:

http://myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com/2009/07/waipio-valley-taro-and-mock-chews.htm

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Welcome to my blog!! Today is July 7th 2010

This is my first post!!

This photograph of Hapuna Beach was taking shortly after moving back to the Big Island.  I had been moving into my new place most of the day and towards the end of the day decided to take a swim down at Hapuna.  I had a a great time catching some small waves etc. and when the sun started getting low in the sky I decided to rinse off and walk back to my car and get my tripod and see if I could get a few pictures of the sunset etc.   As it turned out the evening was less then stellar for sunset pictures (so I thought).

I made my way over to the north side of the beach on the point in front of the Hapuna Prince Hotel and the light was very flat and dull.  As I turned around to look back at Mauna Kea I noticed some clouds were starting to glow red/pink so I started shooting towards the mountain.  It was a nice backdrop of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Hualalai!  It was at the moment I turned back to the west and the whole sky was turning fantastic colors!!!  I was honestly speechless after witnessing this grand revelation of color.

Thank you for visiting my website and blog.  Please visit often as I will update often!!

Aloha,

Ethan

Welcome to My Blog!

The first blog post will be coming soon!