Probably one of the most beautiful places on Earth, the island of Oahu was my home for close to 5 years. It was there that I really dove into my love for photography. And I mean, why not?! Everything was just so beautiful! Every day was sunny, warm, and you were 15 minutes from the beach at any given point. My favorite spot was sitting smack dab in front of the Bonzai Pipeline at Sunset Beach on the North Shore. I was lucky enough to live in Kaneohe Bay so the Pipeline was a short 30 minutes west on the Kamehameha Highway. Waimea Bay was also on the way but those waves were hit or miss. I wanted the big ones. Most of my days in Hawaii were spent on my own. I was armed with my camera, GPS, snacks, and a huge sense of adventure. Would I see a Monk Seal? Sea Turtle? Kite surfers? Gnarly waves and wipeouts? I wanted it all. And after about 6 months, I experienced it all… many times over.
Having been back on the mainland for 6 years now, I can finally appreciate the beauty of Hawaii that I came to almost despise while I was there. (Many who know me, know that I was not a fan of living on that tiny island. And I don’t think it was a fan of me either.). I look back on these pictures and can easily remember how easy it was to capture the perfect shot. Perfect lighting, perfect weather and imperfect days.
