Downtown From Above

Downtown Honolulu from above while departing for the mainland.

Fern

A herringbone-like fern I came across in a garden ...

Blackout

About 90% of the island of O‘ahu was plunged into darkness Friday evening when an electrical storm apparently knocked out one of the four main power lines that supplies the island. Electricity was restored in stages, with the last few percent getting their power back Sunday morning.

This was the view from my apartment as cars passed by in the darkness.

Calm Stream

An off-shoot of the Nu‘uanu Resevoir serenely flows past the Nu‘uanu Pumping Station on Old Pali Road.

Lei On Nose

One of the lei that graced the nose of Mokulele Airlines' Embraer E170 (N868RW, "The Spirit of Kaua‘i") during the blessing ceremony held in November.

Hawai‘i Bowl

This past Wednesday featured the Christmas Eve bowl classic, the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl. The University of Hawai‘i Warriors were matched upagainst the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This phot was taken a few hours before kick-off, while I was on my way to set up one of Aloha Stadium's video cameras that feed the JumboTron.

The Fighting Irish pounded the Warriors 49-21, before a Hawai‘i Bowl record crowd of 45,718. Though Aloha Stadium is the Warriors home field they were the visiting team for this game.

Mele Kalikimaka!

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus!

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
— Isaiah 9:6

Big Bunch

Twin stems from my big orchid plant form one big bunch of flowers ... I did not realize that these types of shots were called fine art shots, I just thought it looks nice to have a flower shot with a solid color background.

Surf & Sail

A pair of sail boats cross behind a bunch of surfers taking advantage of a southerly swell.

Billowing

This column of smoke was from an apartment fire several blocks from my place, on Friday morning. I happened to look out my bedroom lanai door to see the smoke, just after dropping off Kathy at work.

Fortunately, firefighters had the blaze under control in ten minutes, but the family of ten was displaced, and no one was hurt.

Farewell Old Friend

Two weeks ago, I sold my 1991 Nissan 240SX SE, a car that had served me well since June 1991. After 17+ years, and nearly 120,000 miles I put on it, I bid a fond farewell to my old faithful chariot. Thanks for the memories ...

Magenta Orchid Blooms

Kathy's mom gave this orchid plant, and it produced these beautiful flowers.

The sad part was that a second stem of buds was snipped away by a bulbo, who also happened to eat a few buds from this stem as well. I was upset at first, but at least I still had these flowers to be blessed by.

Wax On

I saw this surfer waxing his surfboard on the shorebreak fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village and the public parking lot of the Ala Wai Boat Harbor, and thought of the movie The Karate Kid, where Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel chores before karate. "Wax on, wax off" ... which how I came up with the title.

Pink Streaks

One of those God-moment and inspired shots taken a few weeks ago after a long day at the j-o-b. With these cloud formations and colors you know that had to be something only God can create.

Sun Behind Palm

Today's photo was captured during a walk around the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, one day after our church service.

Chair Decoration

This chair decoration was from a oceanside wedding I videotaped a while back ...

Fire Pit

For my birthday, Kathy took me out to dinner at Romano's Macaroni Grill at Ala Moana Center. While we waited for our reservations, there was a small fire pit at the bar, which provided me an opportunity to take a few shots ...

Kat, thanks for a wonderful birthday! :-)

Happy (Belated) Birthday Tiff!

A Happy 18th Birthday to my daughter Tiffany! Well, it was actually this past Thursday ... Welcome to adulthood!

Today's photo was taken during her high school graduation party.

It's amazing how fast time has flown since I had first met her as a seven-year-old, and she has grown into a fine young adult.

Wave Force

During a southerly swell, three-to-four-foot waves pounded the breakers at Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park. Some of the waves were so strong they went over the little concrete wall, and soaked half of the width of the walkway.

After A Water Cannon Salute

As part of the Mokulele Airlines E170 media flight, we were treated to a water cannon salute by two fire trucks from the Līhu‘e Airport Fire & Rescue Department. We received the salute right as were taxiing to the gate. The water drops on the window were taken seconds after passing under the arcs of water.

I have seen these salutes performed from the outside of the aircraft, as most people have, but this was the first time I had been in an airliner during a water cannon salute. It was like going through a car wash, and sounded like it too.

A film factoid ... The Līhu‘e Airport was also used in the final scene of the film "Don Juan DeMarco". It was pretending to be the Papa‘ete Airport in Tahiti. The giveaway was the artwork on the exterior of the terminal building facing the flightline. If I remember correctly, there might have been a cameo appearance by a jet of one of the two local inter-island airlines as well.

Swirling Falls

Water swirls caught at the bottom of a wedding chapel's waterfall display.

Rising Up

I got this fountain shot while walking around downtown one day while my car was in the shop for repairs.

Stream

Today's photo is part of the Nu‘uanu Stream that was taken at Lili‘uokalani Gardens. To get the motion blur in the water, I used a neutral density filter to slow the shutter speed, and a soft filter to diffuse the blotches sunlight. I think the shutter slowed down to 1/15 sec.

Ripple Effect

Water droplets hit the water at the base of the fountain at Kawai‘ahao Church

Arcing Drops

The theme week for December is "water". One of the great things about photographing water, or any liquid, is that at high shutter speeds, one can freeze (no pun intended) drops in mid-air; and at low shutter speeds the drops become like motion blur.

Today's photo is from the fountain at the entrance to the Disabled American Veteran's Park at Ke‘ehi Lagoon. I took this photo at 1/1000 sec, of water that was arcing toward the center of the fountain. When looking at the water with the naked eye, the water looks like a constant stream.

I guess it's also a fitting tribute, since 67 years ago, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor Naval Station (and other military bases on O‘ahu).

Center Spot Flowers

I got these flowers from a tree where my car was parked, on an afternoon that I gone to a Bible study. I used my center spot filter when I shot it. I don't know what kind of flowers they are.

Crosswind Landing

This American Airlines Boeing 757-223W is trying to keep its wings level as a crosswind hits the plane as it lands on Runway 4R, after its flight from San Francisco. It touched down a few seconds after I took this photo.

Barren

A black & white shot of some the rocks that line west side coast of O‘ahu.

Tiny Pine Cones

These pine trees can be found all over O‘ahu, especially near the coastlines and beaches.

Kids At Sunset

Kids at play during an autumn sunset ...

Green Orchids II

The green orchids that Kathy bought me several months ago had its second bloom, which was way larger than the first.

Cliffs of Kaua‘i

While on approach to the Līhu‘e Airport, our Mokulele Airlines media flight passes abeam Kawai Point and Kipu Kai on Kaua‘i's southern coast.

Cereus

A night-blooming cereus captured in the morning light.

Watercolour Yacht

One of the yachts parked at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor ... with a litlle Photoshop watercolor effect.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Let us all be thankful for all of our blessings and challenges we had over the past year.

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name."
Psalm 100:4

Ponderance

A silouhette shot of Kathy, taken one late afternoon at one of the lagoons of Ko Olina, and the second version of a shot I posted back in February.

Mokulele Airlines

Mokulele Airlines began inter-island jet service last Wednesday to give traveleers a third airline option when flying between the Hawaiian Islands. Mokulele has a partnership with Republic Airways, who are providing up to six of these Embraer E170s.

I got this photo while sitting on board the media flight, which went to Lihu‘e, Kaua‘i, and back.

The service and the aircraft was great! They have a great product, and wish them much success!

2008 Grey Cup Champions

Congratulations to the Calgary Stampeders, who are the 2008 Grey Cup Champions of the Canadian Football League. The Stampeders beat the Montréal Alouettes 22-14 yesterday in Montréal's Olympic Stadium, before a crowd of 63,000 plus.

I was rooting for the Alouettes, since quarterback Anthony Calvillo sat out the last part of the 2007 season and playoffs to tend to his wife, who went through cancer surgery, and to care for their three young daughters. Calvillo led the East Division Alouettes to this season's champioship game, after his wife's condition stabilized. Even his teammates supported his decision last season. I thought, by winning the Grey Cup, it would have been a fitting reward, but It was not meant to be. I did get to see Calvillo play back in 1994, when he was a rookie quarterback with the Las Vegas Posse (part of the CFL's US expansion that lasted only two seasons) play against the BC Lions at the Sam Boyd Silver Bowl in Henderson, NV. The Lions won, 39-16.

I got the Stampeders mini helmet about a decade ago, and was trying to collect all eight teams ... I got halfway there. I guess someday, I'll get the remaining teams mini helmets.

Happy 45th Birthday!

Another year has gone by ... and how quickly, too!

This year my birthday falls on a Sunday, but I'm taking a day off from shooting the Pop Warner League football tournament. Instead, I'll be spending listening to the CFL Grey Cup on the internet (among other things).

Today's photo was taken last year by a fan for me with my L3. It was right before starting the Boise State - Hawaii game that was on my birthday last year. The camera equipment seen above was replaced this summer by brand new equipment! Gone is our high-tech low-priced camera cover, known as a trash bag custom-fitted with gaffer's tape, replaced with a real camera cover.

Last night's game in which the University of Hawaii Warriors blasted the University of Idaho Vandals, 49-17, I was on the same north end zone camera, but the big difference was the temperature, it was chillier than the game last year. So much so, that there was wind chill even earlier in the day. It prompted me to wear my long-sleeve turtleneck t-shirt, and my BDU pants. I kid you not, it was at least 5-10 degrees colder than whatever the thermometer stated.

I just realized that this is my 700th post ...

JFK

Forty-five years ago today, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, TX.

Kennedy's likeness replaced Benjamin Franklin on the 50 cent piece, along with the presidential seal replacing the Independence Hall on the tail side of the coin.

Leaving Honolulu

Metro Honolulu in the background as we depart HNL. Ala Moana Beach Park and the Ala Wai Boat Harbor are on the coastline.

This was from one of my west coast business trips a few years ago ...

The blurry spot in the bottom left corner is condensation on the outer glass, which later form into ice crystals.

Red & Green Cactus

While through the community garden near my apartment, I saw this interesting cactus growing in the front of the garden.

6am Moonset

An autumn moonset caught at 6am.

Lizard On Lanai

Found this little visitor on my lanai on morning before watering my plants. Thought black and white would be the best since the lanai surface is grey, and the lizard was shades of brown.

Coral Flower

A coral tree flower from Foster Botanical Garden.

Sun Ray

A ray of early morning sunlight shoots past the clouds.

Loulu

A frond from a Loulu palm.

Sun Wind Waves

Sunlight reflection on the wind-blown surface of the ocean.

Cityscape

Puffy clouds hover above downtown Honolulu.

Different Colors

A coral (foreground) and a fuschia colored rose from an altar arrangement for church. It's not often I get to see roses in these clolors.