I pride myself as a creative Oahu photographer on my ability to adapt to changing conditions or environments, which is one of my strengths in photography.
I’ve been shooting Sunrises without people in it for 20 years, not so much nowadays, but more so in the past 15 years, give or take a few years. Grabbing my backpack and tripod and heading out to somewhere on the east side of Oahu to shoot a sunrise seascape has become a norm for me every weekend.
I have always been drawn to capturing the serene beauty of the sunrise. I eagerly await the moment when the first rays of the sun break over the horizon, filling the landscape with its gentle warmth and light. Observing this natural phenomenon has allowed me to understand better the interplay between light and how it illuminates the environment. One of the most captivating experiences for me is witnessing the gradual transformation of the landscape as the sunlight delicately dances across the ocean, casting a golden glow that gradually extends to the rocks and mountains in the distance. It’s truly mesmerizing to see the darkness of the night give way to the brilliance of the new day.
As I observed and absorbed the way light transformed the surroundings, I gained invaluable insights into the art of portrait lighting.
Fast-forward to five years ago. I found shooting my subjects with flash much easier because I could set up my lights to achieve the desired lighting effect. It also gave me more freedom and allowed me to take photos anytime without depending on the sun’s position. This way, I could capture images at twilight and still get the beautiful colors of a sunrise in the background.
In 2024, I became a fan of natural light, which I used to dislike until now, or at least until this year, lol! I am fortunate to have supportive friends who give me constructive feedback on my work. I'm still learning to capture the best angles and utilize the ambient light to showcase my subjects in their best light. Currently, I’m facing difficulties shooting in natural light on overcast mornings or days. Something I need to work on!
I've selected my lens selection for my couples, engagement, or elopement sessions. Typically, I carry a 23mm, 33mm, and 56mm lens in my bag. My crop sensor Fuji XT5 translates to 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm in full-frame terms. I love my prime lenses, but the issue is that I'm always switching lenses during sessions. I constantly tell my couples, “Hang on, I’m going to change my lens,” then run back to my bag to swap lenses and return to continue shooting. These three prime lenses are my go-to for capturing portraits.
One solution would be to sell all my primes and get a 16-55mm (24-70mm equivalent). This way, I can utilize one lens and zoom in or out as needed. However, the drawback is that the 16-55mm lens is heavy, and one of the reasons I moved away from my full-frame Sony A7IV and bulky, heavy lenses. For now, I prefer to stick with my primes.
It has been quite a journey in the world of photography. I worked in computer graphics for 12 years as my side business, and by the 10th year, I was completely burnt out. I started hating taking on graphic design jobs. In the final year of my graphic design business, I began turning down jobs, not because I didn’t have time but because I didn’t want to do them. Throughout those 12 years, my hobby was photography. I resisted turning my photography hobby into a business for a long time. However, everything changed on January 27, 2023, when I was laid off from my full-time job after 14 years with this company. I took that as a sign that it was time to step up and start making money from photography as my full-time job. It was the best decision I have made in my entire life! My only regret is that I should have done this ten years ago.
My main concern was that I’d start to hate photography like my graphics design career, but I seem to have found a balance between “work” and “play” photography, so I don’t get burnt out so quickly!
A work in progress…
Learn, grow & repeat
Aloha
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