Panoramic view of Hualalai Mountain in the sunset

Oct

2018

23

2018 / Oct / 23

Hualalai Sunset

posted in Favorite, Hawaii, Landscape, Sunsets
/ with 0 comments
/ tags: art, beach, beautiful, Big Island, clouds, coastline, Hawaii, image, Kailua Kona, landscape, mountain, nature, photography, scenic, seascape, shoreline, sunset, travel, tropical

Hualalai mountain shrouded by sunset lit clouds from the Kailua Kona shoreline

Standing on the coastline waiting for the sun to get into position to photograph the rocky shoreline swallowing the waves during sunset, I looked behind me at the mountain. This was too good to pass up and immediately shifted focus from the ocean to the land. My single wide lens couldn’t capture the entire scene that I was witnessing, so I needed to shoot a panorama.

This image is a combination of 9 images. I first panned the landscape and then the sky to create the largest single image I have ever worked on. 20 hours of warping, masking, blending, and enhancing as well as another 3 to polish the shot to how I saw this amazing sunset.

Panoramic view of Hualalai Mountain in the sunset

Milky way photograph over the rugged landscape of Mauna Kea

Jun

2017

30

2017 / Jun / 30

Milky Way

posted in Favorite, Stars
/ with 0 comments
/ tags: beautiful, Big Island, Hawaii, image, landscape, Mauna Kea, milky way, mountain, nature, night sky, photographer, photography, scenic, stars, tree

Photograph of the milky way above the rugged landscape of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii

Â© Christopher Johnson

Hawaiian sunset from the coastline of Keahole point on the Big Island of Hawaii

Jun

2017

19

2017 / Jun / 19

Follow Through

posted in Favorite, Seascape
/ tags: art, beautiful, Big Island, clouds, coastline, Hawaii, image, Kailua Kona, landscape, motion, nature, ocean, photo, photographer, photography, scenic, seascape, shoreline, sunset, travel, water

Photograph of the Hawaiian sunset near a large blow hole in the rugged coastline of Keahole Point.

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The sunset wasn’t progressing like I had hoped it would on my re-visit to this familiar blow hole. I setup further away from the blow hole in order to capture the water streaking back towards the hole with the sun setting just beyond. With the storm clouds stretching toward to horizon I had to wait for the small window where the sun peaked out and casted its beautiful orange sunset color over the coastline surface and underbelly of the clouds. Unfortunately once the sun disappeared the colors went as well, but I waited for the hope of a surprise that didn’t come. 🙁

Â© Christopher Johnson

An intimate view of the amazing Akaka Falls, Hawaii

Aug

2016

08

2016 / Aug / 08

Akaka Falls

posted in Favorite, Hawaii, Landscape, mood
/ with 0 comments
/ tags: Akaka Falls, art, beautiful, Big Island, green, Hawaii, image, landscape, motion, nature, photographer, photography, scenic, travel, water, waterfall

Akaka Falls framed with the ferns in the foreground.

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This magnificent waterfall has been photographed a million times and mostly the same way. I wanted to photograph it with a different approach. Framing the waterfall with all of its surroundings in order to accent the subtleties of the area was my goal. The ferns in the foreground, small waterfalls along the left side of the falls, the moss along the walls, and the way the water catches smooth rocks along the cliff walls as it falls were all the details I set out to capture that are normally lost in a wide angle view.

Â© Christopher Johnson

Pine trees covered in fresh snow during a snow storm

Mar

2016

15

2016 / Mar / 15

Snow Covered Forest

posted in Lake Tahoe
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/ tags: art, California, forest, image, Lake Tahoe, photography, scenery, snow, storm, travel, trees

Snow covered trees in Lake Tahoe during a snow storm.

Pine trees covered in fresh snow during a snow storm

Waves rush around a large hole in the reef during a golden Hawaiian sunset

Feb

2016

17

2016 / Feb / 17

Two Fifteen

posted in Blog, Favorite, Hawaii, mood, Seascape, Sunsets
/ with 0 comments
/ tags: art, beautiful, Big Island, clouds, coastline, Hawaii, image, Kailua Kona, Keahole Point, landscape, motion, nature, ocean, photo, photographer, photography, scenic, seascape, shoreline, sunset, travel, USA, vacation, water, waves

I visited this location two days in a row when the sunset had some promise. The first day was disappointing when the sun popped under the clouds as a dull glowing ball surrounded by the colorless grey haze, blocking any chance of color and light. I was successful when I shot while the sun was high, but during the finale the absence of light pushed my shutter speed too slow. While I wan’t going to compromise any more on aperture and ISO I packed up.Â However, the next dayÂ I wasÂ graced with the appearance of the sun. Again I watched as the sun faded behind the low lying haze that trapped the sunlight from under lighting the belly of the clouds, but I was happy to witness some color on the horizon.
My goal with this shot, against this sunset, was to capture the color and texture of the seaweed with a 1 second shutter. The surf was highÂ andÂ I didn’t want to risk a tight ground shot, so instead, I framedÂ a glimpse of the foreground.
Enjoy…
Â© Christopher Johnson

Waves rush through the blooming seaweed along the terrain of the Keahole coastline

May

2015

05

2015 / May / 05

Keahole Sunset

posted in Favorite, Hawaii, Seascape, Sunsets
/ tags: art, beautiful, Big Island, clouds, coastline, design, Hawaii, image, Kailua Kona, Keahole Point, landscape, lava rock, motion, nature, ocean, photo, photographer, photography, scenic, seascape, seaweed, shoreline, sun, sunset, tide pool, travel, water, waves

A wide photograph to show the character of the Keahole shoreline.

Being too busy to go out and shoot is no fun and that is where I have been for most of 2015. Today I was able to retreat to the beach and noticed the calm ocean. It was then I slated a time to shoot the sunset. When the ocean is calm and the tide is low, the seaweed is more prevalent and I knew exactly where to go. A spot I haven’t been to in a while just north of Kailua Kona where the shoreline has a unique character to what we think Hawaii should look like.

This location, unlike the others, is more violent when the waves surge in and out of the large holes in the rocky shoreline. Extra caution is needed when setting up. I setup low and close to the opening in-order to capture the water flowing through the seaweed. Because the surf was calm I felt safe from being pulled into the opening.

I was lucky that the sunset came together at the right moment. I shot several frames, but this is the one that brought the entire scene together… Enjoy!

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Sun Light shining throughout the ocean water

Jun

2014

28

2014 / Jun / 28

Bending Light

posted in Creative, Favorite, Underwater, Water
/ tags: art, beach, beautiful, Big Island, blue, coastline, design, Hawaii, Honl's Beach, image, nature, ocean, photo, photographer, photography, seascape, shoreline, travel, underwater, water, waves

Photograph of sun rays shining through the murky turbulent ocean water.

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An underwater photograph shot toward the surface of the water as the sun shines through the ocean water makes for dramatic image. Photographed at Mahaiula beach just north of Kailua Kona, Hawaii.