Natural Landscapes
by Harper Okamoto
All of the photos on this page were taken along the Aiea Loop Trail. This trail runs along the ridge of the west side of Halawa Valley and provides a view of the southern coastline of Oahu, from Pearl Harbour and Wai'anae to Honolulu and Diamondhead. There were so many different kinds of plants during the hike, it was really interesting to see the various shapes, textures, and shades of colors found in nature and try to capture them in photographs.
Panorama Shot: There weren't many good opportunities for clear panoramic shots on this hike because of the abundance of trees/plant life that would cut into the frame but I decided to take some photos regardless and try to use them to my advantage. I chose this particular panorama because I think the contrast of the stark trees against the bright, cloudy sky create a lot of interest on their own, but they also frame the view of the H3 in the center nicely.
Wide shot: In this photo, the light shining through the trees creates a soft focal point for the picture and illuminates parts of the foreground resulting in deep shadows that contrast the sunlight.
This set of photos focuses on the details and textures of the vegetation along the hike.
Wide Shot: The view of the H3 is the peak scenic point of the Aiea Loop Trail. The weather luckily cooperated with me after being cloudy for the majority of our hike and allowed me to take this shot of the highway basking in the sunlight. The way the dark foreground gently frames the road allows the eye to be guided through the picture with ease.
HDR: This photo was taken near the end of the hike and we had a beautiful view of the ocean from this point. I wanted to capture the texture of the clouds here while also keeping the lushness of the mountains in line with the theme of my other photos. I think this variety of textures intercepted by the calmness/stillness of the ocean adds an interesting juxtaposition.
