The Hawaiian Islands: The Big Island & Kauai

January 11-18, 2022

Class size: 5

Tuition: $3799

If you have always wanted to visit Jurassic Park but not face the chance of being eaten by a dinosaur, then this workshop is for you! I invite you to come join me for an amazing eight days of photography on the stunning islands of Hawaii and Kauai! Our days will be full of shooting, editing, and exploring. My workshops do not have a set itinerary because we follow the light, clouds, and mold our images to whatever conditions Mother Nature has in store for us, but we will be out for every sunrise and sunset. These two islands are one of, if not, the most beautiful places that I have ever visited. Best known for their role in the movie Jurassic Park, the islands are full of lush green mountain landscapes, thousands of waterfalls, stunning beaches, active volcanoes, and lots of wild chickens. Yes, chickens. We will spend each day exploring in search of the perfect image, not only by land but also by helicopter. This workshop includes a doors off aerial shoot of the Nā Pali Coast where you will feast your eyes and lenses on one of the most jaw dropping sights you will ever see!

So here is how it works! We will arrive in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii and start off with a nice sunset shoot along the coast and then dinner. After that, we will take a 90 minute drive to the other side of the island to arrive at our accommodations in Hilo, where we will base out of until January 14th. On the Hilo side, we will focus on photographing volcanic landscapes including the Kilauea Volcano, seascapes, and waterfalls. In regards to the Kilauea Volcano, if lava is present and safe to access, we will take this opportunity to photograph it. Being that this is a natural event, there is no guarantee of photographing lava. On January 14th, we will catch a midday flight over to Kauai from Hilo, where we will spend January 14th-18th shooting our hearts out with incredible canyons, coastlines, lighthouses, beaches and more! We will depart back to the mainland from Lihue, Kauai.

What You Will Learn:

• How to create compelling landscape compositions.

• How to create beautiful aerial landscape images.

• How to use your camera to its fullest capabilities.

• How to utilize a variety of lenses to think “outside the box.”

• An understanding for light and how to take advantage of it in all conditions.

• The basics of Lightroom and Photoshop.

• How to create motion blur in waterfalls and clouds.

• How to plan for a landscape shoot.

• Why the chicken crossed the road.

What You Will Need:

• A DSLR camera body and an assortment of lenses. A wide angle is highly recommended as well as a zoom lens.

• A sturdy tripod.

• Camera strap for the helicopter ride.

• A headlamp or flashlight.

• At least the trial version of Lightroom or Photoshop on your laptop.

• Multiple batteries.

• A desire to learn, have fun, be flexible, and explore nature!

  • Note: a 10 or 6 stop neutral density filter for your wide angle is recommended, as well as a circular polarizer.

What's Included:

• Accommodations, based upon double occupancy.

• Helicopter charter photo flight over the Nā Pali coastline.

• Airfare from the Big Island to Kauai.

• All park entrance fees and permits.

• Access to my mind 24/7.

• Post-workshop editing tutorial videos.

Where are we staying?

Our workshop will base out of three accommodations, the first being located in Hilo where we have hotel rooms reserved for our group. Once on Kauai, we will spend our time sharing an AirBNB home. All rooms will be based on double occupancy unless there is an odd number of men vs women.

Physical Requirements:

We will have at least one hike around two miles round trip. Hikes will always be taken at a slow and enjoyable pace. Please know your limitations. If you feel a hike may not be for you, please let me know and I will gladly provide you with another shooting location to visit during our outing. There are other opportunities to hike, but I will assess the groups capabilities at the beginning of the workshop before deciding if those hikes are capable of being done.

Arrival / Departure

It is highly recommended that you arrive in and stay in Kona one day prior to the workshop to avoid any possibly travel delays. Flights out to the United States mainland from Lihue, Kauai are late at night, so you can fly out the same day the workshop ends if you’d like.

JOIN THE ADVENTURE!