I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever - Wai' Oli Hui'ia Church, Kauai

I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever - Wai' Oli Hui'ia Church, Kauai, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. - Psalm 23

For over 100 years the Wai’oli Hui’ia Church’s green, gothic, iconic sanctuary has been a landmark in the small town of Hanalei, located in the North Shore of the island of Kauai.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Kauai is magic: you can transform it into Asia, Africa or South America- and never leave the USA

Kauai is magic: you can transform it into Asia, Africa or South America - and never leave the USA, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

“Kauai is magic: you can transform it into Asia, Africa or South America - and never leave the USA.” - Kathleen Kennedy (Producer: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Hook, Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park III)

If you haven’t been to the Garden Isle of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands you undoubtedly have seen the island in countless commercials, television shows and full-length featured movies.

Here are a couple of movies where Kauai served as a natural sound stage for Hollywood:

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Just Go With It (2011)
The Descendants (2011)
Soul Surfer (2011)
Avatar (2010)
Tropic Thunder (2008)
Jurassic Park III (2001)
6 Days / 7 Nights (1998)
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)
Hook (1991)
Uncommon Valor (1983)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1983)
King Kong (1976)
The Hawaiians (1970)
Blue Hawaii (1961)
South Pacific (1958)

So what was filmed here at Moloa’a Beach? Of course the great 1960s American sitcom Gilligan’s Island. Now let’s all sing that memorable theme song:

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip
That started from this tropic port
Aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailing man,
The skipper brave and sure.
Five passengers set sail that day
For a three hour tour, a three hour tour.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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So what are you going to do with your dash?

So what are you going to do with your dash?, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma–which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” - Steve Jobs

To explore is to seek new challenges.

People ask me all the time why I love to travel. I respond by saying I love new challenges. Then they usually follow up by asking me what my favorite place has been.

“The next destination,” I invariable state.

One day I was sitting in church and the pastor was preaching a sermon on living a fruitful life. He displayed a picture on the screen of a gravestone with the year of the date of birth and date of death (1909-1994).

“That’s your life, a simple dash. What you do between the moment you are born and when you die is up to you,” he declared. “So what are you going to do with your dash?”

I was raised by very strict Asian parents and when I went to college I was expected to major in electrical engineering (naturally because all Asians excel at math). I was an electrical engineer major for about a week before I switched to a double major of economics and political science. When my father angrily asked me why I went against his wishes I simply responded, “I’m doing something about my dash.”

I’m still doing something with my dash by fulfilling my wanderlust. Last month I was on the Garden Isle of Kauai, Hawaii. I filled my compact flash cards by photographing the lush greenery, stunning beaches and postcard views.

Anahola Beach Park is located on the east shore of Kauai and is a favorite of locals. Since most of the beach is protected from the high surf by a reef, it attracts more kids than surfers.

So that is what I have been doing with my dash. What have you been doing with yours?

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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You can take a crappy shot of Paradise - Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii

You can take a crappy shot of Paradise, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

In Kauai, Hawaii you have sunshine and rain and then more rain. That’s fine with me as long as there isn’t any snow in the forecast. Remember there are no snowblowers in paradise.

Last month I was on the beautiful island of Kauai, Hawaii (The Garden Isle). This photo I took of Hanalei Bay, in the North Shore of Kauai, is straight out of the camera (and Santa Claus is a real guy). It was raining and overcast when I took this shot so I had to do some tweaks in Apple Aperture. The photo was in bad shape.

Maybe I can blame it on my camera lens. Look closely and you can see that most of the scene isn’t very sharp. I attribute that to my beaten up Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS lens. I think it is in need of calibration, but I am too lazy to bring it in to the local Canon repair center.

I am trying to remember when my lens when out of whack. Was it when I took it along on an ill-advised horseback riding trip in Costa Rica where I was nearly thrown off my horse? Maybe when I was photographing on top of an elephant in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Riding an elephant is fine for the first ten minutes, but then all the swaying back and forth gets old and besides, it isn’t the safest thing for an expensive camera lens. Perhaps it was when I was in the back of a motorbike in Vietnam. I kept hearing this clanking noise and I thought it was the motorbike about to fall apart. Only did I realize since I was carry my camera with a Black Rapid camera sling, that the lens was banging against the motorbike. Not a good thing.

Or perhaps I suck as a photographer.

I seldom make Flickr Explore (has anybody figured out how that works) and I rarely win any photograph competitions (maybe it would help if I submitted some photos).

Okay, is there a Un-Suck filter in Apple Aperture?

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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