The first time I went to Hawaii in 2013 I knew I had found a place that renewed my mind and body, it was not like other vacations, this was a spiritual place I never sat still I hiked, explored and got close to nature in a way I never had on vacation. I seen the beauty God created. That year was our 30th anniversary we spent a week on Oahu and a week on Kauai. Everyone I talked to said you must go to Kauai it is unlike the rest of the islands it is the real island feel and they were right, 80% of the island is not inhabited and there is a canyon were only 5 -7 inches of rain falls, and within 7 miles of it is a rainforest, one of the wettest places on earth with 400 inches of rain. WOW!!! It is called the garden island and if you ever get a chance to go you will know why they call it that it is breathtaking! When I got to Kauai I felt as if I was in a remote place far away from all the cares of the world. I was surrounded by God's beauty and the peace of God filled my soul in a way I had never felt. Simply put I was at home!

So ever since that time in 2013 I have longed to go back to Kauai, I felt I had left a piece of me there. Although we traveled to Hawaii in 2015 we did not go to Kauai. This last summer we traveled back to Hawaii and spent a week in both Kauai and Maui. I couldn't wait to get back and see all the beauty of the island, Hike the trails and fill my lungs with sea air. Our first week we spent on Kauai this time we stayed on the south side in Poipu. This week was all about Landscape Photography. I wanted to capture the island and share it with friends and family in a way that made them feel like they were there. So I scheduled a workshop with a local photographer for a sunrise and sunset session. Kauai Workshop Adventures came highly recommend and I was teamed up with Mallory Roe. I scheduled a sunrise session on the second day and later that evening a sunset session. We planned on meeting her around 5:00 am. 

Rain came and my morning session was rescheduled so my husband and I went to our beach at the resort before sunrise hoping to capture something. I mean we were already up and ready.  With darkness all around us we gathered up our equipment and headed to the beach. We got things set up and waited for the sunrise. We couldn't have dreamed what the morning had in store for us. As the waves hit the beach we could hear a Monk Seal in the waters off shore. I was a little nervous.... well maybe a lot nervous, I didn't know if it would be aggressive or not "YIKES'. But my husband put my concerns at rest and assured me they are not aggressive "Whew". So we waited for the first sign of light to see if we could see him. As the sun lighten the darkness we could see this beautiful creature right in front of us swimming in the waters. He was bobbing up and down looking as if we had taken his beach and he wanted us to leave so he could come on shore. Forget the sunrise our cameras were solely focused on the Seal. As he came on shore we we're both excited and emotional at the same time. I wanted to put down my camera and just take the moment in but the photographer in me said keep shooting, so I did and so did my husband and we captured some amazing shots. For a while we were all alone with the seal. Well until everyone else walking the beach seen him. This is the only way I want to see God's creatures is in their natural habitat. First Morning on this remote island and I feel as if I hit the jackpot. WIN!!!

We teamed up with Mallory later that evening and she took us to Shipwreck Beach. It's a little bit of a hike but hey that is what we expected so we were up for it. It's a beautiful place with rock cliffs and waves crashing on them and a cove with beautiful rocks and algae all the stuff that makes for amazing photos. She was very friendly and full of insight about landscape photography which is what I love the most! Maybe it's because I get to travel in order to capture it ha ha. Well she put me in the elements, we were in the water with waves coming around us with our camera and tripods clicking away and it was so amazing it was everything I expected and much more. My shots SOOC (straight out of camera) were full of color and contrast, I couldn't wait to see them on my computer. We weren't able to get a sunrise session in so we chose for another sunset and night session the next evening. Mallory took us to a town about 30 mins from our resort. It was a beach with a pier and we capture the sunset with the pier and it was the most beautiful evening. Later she took us to another location where we hiked paste a cemetery along a cliff in the dark on a trail that was no wider than a large RAT! I am not kidding!!! The reason we love Kauai is the adventure it holds in store for those who choose to get out and explore. I could hear the waves crashing in the darkness along the cliffs, we finally got to our location and I was just so happy I didn't twist an ankle in the darkness on the way LOL. If we were going to capture the Milky Way we had get away from the city lights.  The conditions were perfect, there was no moon and we had clear skies. We did some fun creative shots with the flashlight painting in a tree and my husband holding it like a life saber, Luke Skywalker style. WOW just the third day and I have already learned so much! The next morning my husband David took Surfing lessons while I met up with Mallory for some editing 101. 

We spent the rest of our time hiking trails and capturing places we didn't see the last time we were there. Then we scheduled a doors off Helicopter ride so I could capture the island from the air. This was a dream of mine and I had been saving my pennies to do this. We found a helicopter company that had an opening and we booked it. Our pilot was amazing, it was so exciting and adventurous we were getting close to waterfall flying over mountains and deep in craters. I felt like a photographer on location capturing photos for Natgeo, "Seriously" It was a dream come true my husband captured it all with the GoPro. 

You can click on the photos and it will take you to my website where there are lots of photos from my travels. 

Aloha

Teresa Allen

Hawaiian Monk SealThe Hawaiian monk seal is one of two remaining monk seal species; the other is the Mediterranean monk seal. They are an endangered species. Ship Wreck beachWe were deep in water and rocks all around us but the shots were epic!








PierThere's not a lot of piers in Hawaii so when you find one it's fun to capture it. Sunset PierThis is located in a small town on the south west side of the island. The locals fish daily here.


Milkyway_kauai-1 Milkyway_kauai-2


Take offOur pilot was from Australia. Sometimes it would get my tummy flight in and out of the mountains How many waterfalls do you seeEvery turn you see waterfalls and more waterfalls!


Jurassic FallsManawaiopuna Falls is a privately owned waterfall in the Hawaiian Islands, located in Hanapepe Valley on Kauai Island. It is 400 feet tall. It featured in the background of several scenes in the 1993 Steven Spielberg film Jurassic Park. The waterfall is only accessible by helicopter or hike. Wiamea CanyonIT's called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific









Napali Coast The only way you get to see the Napali Coast is Hike, Boat or Air. We have done all three. The cliffs falling off into the ocean is like nothing we've ever seen Kalalau BeachHike the Kalalau trail for 12 miles and you will land at this secluded beach. Kalalua beach is for the die hard hiker. It is a brutal hike. The record rain falls in 2018 has shut down this trail indefinitely. You can see in this picture the rocks in in the middle on left side where the cliffs collapsed. Sea Caves Napali CoastYou can see the sea cave in this picture it's roof fell and now it has an open sky. Mary J Blige made a music video in this sea cave. Na Pali Coast CathedralWere the Mountains are call Cathedrals, this land is healing to me. To hike it's trails is a spiritual journey and you will find strength you didn't know you had.









Wiamea Canyon CraterOn our helicopter ride our pilot informed us that the conditions were perfect to fly into the crater. Only 20% of flights get to go in to the crater. This was an amazing site. Hanalei Bay "Paradise"This is where I could live for ever located on the North side of the island near Princeville is a town with a true island feel Hanalei. Two miles of beach. In the summer, the bay offers excellent mooring for sailboats, stand up paddle boarding and swimming.


Waterfalls deep in the MountainsThis was a fun picture I captured the tail of the helicopter. Sunset Queen's Bath Queen's Bath is a unique tide pool on the island of Kauaʻi, Hawaii. The pool is a sinkhole surrounded by igneous rock. The only way you get here is to hike. It was so worth it!

Allison also wanted to capture a few photos of her downtown Edmond, OK with her boyfriend Jared Fowler. I love the setting of this session and the warm tone of colors. They are a gorgeous couple and so in love and these photos capture that love they share. 

I think you will agree with me Allison did amazing, she trusted me to capture the best of her and have photos to celebrate this milestone in her life.  IMG_9570 IMG_9637a IMG_9670a IMG_9749 IMG_9854 IMG_9912 IMG_9884