Our wedding photographer has a neat story. She was doing the whole corporate thing a few years back, and when the shit hit the fan (see: economy, circa 2001), she bailed – laid off, quit, whatever – she got out. She was interested in photography, so she went off to photography school and now takes pictures for a living. Both Steph and I were a little jealous. I’m too much of a capitalist pig, really. Right now, the corporate thing is probably as lifeless and soul-crushing as it can get (not a dig at my company at all – in fact, they do their best to combat such travesties), but since we’ve recently swallowed a mortgage, the job is the job, I accept it, I put an effort in. My judgement on corporate life is a broad blanket assumption. Anyway, back to the story at hand…..
Back in high school and sometimes even today, I’ve always thought that being a photographer would be an excellent occupation. There are an infinite amount of times when I am driving around or walking and I see something and think to myself, “damn, that would make a great picture.” So I try to carry my little 2 megapixel digicam around to try and capture those. Sometimes they come out, sometimes they don’t. Of course, the life of a photographer, particularly of one who’s passion is shooting everyday life or scenery, is not one of riches or comfortable financial security, I make no bones about it. Only a select few live to see such green. So you’d better love it. I mean really love it.
All that aside, the island of Kauai (Hawaii) stuffed the belief into my brain that I can make it as a photographer. Admittedly, the island giveth. Holy shit, does it giveth! I suppose any moron with a camera could take some amazing shots of that place – it just gushes jaw-dropping beauty. Pictures are readily available for you, no matter which way you turn. I would even argue that it’s a place like no other on Earth, if I could claim to have visited every place on Earth.
Finally, the single reason for my post today: a 37 picture slideshow taken during our vacation. It’s really hard to describe each and every one, but you’ll see some general scenery, a few highlights of a cheesy luau we attended, a waterfall we swam in, a canyon, some wildlife (I about cried when I saw the baby seal sleeping on the beach), a reflective bird and some very interesting trees. There’s more. In fact, I took roughly 115 pictures. It was very difficult paring that down to just 37, but I think any more than this would be a bore.
Would love to hear feedback. And dammit, get yourself on a plane to Kauai – there are no words to explain how beautiful that place is. The pictures are a start, but it barely does it justice – it must be seen.