Water undoubtedly sustains life, but I don't think I've quite seen so many different colors of water, sand, and dirt in such close proximity. Several of the pictures in this series were actually taken in the same day, when we drove all the way around Big Island. I started and restarted this post so many times, but can't find the words to do these pictures justice, so I'll just let them stand on their own.
Active Shooting Hours: 3 Review Hours: 2 Hours To Date: 187
I've never really been scared of heights, so when I found out there was such a thing as a doors-off helicopter ride geared towards photographers, I decided it was one thing I absolutely had to experience. Not to mention, this was billed as a great way to see actual lava from a safe distance, as opposed to just glow reflecting off of volcanic vog (yes, vog with a v - it's a real thing). If I had to pick just one experience from the trip, I'd have to say that this was the highlight. I know a lot of people who've made the trip to Hawaii for honeymoons, getaways, and family vacations, but I don't know anyone who's seen it like this, from the skies. The helicopter was decidedly tiny and not for the claustrophobic, although I would argue that with the doors off and the wind whipping at your face, it felt pretty roomy! The ground crew strapped us in and hooked us into the communication system: push the button to talk and let go to listen, cup your hand over the mic to cut down on wind noise. The pilot mentioned he would be quiet during takeoff as he talked with air traffic control, but then would be our guide and answer any questions we had. With that and a slightly wobbly woosh, we were off the ground and up in the air. This was my first helicopter ride and especially as we flew sans doors, I was appreciative that one of the ground crew girls told me to tie my hair back to prevent the wind from whipping it into a tangled mess. The air was actually cold at altitude and the "wear long sleeves and pants" advisory suddenly made all kinds of sense. Once up in the air, our pilot spotted smoke almost immediately and headed off in that direction. Given the humidity level in Hawaii, there was no mistaking it for a wildfire.
Once we came up to the scene, sure enough, there was flowing lava. It was a little surreal watching molten rock flow faster than I would ever expect of such a seemingly viscous substance. It was also a little more alarming once the pilot mentioned that this particular flow from one of Kīlauea's vents was headed straight for a housing tract. Sure enough, 5 days later, it made the news with a state of emergency declared and residents starting to move their livestock. I imagine it's just one of the hazards of living on an active volcano, but it's pretty mind-blowing that despite all of our technological advancements as a species, we're still at the mercy of the elements and natural disasters. There's no diversion of lava, earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes, we just have to ride them out and hope that we're prepared. I sometimes wonder that with tens of thousands of years of technological development (and subsequent dependency on said technology), the ultimate result is that we've lost basic instincts and the ability to survive without our civilizations. There are certainly documented stories of animals fleeing an area ahead of disaster or even just being able to navigate using magnetic fields and I have to wonder if for all our enlarged prefrontal cortices, we are more fragile than ever as a species.
Anyway, apart from that tangential rumination, we also spotted other points of interest besides lava - waterfalls and macadamia nut plantations that inspired later treks during the week! This was definitely a life exposure moment and an amazing look at the world through the incredible lens of the skies, a reminder that there is more to the world than the mundane and humdrum tasks that sometimes consume the vast majority of our time and concern.
More from the skies above Big Island
Active Shooting Hours: 1 Review Hours: 1 Hours To Date: 182
I'm finally back after a long month of prepping for grad school orientation and making sure work was ready for my 2 week absence. The trip to Hawaii was phenomenal - a fantastic photojourney and the perfect send off before grad school, even with the homework on the trip! We kicked off the week in Hawaii with a quintessential luau.
Active Shooting Hours: 3 Review Hours: 2 Hours To Date: 180