Uploads from PatrickSmithPhotography, tagged kauai

Golden Falls - Queen's Bath, Kauai, Hawaii

nobody@flickr.com (PatrickSmithPhotography) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 08:31:58 -0700

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. I'm writing an app for apple and Android devices about photographing the California coast! I'll be done in a couple of months.

I have many new photos of Kauai to share. For this, I had to bail out several times when bigger waves would strike. This place could be extremely dangerous during the winter and I DO NOT suggest you try this during big surf!!!

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Settings etc.:
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Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 17-40L @ 22
(wide to capture more of the sky and the top of the falls)
0.3-second exposure @ F13
ISO 160
2-0.9 (3-stop) Lee soft edge neutral density graduated filters
Lee foundation kit filter holder (3-slots)
Lee adapter ring to fit my 77mm lens to the holder
No polarizer
Small Slik Sprint mini II tripod with Manfrotto 322RC2 pistol grip ball head
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop

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The Story:
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From a trail near the Princeville hotel, you gain access to some incredible coastal scenery including a large lava swimming pool called "Queen's Bath" but on this evening I wanted to capture these falls as they enter the ocean as they are lit by the last rays of the sun. The falls do not show up well in photographs unless the golden sun is striking them during the summer. I had to get into a small area under a lava ledge and stand on extramely slippery rounded rock at low tide to get this view. The best time to shoot this (because of the angle of the sun hittin gthe water) is probably the summer.

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Resources:
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Google Earth
earth.google.com/

Simply the best way to scout out locations that there is. You can see sun angles and pre-visualize light under lots of different conditions. Sometimes you can actually pre-compose your shots! This has saved me many thousands of vertical feet of climbing by avoiding spots with blocked views etc.

Satellite imagery (choose 'National' for a local US region or use your fave website)
www.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/?wfo=mtr

Tide charting and preditions: (chose your area in US, other countries have similar websites)
tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.shtml?gid=235

45 Seconds at Hanalei, Kauai

nobody@flickr.com (PatrickSmithPhotography) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:24:31 -0700

PatrickSmithPhotography posted a photo:

Compare this to the last upload. Which do you like better? I got up in the dark to get there early in order to show how the trade winds sweep the clouds past the rainiest mountains in the world. No HDR.

See the super-big 1920 pixel version!
www.flickr.com/photos/patrick-smith-photography/601333646...

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Settings etc.:
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Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 24-105L @ 35
45-second exposure @ F11
ISO 160
Lee Big Stopper 10-stop square very dark glass filter for long exposures
(It is hard to get due to limited production so order and wait!)
2-0.9 (3-stop) Lee soft edge neutral density graduated filters
(grads oriented vertically to get light onto the falls)
Lee foundation kit filter holder (3-slots) All full!
Lee adapter ring to fit my 77mm lens to the holder
No polarizer
Small Slik Sprint mini II tripod with Manfrotto 322RC2 pistol grip ball head
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop
Collapse this post

First light at Hanalei is one of the most spaecacular events to witness anywhere. I feel it rivals Yosemite or practically anywhere I've seen personally or in photographs. It is a warm Yosemite with an ocean! These mountains are as high as El-Capitan and almost as steep. The trade winds more the clouds quickly creating changing light conditions on the 4,000 ft. (1300+m) rain sculpted mountains which are the rainiest on the planet. You must see this place for yourself. I used a very dark Lee Big Stopper filter to allow a 45-second exposure to show the dynamic nature of the light here.

Sometimes the clouds open up a bit and during this time of year, the sculpted cliffs are etched perfectly in relief by the low sun angle. The long exposure also reduces distractions so that the pier and mountains stand out better.

Another nice thing the long exposure does is to eliminate people from the scene. There were paddleboarders, surfers and some boats moving through this scene but as long as they keep moving, all is well! And it was.

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Resources:
---------------------------------------------------------

Google Earth
earth.google.com/

Simply the best way to scout out locations that there is. You can see sun angles and pre-visualize light under lots of different conditions. Sometimes you can actually pre-compose your shots! This has saved me many thousands of vertical feet of climbing by avoiding spots with blocked views etc.

Satellite imagery (choose 'National' for a local US region or use your fave website)
www.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/?wfo=mtr

Tide charting and preditions: (chose your area in US, other countries have similar websites)
tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.shtml?gid=235

Maelstrom #3 -Kauai, Hawaii

nobody@flickr.com (PatrickSmithPhotography) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 10:01:47 -0700

PatrickSmithPhotography posted a photo:

This photo is in the 2011 Nature's Best Photography Magazine as an honorable mention in the Windland Smith Rice Awards, Power in Nature category!

Visit me on Google Plus!
profiles.google.com/patricksmith1

Free wallpaper for over 100 of my images in 6 different screen sizes is now available!

I had this near-death experience on my last trip to Kauai! This lava-ledge is 20 feet above the sea, and I suppose the incoming wave is twice that height. This is not the Sprouting Horn near Poipu and it is not Queen's bath! It is called the Mokolea Lava Pools. See the Map below and to the right. It is east of the Kilauea Lighthouse. No HDR.

See the 1200 pixel version!
www.flickr.com/photos/patrick-smith-photography/341228851...

For a deceptively calmer view from this spot, see here:
www.flickr.com/photos/patrick-smith-photography/2882575450/

Here is an even more dangerous shot!
www.flickr.com/photos/patrick-smith-photography/296976991...

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Settings etc.:
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Canon 5D
Canon 17-40L @ 27
0.6-second exposure @F14
LEE soft ND grad (100x150mm) 0.9 + 0.6
Lee foundation kit filter holder with Lee 77mm adapter ring
ISO 50
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop
Keen water shoes

People wanted to see the version I had previously uploaded, but with the big wave, so here it is!

To get this shot:

1. Get up 2 hours before sunrise.... on your vacation.
2. Put on your old shoes and shorts that are destined to become stained with red mud.
3. Drive to the trail head (Right turn before the Kilauea Lighthouse.)
4. Make sure there are decent clouds before committing to the hike down.
5. Get out your flashlight. I have a wind-up one so no worry about batteries.
6. Navigate the extremely slippery trail, in the dark, often on all-fours, for 1/2 mile
7. Ignore the strange noises in the dense steamy jungle... if you can.
8. Watch the surf for at least 20 minutes to determine a safe place to be.
9. Hand-hold the camera to get the settings right before heading into the water.
10. Set up the tripod and composition just before the next wave hits.
11. Make the exposure and run!
12. As you run, make sure to avoid spilling too much blood extracted by the sharp lava rock!

The map shows exactly where this is.

See my profile for a link to my website where I have limited edition prints and less expensive open edition prints.
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Haena Surf - Kauai, Hawaii

nobody@flickr.com (PatrickSmithPhotography) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:08:31 -0800

PatrickSmithPhotography posted a photo:

As the sun rose, a storm brings big surf to the north shore of the island of Kauai.

Free wallpaper for over 100 of my images in 6 different screen sizes is now available!

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Settings etc.:
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1/30-second exposure @F8
LEE soft ND grad (100x150mm 0.9 + 0.6
Lee foundation kit filter holder with Lee 77mm adapter ring
Canon 5D
Canon 17-40L @ 22
ISO 50
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop

In the winter, large waves break in portions of Haena Beach that are not protected by the coral reef. This one is over 10 feet tall from its base. They can get even larger during large winter storms.

This was a rather tricky shot to get right because so many things were happening in a chaotic order. But I wanted to show all the best things happening at once. After every shot, I had to run, as I planted the tripod right in the path of the waves to get the closest view. Standing back on the dry part of the beach makes the action look distant, even if you zoom in. It is more dramatic to use a wide-angle and get close! These waves looked best just before the break, as the light penetrated through them. The sand glistened and moved for just a second before drying up, so timing was important. See my notes on the image.

See my profile for a link to my website where I have limited edition prints and less expensive open edition prints.
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Light at the End of the Pier - Hanalei, Kauai

nobody@flickr.com (PatrickSmithPhotography) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:20:06 -0800

PatrickSmithPhotography posted a photo:

The pier pointed to the first light on a balmy morning in Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii.

Free wallpaper for over 100 of my images in 6 different screen sizes is now available!

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Settings etc.:
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Canon 5D
Canon 17-40L @ 30
25-second exposure @F20
LEE soft ND grad (100x150mm 0.9 + 0.6
Lee foundation kit filter holder with Lee 77mm adapter ring
ISO 50
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop

The Hanalei Pier points directly towards the mountains often referred to as Bali Hai. It refers to a song written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II from the musical South Pacific. This area resembles the island of Tioman, which is the original Bali Hai.

With the sun rising behind the camera, openings in the clouds allowed the light to filter into the clouds and illuminate the mountains on the opposite side of Hanalei Bay. Within 10 minutes the rain came in and this low warm light was gone for the day, replaced later by the bright light of mid-day. I used a long exposure to show the motion in the clouds. Also, the long exposure time smoothed out the water and simplified the image. That enhanced the effect of light hitting the posts of the pier.

See my profile for a link to my website where I have limited edition prints and less expensive open edition prints.
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Hanalei Mist - Kauai, Hawaii

nobody@flickr.com (PatrickSmithPhotography) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:34:11 -0800

PatrickSmithPhotography posted a photo:

The mist and cloud set the mood on this memorable morning in Hanakei, Kauai. No HDR.

Free wallpaper for over 100 of my images in 6 different screen sizes is now available!

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Settings etc.:
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0.3-second exposure @F18
with Lee soft ND grad 0.9 + 0.6 with Cokin z-pro holder
Canon 5D
Canon 17-40L @ 30
ISO 50
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop

Clear skies would have been nice to walk under, but the mood would have been
gone and the light would have been harsh. Hanalei Bay is a 3-mile long perfect crescent of sand surrounded by the world’s rainiest mountains. Over 500 inches of rain drench nearby Mt. Waialeale every year and about 100 inches fall on this beach. 5 of the 7 famous waterfalls can be seen here.

Despite all that rain, days are mostly clear so it still took me several return trips to this beach in order to be here at the right time. Up to seven waterfalls are often seen in the mountains after a good rain shower. The atmosphere created some nice warm filtered light, which turned the sand into gold for a few seconds in between waves. The sun is rising to the left of the frame.

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Kauai Maelstrom

nobody@flickr.com (PatrickSmithPhotography) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:01:11 -0700

PatrickSmithPhotography posted a photo:

Sunrise at a north-shore Kauai lava-ledge 20 feet above the sea! This is not the Sprouting Horn and it is not Queen's bath! See the Map, it is east of the Kilauea Lighthouse. No HDR!

Free wallpaper for over 100 of my images in 6 different screen sizes is now available!

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Settings etc.:
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For an even more energetic view from this spot, check this out:
www.flickr.com/photos/patrick-smith-photography/3412288518/

Canon 5D
Canon 17-40L @ 19
1/2-second exposure @F14
LEE soft ND grads 0.9 + 0.6 angled from 8am-2pm
Cokin z-pro filter holder
ISO 50
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop

If you wish to make the viewer feel like he or she is right next to the camera near the sea, capturing motion is very important. But that often means getting wet and incurring a certain amount of risk to both the camera equipment and the photographer. The water heading into the hole here is actually from a large wave which swept over the ledge and back down the hole. With each wave, the entire ledge shook as it might during an earthquake.

To get to this spot at sunrise, a slippery path had to be navigated in the dark. I studied this particularly dangerous place for about 15 minutes to determine how the water moved. It turned out that while the water coming out of the blowhole was spectacular, but the water motion going back into the hole was even more interesting. After finding a spot in the swirling water to brace the tripod, I was able to get several 'shoot and run' images.

A 1/2 second exposure was enough to show the motion and still show detail in the water. I set up the filters and the camera settings before heading into the water. There was no time to do that once the action was unfolding.

Hanalei Bonfire - Kauai, Hawaii

nobody@flickr.com (PatrickSmithPhotography) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:14:36 -0700

PatrickSmithPhotography posted a photo:

The sun sets in Hanalei as the evening bonfire is lit. Single exposure, no HDR!

Free wallpaper for over 100 of my images in 6 different screen sizes is now available!

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Settings etc.:
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41-second exposure @F8 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6 angled from 9:30-3:30
Canon 5D (original mark I)
Canon 17-40L @ 18
LEE soft ND grad (100x150mm - 4x6in) 0.9
Lee foundation kit filter holder with Lee 77mm adapter ring
No polarizer.
ISO 50
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop
Small Slik Sprint mini II tripod
Manfrotto 322RC2 pistol-grip ball head

Hanalei is a small town on the north shore of the island of Kauai. It has a 3-mile wide perfect crescent of sandy shoreline with the rainiest mountains in the world right behind them. While it rains about 100 inches per year in Hanalei, it rains about 600 inches per year on Mt. Waialeale, about 5 miles behind the peak on the left.

Even with all of the rain, days are usually sunny in Hanalei with maybe 1-2 hours of rain mostly at night. The mountains in this image range from 3,000 to 5,000 feet in height. This shot can only be done with a medium tide and this effect only lasts for a few minutes before another wave moves in.

Here, I attempted to show one of the waterfalls in the reflection. It took about 15 minutes of fiddling around before I finally got it right. All these elements combine to create a thickness to the atmosphere that makes me feel like I'm right back on the beach every time I view this image.

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