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Patrick Smith Photography - Hanalei to the NaPali Coast |
Hanalei Bonfire Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 40-second exposure @F8 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHTOTOzine Flickr
Story:
Hanalei is a small town on the north shore of the island. 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.
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 40-second exposure @F8 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHTOTOzine Flickr
Story:
Hanalei is a small town on the north shore of the island. 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.
Kauai, from Haena to Kee and the Napali Coast
This area receives anywhere between 100-150 inches of rain per year, but it is usually partly cloudy and still has lots of sunshine for landscape
photography. The eroded lava cliffs provide stunning vistas and backdrops for memorable images. Even though this area is only about 10 miles
long, it would take many years to photograph it all. And even then, every view is different every day.
This area receives anywhere between 100-150 inches of rain per year, but it is usually partly cloudy and still has lots of sunshine for landscape
photography. The eroded lava cliffs provide stunning vistas and backdrops for memorable images. Even though this area is only about 10 miles
long, it would take many years to photograph it all. And even then, every view is different every day.
Light at the End of the Pier Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 25-second exposure @F20 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
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.
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 25-second exposure @F20 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
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.
Under the Pier, Hanalei Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 30-second exposure @F16 with ND grad 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
I wanted to create a surreal image that showed the interesting colors and detail under the Hanalei pier. A long exposure softened the waves
which occasionally brushed up against the top part of the concrete in this image. I had to abort my 30 second planned exposure several times and
run away from larger waves, until I had a good long period of smaller waves. I like the symmetry underneath piers, so I always try to capture it
if I can.
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 30-second exposure @F16 with ND grad 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
I wanted to create a surreal image that showed the interesting colors and detail under the Hanalei pier. A long exposure softened the waves
which occasionally brushed up against the top part of the concrete in this image. I had to abort my 30 second planned exposure several times and
run away from larger waves, until I had a good long period of smaller waves. I like the symmetry underneath piers, so I always try to capture it
if I can.
Haena Morning Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Haena Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 0.3-second exposure @F22 with ND grad 0.9
Story:
Haena Beach is a classic vision of paradise. Over 100 inches of rain fall here annually yet nearly every day is mostly sunny with just brief rain
showers. These are perfect conditions for good light when the sun angle is low. I had to wait for over an hour at sunrise for clouds to the left of
the frame to open up and let the light to hit the mountains and graze across the golden sand and clear water. Mid-day light would not show as
much detail because there would be little shadow to accentuate the texture of the sand and cliffs.
Location: Haena Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 0.3-second exposure @F22 with ND grad 0.9
Story:
Haena Beach is a classic vision of paradise. Over 100 inches of rain fall here annually yet nearly every day is mostly sunny with just brief rain
showers. These are perfect conditions for good light when the sun angle is low. I had to wait for over an hour at sunrise for clouds to the left of
the frame to open up and let the light to hit the mountains and graze across the golden sand and clear water. Mid-day light would not show as
much detail because there would be little shadow to accentuate the texture of the sand and cliffs.
Hanalei Mist Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 0.3-second exposure @F18 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
The mist and cloud set the mood on this memorable morning. 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. 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.
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 0.3-second exposure @F18 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
The mist and cloud set the mood on this memorable morning. 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. 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.
Ke'e Flow Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Ke'e Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 0.4-second exposure @F10 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
Kee Beach, on Kauai's North shore is a popular place to watch the sunset. But the people stay high up on the beach, allowing a good open view
with no people in the image. This was a very enjoyable sunset to witness. Other than waiting for good light to come through the clouds and for
just the right little wave to come through the offshore reef, this was an easy image to make. Well, people kept walking down the beach just as I
was about to shoot...the nerve of them!
Location: Ke'e Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 0.4-second exposure @F10 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
Kee Beach, on Kauai's North shore is a popular place to watch the sunset. But the people stay high up on the beach, allowing a good open view
with no people in the image. This was a very enjoyable sunset to witness. Other than waiting for good light to come through the clouds and for
just the right little wave to come through the offshore reef, this was an easy image to make. Well, people kept walking down the beach just as I
was about to shoot...the nerve of them!
Ke'e Reef Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Ke'e Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 90-second exposure @F13 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
This beach is as far as you can go before beginning the hike to the Kalalau Valley in the distance. This shows the very last light before it faded to
darkness. A long exposure allowed the sand and reef features to stand out from the moving water. For the viewer, this creates the feeling of
standing right on this spot for the incredible sunset. There were several photographers with expensive cameras and tripods standing right next
to me who insisted that there was no decent shot to be had on this evening. They looked incredulous as I stood there for the 90 second exposure,
but they looked surprised when I showed them this picture on the back of my view screen! This goes to show that you should never give up
until all the light is gone for the day.
Location: Ke'e Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 90-second exposure @F13 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
This beach is as far as you can go before beginning the hike to the Kalalau Valley in the distance. This shows the very last light before it faded to
darkness. A long exposure allowed the sand and reef features to stand out from the moving water. For the viewer, this creates the feeling of
standing right on this spot for the incredible sunset. There were several photographers with expensive cameras and tripods standing right next
to me who insisted that there was no decent shot to be had on this evening. They looked incredulous as I stood there for the 90 second exposure,
but they looked surprised when I showed them this picture on the back of my view screen! This goes to show that you should never give up
until all the light is gone for the day.
Queen's Bath Flow Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 1.3-second exposure @F16 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
This naturally formed pool was scooped out of the lava by large and relentless surf. There is no coral reef offshore, so large waves from the North
Pacific pound this area in the winter. On calm days at low tide, this pool is a great place to swim, but with high surf it is a great place to avoid,
as it gets so violent that you can't even tell that there is a pool here at all! To make this photograph, I waited for the first rays of light to hit the
distant mountains before taking this shot just after a wave had mixed up the water.
Location: Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 1.3-second exposure @F16 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
This naturally formed pool was scooped out of the lava by large and relentless surf. There is no coral reef offshore, so large waves from the North
Pacific pound this area in the winter. On calm days at low tide, this pool is a great place to swim, but with high surf it is a great place to avoid,
as it gets so violent that you can't even tell that there is a pool here at all! To make this photograph, I waited for the first rays of light to hit the
distant mountains before taking this shot just after a wave had mixed up the water.
Water Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 2 second exposure @F22 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
When I saw this scene, I was struck by how I could see the entire water cycle happening right before my eyes. The water was evaporating, lifting
into the clouds, raining back to earth, flowing down the seven waterfalls, and draining into this taro field. There was no wind. Hundreds of
small fish were swimming around, making the reflections soft while the leaves were stationary for the entire two seconds of the exposure. So they
were perfectly sharp.
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 2 second exposure @F22 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
When I saw this scene, I was struck by how I could see the entire water cycle happening right before my eyes. The water was evaporating, lifting
into the clouds, raining back to earth, flowing down the seven waterfalls, and draining into this taro field. There was no wind. Hundreds of
small fish were swimming around, making the reflections soft while the leaves were stationary for the entire two seconds of the exposure. So they
were perfectly sharp.
Hanalei Light Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 0.3 second exposure @F18 with ND grad 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
The Hanalei Pier is a great place to fish early in the morning, but I found nobody here for a few minutes just after sunrise. Within minutes, the
fishermen appeared. I liked the light on the mountains in the background, which only occurs like this near the winter solstice. I waited for that
log to wash ashore and add a little extra interest up front. Then I included a bit of the dry sand in the bottom of the frame to contrast with the
wetter sand where the wave just washed ashore. I also made sure that the lens was high enough to see a glimpse of the waves above the top of
the pier on the right side. Sometimes you have to think like a painter to improve the image.
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 0.3 second exposure @F18 with ND grad 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
The Hanalei Pier is a great place to fish early in the morning, but I found nobody here for a few minutes just after sunrise. Within minutes, the
fishermen appeared. I liked the light on the mountains in the background, which only occurs like this near the winter solstice. I waited for that
log to wash ashore and add a little extra interest up front. Then I included a bit of the dry sand in the bottom of the frame to contrast with the
wetter sand where the wave just washed ashore. I also made sure that the lens was high enough to see a glimpse of the waves above the top of
the pier on the right side. Sometimes you have to think like a painter to improve the image.
Haena Surf Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Haena Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 1/30-second exposure @F8 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
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 winter storms. After every shot, I had to run, as I planted the tripod right in the path of the waves to get the best
shot. 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.
Location: Haena Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 1/30-second exposure @F8 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
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 winter storms. After every shot, I had to run, as I planted the tripod right in the path of the waves to get the best
shot. 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.
Haena Sands Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Haena Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 1/10-second exposure @F8 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
Originally, I came to this beach on the north shore of Kauai to make some images of the large waves there. While I was concentrating on the
motion of the water, I noticed how the sand turned reflective for just a few seconds between waves. So I moved in closer to get a better view of
the sand with the fast moving waves and well-lit sky in the background. I had to choose smaller well-formed waves, as the larger ones obscured
the trees in the background. It took several attempts to capture a wave breaking while the sand was reflective and full of detail. Usually the sand
dried up before the next wave hit, but my patience paid off.
Location: Haena Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 1/10-second exposure @F8 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
Originally, I came to this beach on the north shore of Kauai to make some images of the large waves there. While I was concentrating on the
motion of the water, I noticed how the sand turned reflective for just a few seconds between waves. So I moved in closer to get a better view of
the sand with the fast moving waves and well-lit sky in the background. I had to choose smaller well-formed waves, as the larger ones obscured
the trees in the background. It took several attempts to capture a wave breaking while the sand was reflective and full of detail. Usually the sand
dried up before the next wave hit, but my patience paid off.
Taro Skies Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 6 second exposure @F22 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This taro field near Hanalei is planted and then flooded with water until the tubers are ready for harvest. I waited for a week for these conditions
to appear. A big rain created 7 waterfalls (5 seen here and all seven in the image 'Water'), which only last a few hours. All I had to do here was
wait for the breeze to calm down for 6 seconds and for the moon to pop out from behind the clouds. I needed F22 despite the long resulting
exposure time because I wanted the leaves to be close in front and for them to be in sharp focus.
Location: Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii
Details: 6 second exposure @F22 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This taro field near Hanalei is planted and then flooded with water until the tubers are ready for harvest. I waited for a week for these conditions
to appear. A big rain created 7 waterfalls (5 seen here and all seven in the image 'Water'), which only last a few hours. All I had to do here was
wait for the breeze to calm down for 6 seconds and for the moon to pop out from behind the clouds. I needed F22 despite the long resulting
exposure time because I wanted the leaves to be close in front and for them to be in sharp focus.
