Solar Eclipse 2012 captured from my back yard. It never got super full here in Hawaii only about 10% but it was still a super cool site.

Spring has sprung in my horse pasture!

Island Reflections Photography has a line of  Holiday Cards with a little island flare! Stop by my Hanapepe Studio/Gallery to purchase or you may order directly thru me if your off island.

Pearl & Linen Finish folded greeting cards with blank insides printed on eco friendly papers printed with soy-based inks. Custom writing available.

$3.50 each

$12.50 for set of 5

$45.00 set of 25

***IRP logo for image protection only, does not appear on cards

Wishing you all a HAPPY & SAFE Halloweeeennn!

On my way home from a session with an adorable family….whom I will post soon!!!   I was driving down the longest straight  stretch of road on Kauai, the Mana Stretch. I was taking in the view and enjoying the silence in my car….which is usually filled with screaming little children!  I was so excited to spot this Pueo, Hawaiian Owl, sitting on the telephone wires.  Since I was alone, without busy kids in my car…I pulled over just to watch the predator stalk it’s pray, possibly a little mouse in the brush.

Sometimes in life we need to slow down and just take in the things we might not have noticed if we were rushing thru this rat race we call life! Enjoy the simple things, enjoy little gifts which pop up all around us and look onto them as a source of inspiration.

As this pueo spotted me, it flew off…souring into the sunset….spreading his wings to fly!  Perhaps so it too could be alone with the stillness and silence of our natural world which we all share! How ever you may find your inspiration….it’s there to be found!!

Hawaiian Monk seals can often be seen on our beaches here in Kauai. It’s pretty unusual for them to show up on our western beaches out here in Kekaha! This seal was born out in Milolii last year and has been injured and has been frequenting the western side of the islands beaches.  I stumbled upon this guy while doing a family portrait the other night! I called the Monk Seal rescue right away, here in Kauai it consists of one lady

To all our visitors please let our sleeping monk seals rest. They are wild animals and can bite! They need to rest to digest their food so they can swim fast enough to escape predators such as sharks. Enoy them from a distance, use a telephoto lens while taking pictures and let them have their space! Aloha

AND THE WINNER OF THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE GIVEAWAY IS….

Maile Moriguchi and her family with over 417 votes…they kept pouring in even after the contest was over!

Her daughter Kaile was so creative she even made a YouTube video on why they should win and asking for votes from friends and family!  How cute is that!!

Congrats to Maile and her family for their big win and for being role models to our community for striving their best to uphold a healthy lifestyle.

Thanks to all the vendors for helping make this giveaway such a success and to all those who participated and took time out of their busy schedules to get those votes pouring in!  Good job Kauai families!  Your all such amazing healthy role models!

Here is the winning picture!

The Moriguchi’s are our Healthy LIfestyle Winners!  :)

What is Girl’s Day!?

Well I asked myself the same question my first year living in Hawaii.  I have learned a lot about the custom in my time here and have been to friends homes for Girl’s Day celebrations where the families set up the most beautiful altars of amazing handcrafted wooden dolls, drank sake, ate arare and yummy mochi and simply celebrated their girls.  The custom derived from Japan and the custom of displaying dolls began during the Heian period.  Girl’s Day traces its origins to an ancient Japanese custom called hina-nagashi.

Although I am not Japanese, and I have yet to get my daughter an actual Japanese wooden doll, they tend to be very pricy, we usually observe the custom by having a Girl’s Day of our own

So no matter where you’re from or what nationality you are, give your girl a big hug today and let her know you celebrate her!

Happy Girl’s Day!

The life of a Kauai born surfing champion, Andy Irons, was celebrated on 11/14/10 on his home shores of Kauai’s north shore. No words can describe the beauty of this memorial. My heart goes out to his entire family, esp. his mother, his wife and his unborn child. RIP Andy. You are forever  a part of KAU-AI!

Aloha Andy!

For more images visit kauaiphotostudio

I am so excited and honored to have had the opportunity to shoot for the cover of Edible Hawaiian Islands Magazine.  I have always admired this publication and always managed to stumble upon one while traveling throughout the country. There is an Edible Magazine for some of my favorite cities and is a great resource for local shopping and businesses within a community.  It was so fun working with them and getting creative with the subject, a Meyers Lemon. What can we do with a lemon you ask…check out the fall issue to find out…and don’t forget to look at the COVER!  Aloha!

Click to view the online version