Summer BBQs, 7/5 &10/10

What is summer without BBQs?

and homemade apple pie, thanks Ruth!!! Yum!!!!!!
We needed to initiate Alan's Weber grill.

Korean Festival, 7/10/10

The annual Korean Festival was this weekend.

I wish I had spent more time here, the ladies and their costumes were so pretty.

The next 2 shots are famous Korean performers - it was a joy to see them.

The Chinese Lung Kong Society were part of the festival.
I enjoy my digital SLR but when I want to get another angle I use my Panasonic ZS3 to get another angle - these are from the floor.

Hawaiian Pidgin 101

I came across this on Facebook. My favorite section is "what..."

Hawaiian Creole, called Pidgin, is a language with a rich history and structure that is misunderstood by many who not only hear it but speak it as well. Local celebrity Tita explains it all for an audience at a gender illusionist beauty pagent.

Fireworks, 7/4/10

Shooting fireworks sometimes is tricky.

First I mount my digital SLR on a tripod and do the following settings: Manual, ISO 100, Manual focus: infinity, F stop 8-11 and I use a remote shutter release. I press my remote and I keep the shutter open just enough to capture the firework.

If I keep it open too long, guess what too much light. This is tricky because simultaneously other fireworks are being shot up while others are dissipating.

All in all, I feel this makes up for my disappointment - check out my previous post: July 3rd.

Hiroshi, Aloha Tower Marketplace: Fireworks, 7/3/10

My friends joined me to watch and shoot the fireworks at Aloha Tower Marketplace. But what better way to start but by enjoying Martinis for $3.50 and Tapas for half price and at Hiroshi's

Thanks Dennis, Alan, and Ruth!
Their tapas were to die for, I think we ordered everything. FYI only this one comes on a spoon.
We saw a beautiful sunset but I missed many shots as we were trying to find the "perfect spot" to capture the fireworks.

Once the fireworks went off, I realize I was in trouble. I had the wrong lens or I should have been further back. The fireworks went all over the place and it ended in 10 minutes.


Pretty sad, huh? I missed so many shots. I sure hope I do better tomorrow.

Models/Lighting/Learning, 6/26/10

Fellow photographer Jalna wanted to learn more about photography via lighting/reflectors. Luckily Erick, Hiromi and myself were able to join her and learn via trial and error. Tysha, TK and Hiromi were great models. One of things I learned is that it is not easy holding a reflector, just a little wind and the lighting shifts. Uggh.

Okay, I am also having fun learning to have different effects with my shots using Photoshop.


I really enjoy getting natural expressions. Thanks for being such a good sport.

Pu’u o Kaimuki Mini Park, 6/25/10

Eyes of Hawaii met up here for a photo shoot of the moon. The clouds have a way of getting in the way. Actually doing a photo shoot is a social event - so we had fun trying out different things with our cameras and comparing notes. Thanks Milton H. for arranging this. We later enjoyed dinner at Chili's in Kahala - yum!

Prior to the moon shoot, I got this with my 70-200 and cropped it to get details.

Voila my token shot.
Looking down Kaimuki.
That is Punchbowl crater in the back and the bright lights are from the baseball stadium at the University of Hawaii.
HDR