Orchid!

 
While co-leading a 6 day workshop on the Big Island last year with Kory Lidstrom we stopped over at Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden just north of Hilo for some different scenery.  While exploring the beautiful gardens I came across these orchids.  Unusual flowers always this particular specimen caught my attention.  I used a long lens with extension tubes to help me focus in closer than I would normally be able to and isolated the crazy looking flower.  Always difficult to get something cohesive with these shots I was pleasantly surprised with this result 🙂  Enjoy!
 
aF
 

Close up of a purple orchid at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden in Hilo.
“Orchid” (unreleased)

Killer Bamboo…Big Island!

 
Recently I had the opportunity to return to the Big Island for a 5 day trip for a friend’s wedding and some more shooting/scouting.  The wedding itself was a very special event with some great friends as well and the weather played a roll in making it all the more interesting.  With rain/fog and clouds off and on the bride and groom made the best of it and we were able to get some special images 🙂
 
Before and after the wedding I had an opportunity to go out and explore more.  Returning to a place that we got to visit during the 6 Day 2014 Workshop (and will revisit again during the 2015!).  Of course the fog greeted us once again but this time, going off trail, I managed to find this very intriguing (mostly) dry stream bed surrounded by bamboo.  But not any normal kind of bamboo as I was to find out…but this crazy KILLER bamboo!  What the hell!  What kind of bamboo grows crazy spikes??  Understandably that made going up and down a little bit stressful…and much more focused on where the hands were going.  Getting down to this part the fog and light gave the area a very surreal place.  Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on ones perspective), the stream was not flowing, which allowed me to get in there comfortably.  Though…it is now a goal to achieve this shot WITH water flowing…but that will require some luck and timing.  We shot around and explored a bit more then the hike back out in to the fog.  Another fun day exploring what the islands of Hawai’i have to offer 🙂
 
Much thanks and enjoy!
 
aF
 
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A dry stream runs through a bamboo forest in the Kohala Mountains of the Big Island.
“Through The Bamboo”

 
 
 
Foggy trees in the Kohala Mountains
Foggy trees in the Kohala Mountains

 
 

2015 Workshops!

 
Well after a rousing adventure on the Big Island earlier this year Kory Lidstrom and I decided to continue the fun and do it again next year!
 
Additionally we are adding a Kauai tour as well!  Woah!
 
http://www.afeinbergphotography.com/workshop/bigislandworkshop/
 
Details above and look forward to seeing you next year!
 
🙂
 
aF
 

Zodiacal light over Mauna Kea and observatories.
“Phone Home” – Zodiacal light over Mauna Kea and observatories.

Tales From The Top…Of The World

 
Ok…maybe not the world.  But it sure feels like it when standing on the top of Mauna Kea, the largest mountain in the world (top to bottom) and rising 13,800 ft above the ocean below.  I could write for a long time about how I’ve been dreaming for 7 years of skiing this unique place and that finally getting to stand and witness snow in Hawai’i was all too brief but this photograph is more about how freaking cold I was!
 
Knowing to prepare for altitude is not problem.  I ski bummed for 3 years in Utah.  For this trip I brought many layers…which did the trick…except for the gloves which remained in my bag in the hotel the day of our 6 Day Big Island Workshop‘s trip up to the summit. Not the brightest of ideas. I will say that by the time we left that night temperatures were around 30F with gusts over 40mph (windchill estimates around 13F).  Trying to work with a metal tripod, camera buttons and facing in to the wind certainly made for challenging conditions.  Which means that I’m was quite excited when I saw the results of this exposure pop up on the back of the LCD screen.  The pillar of light you see is called the Zodiacal Light.  A phenomenon I saw for the first time in Death Valley last year. The quarter moon did the job of illuminating the rest of the scene.
 
An awesome experience for the Workshop and me as well.  Can’t wait until we go back 🙂
 
Much thanks!
aF
 

Zodiacal light over Mauna Kea and observatories.
“Phone Home” – Zodiacal light over Mauna Kea and observatories.

NEW 6 day Workshop!!

 
 
***ANNOUNCEMENT!***
I am teaming up with professional photog Kory Lidstrom and offering the first 6 day photo workshop!!
Dates are March 3-8.
Big Island.
Only 65! spots for the week.
For more details swing over to the site and look forward to new adventures!
ALOHA!
aF
 
 
http://www.afeinbergphotography.com/workshop/bigislandworkshop/