Olomana Trail.

“K” wanted to hike Olomana while here on vacation. None of us had been there yet. It was tougher than we expected but all of us made it to the first peak and back, without serious injury. Very good times!

In hindsight it might have been better to start our hike earlier. We got to the trailhead just after 09:00. Many were already there and more than a few passed us on their way back down. Aside from Diamond Head Crater and maybe Makapuu Lighthouse, this was the busiest hike i have been on so far. We had to wait in line at the technical parts of the hike. “Feels like we’re at Disneyland or something…”, was the common sentiment.

Patience and courtesy are just as valuable as water and good shoes.

We took our time and got to the summit of the first peak at 11:30 (2.5H). We stopped there for a bit and enjoyed a snack before heading back down. But there are three peaks in all. From what i could see: second peak is relatively easy to get to and is at a lower elevation than first and third. Its actually lower elevation than first peak but third peak looks nuts! (And it is!!) Its a very steep rock climb all the way to it’s summit. Getting up there is one thing; getting back down is another… Read more

Ohisashiburi! ;)

Long time no post! It has been exactly 5 months! Seems like forever. I have been very busy. 2010 has proven to be an incredible year of change! The primary reason I have been so busy: I started at a new job!!! I have made the “big switch” from totally free lance, to M-F, 9-5. I have so much to say about that but the one word that keeps echoing through my head is: gratitude. I still do free lance/consulting but I am a “weekend warrior” in that regard.

I am working at the Honolulu Academy of Arts as a Digital Imaging Specialist. I love the new job and my new co-workers! It is a wonderful change: an incredible opportunity to learn new things and meet new people. I thank my lucky stars everyday for such an opportunity!

Like I said, I have so much (more) to say… I will save that for another post though. I have to ease my way into blogging again — been a while so I don’t want to cramp up.

Uncle Harvey was in town again so we made sure to get out and shoot, at least once. We all wanted to see and touch the fabled Leica M9! We met up at KCC in the afternoon, just before sunset. The light wasn’t great so we just wandered around the cactus garden. Above is a link to my gallery of shots. Only a few and all black & white. That is my “new thing”: black & white. More like, back to basics. I’ve been bored with my own work in color and felt a need to relearn how to see. This will be an interesting exercise. ^_^

Foster Botanical Gardens.

Today was President’s Day holiday. The weather was beautiful! Foster Gardens was a little crowded, I usually see fewer than 5 people on the weekend. Today there must have been at least 20 people wandering around the grounds while we were there. I am glad to see people taking an interest! The Bromeliad section of the garden has been greatly improved! The “butterfly garden” has filled in nicely. Not much in the way of butterfly action though. There were about 4 or 5 that hung around but seldom landed. The one I was able to photograph looked like it was attacked by an Anole or Gecko — bite taken out of it’s wing. I searched the milk weeds (Crown Flower) for Monarch caterpillars but did not find any. The new green house conservatory is really cool! Lots of orchids, strange air plants, and pitcher plants. It was a good day to photograph!

KCC and Waikiki Sanpokatagata.

I met up with cuzin: J.T. – on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday – for a photo walk around Kapiolani Community College and Waikiki. (“Sanpo kata gata” is a Japanese term for: “while taking a walk/stroll”. I know everyone uses “osanpo” or “osampo” but that is boring!) The weather was awesome and JT has been looking for some lens upgrades for her Nikon kit. I don’t need “an excuse” to toss some glass into my bag and run out the door – that was TWO! You can click on the photo above to view a gallery of photos from our photo walk, please do.

We swapped between three lenses that day: Nikkor 10.5mm DX Fisheye, Sigma 12-24mm DG HSM, and the Sigma 150mm DG Macro. I was shooting full frame and JT was on DX cropped sensor. Say what you like about “third party” lenses; I love those two Sigma’s! Did I mention that the Sigma 12-24 is a full frame lens? NO ONE else has anything to match – not even Nikon (at the moment). The Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 is a phenomenal lens but it is also bigger, heavier, twice as expensive, and it “sees less”: 114 degrees for the Nikon vs. 122 degrees for the Sigma. (These are aspherical super wide zooms. IE: in general, horizontal and vertical lines stay almost perfectly straight.) Although the corner light fall-off for the Sigma is much heavier. So, one could argue that the Nikkor has just as much “usable field of view”. Personally, I have grown to appreciate the in-camera vignette – saves me a step in post… hehe.

Nevada and South Lake Tahoe.

Our last day in Tahoe was spent at leisure. As I mentioned in my previous post, we were supposed to drive back out to Reno-Stead but decided it was not worth the time/distance. I am very glad we decided to stay in Tahoe.

The night before we stopped on the Nevada side of the lake. The sky was pretty clear and light pollution was not too bad. It was better for the star gazing but the moon was not out. I’d definitely like to return and do more night time photo exploring with various phases of the moon. (I know it’s been done but i gotta see it with my own eyes — IRL, as it were.)

We had a little visitor in the night. I had seen some evidence on the floor, in the way of dust fallen from the rafters. I actually said out load, “I think we may have a squirrel or chipmunk…” Then, Chad said, “Oh, I think there is a moth. I heard it flapping around last night.” Immediately, I knew what it probably was and, LIKE CLOCK WORK, the tiny bat leaped into the air – from its hiding place above the fireplace – and proceeded to scare the crap out of J. then buzz Chad and I. Good times! After a few tense minutes “die fledermaus” was gently coaxed out the back door. (Honest, we did not hurt it.)

With excitement like that, who needs the air races? We spent the rest of the morning looking at Emerald Bay and walking up the trail to Cascade Falls. It was more like a trickle when we got there. But that was a good thing as it allowed us to actually walk where water would normally be flowing. (What volume? I have no idea.) The weather could not have been better. It was a very cool diversion before our 6 hour return trip to the South Bay. Good weekend! Please click on the image above to view the photo gallery.