Photographing by natural light is the best. You just can’t beat the big light outside.
Photographed in the old Agee House, located at the beginning of the Manoa Falls Trail. The house was built by a lone Japanese carpenter, using only Japanese tools and I was told no nails. Owned by the Board of Water Supply, it burned down in the early ‘90’s. Agee House was leased to the University of Hawaii Art Department, for the Graduate Painters as a studio. I was fortunate to be able to photograph there.
Linda was a great model, she had a lot to say.
I love to mix up light sources, daylight, candlelight, and tungsten here for this photo. Renders beautiful colors.
My friend’s daughter, 17 years old.
Lovely expression enhanced by the lovely light.
I was hired to photograph student life on campus.
Portrait Session for new position at East West Center June. 28, 2016
From portrait session for new position at the East West Center, Jue 28, 2016.
The almost original line up of one of Hawaii’s most original pop band. Played at Anna Banannas for years.
Portrait session for Honolulu Weekly. Frank has been part of the music scene here in Hawaii and now the mainland. He was in; Pagan Babies, Hat Makes the Man, Poi Dog Pondering, and now in Thievery Corporation, out of Chicago.
From a portrait session on location outside the Onstage Hawaii Bar, Kapahulu Ave. Honolulu, HI.
Theme for the picture is The Girl in the Red Dress.
The North American Bush Band or otherwise known as NABB, was a fixture on the musical carnival of Honolulu in the 1990’s. Led by the gentleman on the left, Kalomo-Sax player, they were an Afro/Jazz/Reggae/Funk /Dance band, that became addictive and not to be missed. This was an early incarnation of the band, as memebers comer and go. All of them fabulous.
The Pau Hana Blues Band, led by Mark Coleman, has been one of the most active Blues bands in Honlulu, performing at OnStage Hawaii on Monday nights for most of the last ten years.
The Bishop Museum Archives department annual Halloween party. An event Mr. Brown truly appreciates. Make up and costuming was his own.
Leah and “date” at the Bishop Museum Halloween party. The party theme was Senior Proms from Hell. Shep Myers, from the museum Entomology Dept., responsible for his amazing costume.
The affection shared between these two was great, luckily I had a camera nearby.
My nephew, Shannon was digging around in my room and found this ceramic mask I had made of myself. He asked for the portrait. Glad to oblige.
Kealoha was a story teller and educator from the Bishop Museum. A most charming person. Photo was made on a Kodak Retina IIIc, from the 1950’s, on Kodacolor 35 mm film. My first camera, still working in 2012.
This and the next eight photographs are made using an alternative process for printing. From the late 19th century, called Gum Bichromate. Using water colors and gum arabic and potassium dichromate, in a mixture spread on heavy print making paper or water color paper. Once dried the contact print is made with a good light source, sun light for me. The negative has to be made at the final size of the print. I was a drawing and painting major and was attracted to the surface ambiguity, not looking at all like photographic process, rendering the photo with a “what is that” presence. This allows for the use of more metaphorical subject mater.
This is the start of my personal work, looking at the camera work done for me. I am interested in finding alternatives to the usual look of photography, and subject matter, and my love for figure photography.
Gum Bichromate print with hand coloring.
Gum Bichromate print with hand coloring.
Gum Bichromate of nude subject. With a little hand coloring.
A print made with four Gum Bichromate images, and colors.
Gum Bichromate print with hand colored areas.
Gum Bichromate print made of found object.
Gum Bichromate print made with a Polaroid negative.
Gum Bichromate print of rapid transit, in Honolulu circa 1978.
A commissioned portrait, documenting last month of pregnancy. This image won best photograph, Honolulu Printmakers.
One of the series, Three Stories of Linda. Photographed on the cliffs above Makapuu.
Photograph made at Agee House, Manoa Falls, 1978. The house was used as the Graduate Painting Dept. of University of Hawaii, and incredibly beautiful setting, unfortunately burned down in the 1990’s
Using a slide projector as the only light source, projecting a slide of mine, (of a body surfer at Sandy Beach) onto the model’s figure. Photographed in the studio of the U.of H. Art Dept. circa 1977. Photographed in Black and White, then hand colored with oil paints.
A study in light and texture.
My curiosity of the ecology of the minutia in this natural environment. Nuuanu Stream, Old Pali Road. Photograph made with a Rolleiflex SLR 66, medium format camera, great macro capabilities. I am about an inch from the water. 1990.
Portrait made of my cat, doing what comes naturally. Staring. I printed this photograph, printing through a piece of rice paper, laid on top of the photo paper adding this wonderful diffusion. The beginnings of my approach to alternative processes.
This photograph was made for Jeff’s recording of “Arabian Nights”, used for the CD jacket in 2004. Jeff still performs this story, and the photos that follow were from a show from 2016 at Mark’s Garage.
This is the beginning of my events catalogue, containing Theater, Music, and Island events like a Hot Rod show.
Jeff prepares the audience for what is to come. Story telling in the finest form, with dance improvisitions and percussion from Babatunji Heath. 2016.
The story begins.
The story teller emotes.
Jeff Gere, Arabian Nights with Puppet Show, Mark's Garage, 2016.
Willow Chang provides the dance interpretations for the story, Arabian Nights, with Jeff Gere.
Babatunji Heath, percussionist and his instruments with Willow Chang. Arabian Nights with Jeff Gere, Mark’s Garage. 2016.
Willow Chang dancing the Arabian Nights story.
The story tellers come to an emotional turning point in the story. Willow Chang, dancer, and Jeff Gere.
Jeff Gere delivers the final scene of the Arabian Nights story. Mark’s Garage. Honolulu. 2016.
The ghost of Christmas Past visits Scrooge on Christmas Eve. Chaminade University put the play on, 2007. My son, Zachary performed three roles.
Scrooge confronts the ghosts, learning of his past, present and future. Chaminade University Theater Department.
The street urchin on Christmas morning ready to do Scrooges bidding. Zachary Myers in his first play. Only two other children were in the play.
Scrooge and the father of Tiny Tim, A Christmas Carol, Chaminade University.
All three actors played various roles, with the middle fella as Tiny Tim. Great to see these young actors take the play so seriously. Chaminade University Drama Dept.
El Sanchez performing for Moth Radio Hour, National Public Radio show, at Hawaii Theater, Oct. 21, 2019. Her story is amazing.
Ruby Cooper, mom, activist, comedian, and ranconteur. Moth Radio Show at Hawaii Theater.
Monte Montepare provided North American view points and humor. A woodsman turned story teller.
National Public Radio visits Hawaii. Hawaii Theater, Oct. 21, 2016.
Allistair kicked off the show with his story of not belonging. Hawaii Theater, Oct. 21, 2016.
The only Hawaii performer, gave us a terrific account of his growing up and being left out, an outcast. His life turn around was well presented, inspirational.
National Public Radio brought Moth Radio Show to Hawaii, Oct. 21, 2016. I was fortunate to be hired to photograph the evening and meet some amazing people.
I was joking around to get the performers loose after a long night. I played a trick on them for the “Smile” prompt. Honored to photograph these folks and get them to laugh at one of my jokes.
I was hired to photograph the KCCN Birthday bash for three years, A great chance to meet some of my musical heroes and get some terrific shots.
One of the original members of the ground breaking trio, Kapena, Kelly Boy Delima continues on his own amazing virtuoso journey with his Ukulele.
Originally from Fiji, but raised in Hawaii, Fiji, has re-defined what it is to be a singer in the Pop field, he combines material from Reggae, Soul, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Hawaiian. Beautiful voice and presence.
Natural Vibrations, a island reggae band got their start in the 1990’s, became one of the most visible and popular “Jawaiian” bands. Jehua, pictured here is the Bass player.
Fiji performed every year at the KCCN birthday bash, always brought something more to the stage, celebrating life in a larger sense. This young man’s intensity is real, and provided compassion to Fiji’s music and what it means to be an Islander.
David Lindley is a master musician and player of many instruments. He performed for the Hallowbaloo Block Party, on Nuuanu Street, downtown Honolulu.
Hook and Line, a rootsy Americana band from Honolulu, performs many American folk styles, and also many original tunes.
Her voice is so passionate and defies being categorized, sings a blues.
One of Hawaii’s premier Stand Up Bass Players.
The Tiki Jive Cats, playing at the famed Ward Rafters in Honolulu.
I love this American tradition of redefining what a car can be. Customizing an old car and bringing something more to the automobile, is a craft I secretly admire. Tiki Jive Cats played this event bringing the appropriate music to the affair.
One of the most popular cars to customize from the ‘50’s, were the 1949 -1950 Ford and related Mercury cars. Ready to be chopped and channel into sleek roadway spaceships. Versions like this are known as Rat rods, leaving the impression they haven’t been finished in the customizing. Harking back to days when teenagers had limited budgets for their hot rods.
The skull grill ornament sums it all up here.
This car has been lowered to the max. By channeling the frame members and chopping the top, reduces the profile of the car, projecting an aura of speed.
My work to document Hawaii and it’s culture, begins with surfing. This lady astounded me with nose ride after nose ride, in perfect surf at Makaha Beach, this past December, 2019.
This is different version of the preceding photograph, giving the viewer a better sense of the size and beauty of the wave. The surfer in the foreground is preparing to “duck dive” under the oncoming wave avalanche.
A classic pose on the nose. Wahine surfing at Makaha Beach, Hawaii. December 2019.
About to have maybe 5 seconds of bliss before being rolled and tumbled in the Sandy Beach shore break.
I was trying to duplicate a photo I found at the Bishop Museum, the perspective which I recognized as being from the Moana Hotel, on Waikiki Beach. The hotel has these viewing lanais on each floor. The photo was taken in the 1960’s. I wanted to see if I could duplicate it, complete with surfer carrying a longboard and sunbathers on the beach. Even the shadows and light were working for me. Success. My effort is in color, original was in Black and White. Passage of time.
I saw a banjo player at a table in Kapiolani Park, went over, as the lady sat down and worked on her ice cream cone. Synchronicity. Pan was an early memeber of the Kapakahi Jug Band, here in Hawaii, back in the 70’s.
I love Waikiki for it’s diversity and the stage it shares with all players. Great place to find peace of mind and great photos.
I took this picture through the window of the Downbeat Diner, on Hotel Street. The gal just outside, was the door person, collecting the cover charge.
“Aliens” in conversation outside Downbeat Diner, Hotel Street, Honolulu. 2016. Center of attention.
As I photographed this event, the eruption spewed one waterspout after another for a couple of hours.
A sheet of molten lava bursts into the air for a couple of hundred feet.
As the sky got darker the eruption grew more intense and spectacular. The clouds of steam and ash rose thousands of feet into the air, seen for miles.
Man in solitude with pigeons. I like how his hair is in sync with the bird’s wings
I love this mural, the expression on the woman’s face is so wonderfully done. Unfortunately the mural has been replace by more graffiti. We are looking down Waialae Ave.
This graffiti mural is no longer there. The building has been repainted, Glad I had a chance to photograph it. I waited tor the day the parking lot would be empty, so I could get the shot. It was there for several years, a masterpiece of sorts. The building sits on the corner of Keeamoku and Young Streets. It used to be a Mexican restaurant.
Way up the Palolo valley, are farm lands, mostly watercress and loi for Taro. Accessed by a one lane mud trap, for only the most willing vehicles, the farm land provides a great escape, harking back to the 19th century. As the farms shut down, adventurous students moved in, buying land for very cheap. This house was of the “hippy” style, low key and pieced together. It had this great sun room with a screen roof. Goats and chickens in and out.
Ahalanui Pond was the spot to visit every time we visited the Big Island. The pond was thermal heated to about 90 degrees. So warm and beautiful, to be floating in the middle, surrounded by all those coconut trees, with little fish tickling your feet. The pond now lays beneath 40 or 50 feet of lava from the last eruption. Pele made a new peninsula of several hundred acres over this. Located between Kapoho and Kalapana. Gone. Sad, but that’s life.
The Crater Festival was the place to be on New Years Day, free to anybody, providing music, crafts, and food. On this year, Santana was one of the featured bands. These fan/folks jammed afterwords just off to the side of the stage. After about four years, the City decided to run the event, turning it into a commercial enterprise, ruining the ambience, eliminating the free spirit and vibe of the “sixties” as the era passed into memory.
The first photograph of mine where I realized the potential of this craft. Photo made with a Kodak Retina IIIC Rangefinder 35mm camera. Great lens and build. Made in Germany for Kodak in the mid 1950’s.
On a very rainy night, I took this photo from my porch, lighting with a Nikon SB-910 Speedlight, and a slow shutter speed, probably around 2 seconds. The flash was off camera to the left. The surprise for me, was the variation in colors recorded in the rain drops, ah yes, the little prisms.
After a few trial and error shots, found the right shutter speed and f stop combination, and got this shot. Happy to get the palm frond included. Photographed with a Nikon D600 and a sturdy tripod.
Kelley Hestir made these beautiful sculptures with a sort of Science Fiction quality. Almost life size, I photographed this in the studio, in front of black back drop paper. I burnt little holes in the paper with a cigarette and placed a flood lamp behind the back drop, creating the “Starry night”.
This is the beginning of the Archival photographs, documenting artwork, museum pieces, and artifacts. Also a sample of photo restoration.
Two female forms made of molded resin and fiberglass. By Kelley Hestir. We took these down to the beach at sunset to get the evening light. I also illuminated the forms with a handheld Vivitar 283 Speedlight. I was pressing the fire button on the flash at various angles, I made about 3 or 4 different pops, hoping to bring out the contours. Worked out nicely. I remember people watching, must of been a good show.
From the Queen’s Medical Center Archives collection. I was hired to photograph and digitize much of the collection, under a grant from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. As the oldest business in town, they had quite an archives, mostly medical equipment and journals and early publcations from Hawaii’s doctors. A good source of Hawaiian Medicinal Practice as well.
Japanese apothecary device for grinding herbs from about the 16th century. Made of stone, wood, and Iron. Beautiful shapes and condition, still very use-able. From the Queens Medical Center Archives.
There is a collection of about fifteen birds from Hawaii, stuffed and mounted, over a hundred years ago. Twelve are known to be extinct. I was asked to photograph the series.
A colleague asked if I could try and mend an old picture of her father’s football days.
Generally, not an archival practice. It is considered best to leave a photograph in it’s original state, so as not to alter anything historically. But, now this photo will be able to live on, to give his grandchildren a better memory.
Documenting the condition of the artwork, for both historical and insurance purposes.
Documenting the condition of the artwork, for both historical and insurance purposes.
Documenting the condition of the artwork, for both historical and insurance purposes.
Documenting the condition of the artwork, for both historical and insurance purposes.
Documenting the condition of the artwork, for both historical and insurance purposes.
Documenting the condition of the artwork, for both historical and insurance purposes.
Drawing and computer graphics artwork being photographed for documentation, presentation, and other uses.