Photo of the Week, The Grand Canyon of the Pacific

Kauai is a an amazingly diverse island for how small it is, one I have been fortunate to be able to visit over the years starting back in 2003 on the first trip where I proposed to my then girlfriend, and now wife. That is part of the reason I had this location in my mind, we just recently celebrated our 20th anniversary! I do have a photo of me proposing to her back on that day with a view from a mountain top out to the ocean. The photo has never been shared publicly. I may at some point yet it's also nice to have some photos that are just for yourself. Not all of them have to be shared.

That isn't the case here. I am happy to share these photos of Waimea Canyon from my last family trip to Kauai back in 2022. Kauai is another place that has felt the onslaught of increased visitors over the last 10+ years. Many years ago we could easily visit Waimea Canyon at any time and get a decent parking spot, and it used to be free. Now you will pay to enter the park, plus a fee to park your vehicle, and you will be lucky if you can get a spot at the upper view points. We luckily were able to grab one on this visit in mid afternoon. Normally later in the day than I would recommend going. I prefer early in the morning when I have the flexibility. You certainly can visit the lessor known spots, including hikes down into the canyon (which I have done before) but the real jewel is peering into the vast canyon.

Every photo in this post was taken on the same visit and showcases some of my favorite light. Not only that, but all of these were taken less than 30 minutes apart during daytime dappled storm light. I love how it dances across the landscape providing a pleasant contrast between highlights and shadows, changing by the seconds the different features the light chooses to hide or highlight at any given moment. If you imagine these photos with the land and sky all with similar exposure throughout it would look only okay with less dimension but wouldn't be nearly as dynamic and interesting. A rainbow would have been nice yet didn't come out this time around. However, when intense rain showers are rolling through odds for seeing a rainbow are pretty good. I have seen and photographed rainbows here in the past during similar conditions.

A good reminder to share, don't forget to double check your images on the camera for sharpness, exposure, and other key elements before leaving. One of these photos I processed and then looked closer only to realize it wasn't sharp throughout. It was oddly soft in parts and sharp in others, past the point that any software could "fix" it and still have a quality photo without ugly artifacts. Fortunately, I took a couple frames of the same scene and the other one was sharp. My guess is that I was photographing hand held and since I don't have the steadiest hand it's even more of a reason to confirm the details before moving on.

This majestic canyon, also known as "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific", is located in Kokee State Park and you will experience a significant steep drive up to the top. I normally prefer cold weather over hot, so when it's get too hot for me down at sea level a visit up to the canyon can be invigorating and refreshing! I have been up near the top multiple times where I needed a sweatshirt or jacket from the cold foggy weather. Be prepared for the rapid change in temperature as you climb several thousand feet up the endless windy road. That is another good point, if you easily get car sick you don't want to be riding in the back. It may not be that enjoyable by the time you get to the viewpoints.

If you want to see more photos of Kauai, see my Hawaii gallery which is predominately Kauai.