Waimea Canyon is one of my favorite places in the whole world. Of course, it’s on the island of Kauai, which is another one of my favorite places. This is another gorgeous location that Shelley and I made two separate trips to get the photographs that we wanted while on island.
The weather was the main contributing factor to why we had to make two different visits to Waimea Canyon. On Shelley and I’s first visit, we arrived rather late in the morning almost afternoon by that time clouds and rain had started in full.
Pu’u O Kila Lookout
On the morning that I made the photograph below, the overlook was packed. I was able to find a couple of compositions that I liked. The clouds were moving up the cliff face toward the overlook. They were also casting their shadows across the valley below. In the sacred space, I felt small compared to the greatness of what nature had created.
I made this photograph with my Nikon D600 – ISO 100 – 165mm – f/9 – 1/1000 sec.
Kalalau Lookout
When Shelley and I reached the Kalalau lookout, the main viewing platform was it’s pretty busy. So, I walk down the fence line to the end, where I found a small, quiet spot that was a little more remote. It was here that I set up my tripod and framed my composition of the cliffs beyond the valley. Off on the distant cliff face, I could see small waterfalls running down into the valley as well as the clouds rushing up the cliffs. This was truly a beautiful location to photograph, and the composition that I took away from this lookout was very rewarding.
I made this photograph with my Nikon D600 – ISO 100 – 70mm – f/20 – 1/50 sec.
Waipo’o Falls
For my last composition taken in Waimea Canyon, I chose what I believed at the time to be Waimea falls off in the distance. I was able to frame up this composition from a small pull-off along the road through Waimea Canyon. In order to create this photograph I had to used my 70-300mm lens zoomed all of the way out to 300mm. It is a tight long distance composition of a Beautifully cascading waterfall down the cliff faces of Waimea into the Canyon below.
I made this photograph with my Nikon D600 – ISO 100 – 300mm – f/9 – 1/80 sec.
To read more about Shelley and I’s Photographing Kauai 2019 trip click here.
To view the video series on our YouTube Channel click here.
