This is a sampling of photos from Dallas Nagata White, a professional photographer in Hawaii. The guy in the photo is her husband, Ed White. This photo (above) is one of my favorite photos from Dallas. I’m pretty sure it’s at the Makapu’u Lighthouse.

I’ve followed Dallas’s work for a couple years now and finally had the opportunity to meet her and do some photo adventuring with her this year. If you haven’t already seen her work, I’d like to share it with you.

Dallas is an artist. She was born and raised in Maui but came to Oahu to attend UH Manoa. She got her degree in Studio Art with an emphasis on painting and photography.

You can see that Dallas applies her painting skills to her photography.

She’s able to use color in a way that blows me away.

And whereas it takes me 30 to 50 photos to tell a story, Dallas can tell a story in just one frame.

Each of Dallas’s images capture a Hawaii moment like you may have never seen it.

When I look at Dallas’s photography there are two things I admire. The first thing is her bold use of color.

Her colors totally pop.

The second is the artistry she brings to her photography. It takes a lot of thought and effort to get the timing, composition and pose correct for a shot like this. I don’t know how coordinate this type of shot so I’m always impressed when I see it done.

Her shots are carefully crafted into powerful images.

Dallas can of course capture the candid scene as well. But her candid scenes somehow look like paintings. She shoots with the exact same camera as me but seems to get better pictures. Drives me nuts.

Here’s a frame during a crazy electrical storm we had on Oahu a couple years ago.

This is the moonrise from the Lanikai Pillboxes Trail.

Cloudy conditions? No, problem. The scene becomes super moody.

This is a moment from the Annual Lantern Floating Hawaii Ceremony.

Up on Mauna Kea on the Big Island, Dallas captured the moonrise and the milky way.

She also captured some beautiful views of the lava flow ocean entry.

This is a crazy photo of the moon and stars above the glowing Kalapana lava field.

This is Dallas and her husband on the lava field in the rain. You can learn about this photo, called “Lava Kiss,” on Dallas’s blog.

The “Lava Kiss” photo became super popular and went viral on the Internet. It was picked up on some major online publications like Huffington Post, Gizmodo and Petapixel. Here’s Dallas (and her dog Kodachrome) holding a copy of Digital SLR Photography magazine that featured her photo.

Now, while Dallas’s landscape photography is stunning, she’s actually an editorial and commercial photographer.

She works on a bunch of projects for Hawaii magazines, clothing and jewelry brands and major events.

Her clients include: Pepsi, Gillia, Salty Girl Jewelry, Honolulu Magazine, Modern Luxury Hawaii and Flux Magazine.

Learn more about Dallas Nagata White and see here work:

• Check out Dallas’s website at www.dnwphoto.com.
• Order prints of Dallas’s photos at dallasnagata.smugmug.com.
• Follow Dallas on Instagram @ dallasnagata.
• Like Dallas on Facebook at Facebook/dnwphoto.

This is Jake Marote and his pet goat Billy.

Billy is a baby.

They go everywhere together.

Jake is a local boy from Big Island. He lives on Oahu now and spends his free time adventuring and photographing the island. You can follow him on Instagram @jake_of_all_trades to check out his adventures.

Jake grew up surfing on Big Island and has lately been working on his surf photography.

He’s been shooting with Zak Noyle (staff photographer for SURFER Magazine and RVCA advocate) and is developing a tuned eye for shooting people in the barrel.

He shoots mostly with a GoPro and iPhone (in a Watershot housing), which just goes to show, it’s not about how expensive your gear is. If you are in the right place and right time, any camera can take a good photo.

Case in point.

Jake also fishes.

And, he bow hunts.

And that’s how he came to own a pet baby goat. He found this little guy while on a hunt. Yes, for goats. And yes, Jake realizes the irony.

But the mother had abandoned the baby and Jake decided to take it home and take care of it. The umbilical cord was still attached. The baby was a male and male goats are called billies so Jake name him Billy. (Females goats are called nannies.)

I met Jake through Instagram. Some of Jake’s friends had taken Billy for a hike up Koko Head and I ran into them. I took this photo and posted it to Instagram. A couple weeks later someone tagged Jake in my photo and that’s when I found out who the owner was.

I figured it would be fun to meet the goat and take photos of him. What resulted was a day of cute overload. Here, Billy is chewing on a dried up orange peel.

I went to meet up with Jake out a the Halona Blowhole Lookout. I figured it would be fun to take little Billy on a hike up to the Koko Crater Arch.

When Jake arrived the first thing he wanted to do was feed Billy. He found a farm supply store that sells goat milk formula and that’s what Billy has been living off of. That and orange peels.

When Billy saw the bottle he attacked it. I’ve never seen a goat drink milk so voraciously. I have also never seen a goat drink milk before this day.

He splattered milk all over his face and we were all like “awwwwwww.”

Then Billy went back to the orange peel.

Once we got over to the trail, Jake took off Billy’s leash and the goat just followed him around. Apparently goats are very loyal.

This goat is freakin’ cute dude.

It looks pretty soft here but he’s all fur and bones.

But his little chin is pretty soft. It’s hard to see because they are so small but his tiny baby goat horns are just starting to come out. You can feel them when you rub his head.

Billy is not trying to go for a kiss here, he’s trying to eat Christina’s hair.

Hello.

At one point, Jake left Billy with me and Christina and went to take this photo. With Jake gone, Billy started to cry and cry. It was cute for a minute but then it got annoying so I stuck my finger in his mouth.

He likes sucking and gnawing on fingers. It totally shut him up.

When Jake came back, Billy was all happy and stuff.

Billy is one of those goats who knows he’s cute.

Look at those tiny little hoofs.

We stayed up at the arch for an hour or so talking story and getting to know Jake. When we got down we walked off dramatically towards the horizon.

Bye Billy. I miss you.

See also:

• If you want to see two examples of Instagrammers who totally epitomize the outdoor Hawaii lifestyle, check out Jake (@jake_of_all_trades) and his adventure buddy Shaun (@2scoopsofaloha).
• If you want to see more photos of Billy, check out the tag #billybaahba on Instagram.
• See the Koko Crater Arch hike.

The dude pictured above is not Tom Anderson. It’s Steve Aoki, Tom’s friend. Tom took the photo though. This one was at Bellows Beach Park on Oahu.

Tom took this photo as well (in Waikiki).

You might have heard of Tom from his days as an internet entrepreneur. He’s the Tom Anderson that created the social network MySpace (which he later sold to News Corp).

If you were ever on MySpace back in the day, Tom was probably your “friend.”

Above: Koolau waterfall as seen from the H3. Kaneohe, Oahu.

But Tom is now happily retired and pursuing his passion of landscape photography. He has homes in a few different cities around the country, one of which is Honolulu. And it was here in Hawaii where I ended up meeting him.

Above: Group photo at Kalapana on Big Island. Left to right: Dallas Nagata White, Ed White, John Hook, Samantha Hook, Tom Anderson, me and Andrew (our lava hike guide).

I’ve been on a few photo adventures with Tom and some other Hawaii photographers this year. Last month we all went to Big Island. During the two-hour car ride from Kona to Hilo we had some time to kill and Tom handed me his iPad so I could check out his photos. I had only met Tom two weeks prior to the trip so I wasn’t familiar with his work. As I was flipping through his portfolio, his photography kind of blew me away.

I asked if I could share these photos here on Unreal Hawaii and Tom was kind enough to oblige.

Above: Hawaii Kai, Oahu.

Tom is not a professional photographer but he’s got the shutter bug bad. Real bad. Like shoot photos every single day bad. In fact, he’s set a goal to post one interesting photo a day on Instagram (instagram.com/myspacetom).

The way Tom was introduced to photography was pretty random. Famous HDR photographer, Trey Ratcliff (the man behind StuckInCustoms.com), contacted him and invited him to the Burning Man Festival. Trey told Tom that he needed to bring a camera. Though he had no experience in photography, Tom agreed to go and bought himself his first DSLR, a Nikon D7000.

The photos Tom got at Burning Man are stunning. Burning Man is in the desert and there are dust storms. When the dust comes, most photographers run for cover or shield their gear. Tom, being new to all this just kept snapping away and came back with some incredible shots. The dusk helped isolate his subjects the same way fog can.

As I was flipping through the photos on Tom’s iPad, these Burning Man images really caught my eye. Amazingly, this was Tom’s first attempt at photography. I could tell he has a natural eye for composition and a knack for capturing a moment.

As we talked about the Burning Man experience, Tom mentioned that he was surprised at how his photos looked when he reviewed them on his camera. He had experience in creating art in the past but had never worked in a medium where you can see results so immediately. Once he realized he could create art (that he was proud of) in a medium where you could produce a final product in a short period of time, Tom became hooked on photography.

I know if I took photos like these my first time shooting with my DSLR I’d be hooked too.

Above: Road on Big Island, Hawaii.

Shortly after Burning Man, Tom upgraded his gear. He currently shoots with a Nikon D4 and D800e. He’s been getting some super nice photos of Hawaii.

Above: John Hook sitting a rock bridge on Oahu.

Above: Ed and Dallas White standing on a ledge in front of the Kalapana lava flow.

Above: The Portlock cliffs on Oahu.

Above: The view from the Pali Lookout (Oahu).

Above: The moonrise over Chinaman’s Hat (Oahu).

* * *

Tom’s portfolio is also full of photos from his travels around the world. He told me that he never really had the urge to travel until he took an interest in photography. I guess he never had a reason to explore. But photography gave him that reason and Tom spent three months last year on a photo tour of some beautiful places around the world.

Here are some frames Tom’s shot during his travels.

Above: Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia.

Above: Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur.

Above: Taroko Gorge, Taiwan.

Above: Burros in Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas.

Above: Mountain road in China.

Above: The Hagia Sophia, Turkey.

Above: The Clock Tower, London.

Above: Forbidden City, China.

Above: Zion National Park.

Above: Mount Cook, New Zealand.

Above: Venice, Italy.

There are plenty more photos in Tom’s portfolio that you can only see on his Instagram profile (or on his iPad). I hope you’ll have fun discovering Hawaii (and the world) through Tom’s lens.

You can follow Tom online here:

• instagram.com/myspacetom
• plus.google.com/+myspacetom
• facebook.com/myspacetom
• twitter.com/myspacetom
• new.myspace.com/tom

Ever find yourself in a situation where you did something or saw something interesting and wish you had a camera with you?

Some people don’t have that problem.

Some photographers carry a camera everywhere they go and seemingly never miss a shot.

John Hook (pictured above) is one such photographer and I’d like to share his work with you.

John is a professional photographer in Hawaii. I got a chance to work with him recently on a photoshoot and I can tell you, the guy is talented.

If you live in Hawaii, you’ve probably seen John’s work in a magazine somewhere. He’s a staff photographer for FLUX Hawaii and Innov8 magazines. John also does photojournalism work for Honolulu’s civic affairs news website, Civil Beat. On top of that he shoots weddings, fashion, and custom studio shots. You can see his wedding portfolio at JohnHookPhoto.com.

And now, he has put together one of the best Hawaii Tumblrs you’ll find that contains all original work. It’s called Handsome Unicorn and it’s worth a follow. I’ve found it to be inspirational.

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Tucked away in a neighborhood in Kahaluu (near Kaneohe) is the Tagami & Powell Gallery and Gardens.

The garden is full of exotic plants.

In the gallery, you’ll find the paintings of Hiroshi Tagami and Michael Powell, and the photography of fellow hiker and blogger Nate Yuen.

If you’ve ever researched a hike online, you’ve no doubt come across Nate’s blog, HawaiianForest.com. I’ve referenced Nate’s blog several times on my site as it’s been an invaluable resource for me to find info on hikes in Hawaii. Before I went on a backpacking trip to Waimanu (Big Island), Nate’s blog was the only place I could find photos and information on the secluded campsite.

Nate has been a member of the Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club for over a decade now and hikes every weekend. He’s covered countless trails on Oahu and made several trips to the other islands to hike. And through hiking, he found a passion for photography.

Nate’s photography is different than most of the stuff you’ll see out there. It’s not just the typical mountain and ocean views you see on sites like … well, like mine. Nate focuses on the small things. On the trail, he has this uncanny ability to spot tiny animals, insects or plants that most people would hike right past. And he has the patience to sit and wait for the specimen to come into view of his camera to snap a good shot. So when you look at his work, not only is it beautiful, you learn something. His unique perspective is pretty much summed up in this video he created. It’s a video from a hike and you can see where his attention is focused and what he wants to share with the viewer.

In his own words, Nate says, “My body of work is at the confluence of hiking, conservation, and fine art photography. It is my goal to showcase the unique plants and animals that live at these places and give you a reason to protect them for future generations.”

Not everyone can get these types of photos. It takes years of education and experience on the trail to learn where the different species can be found. Looking at his blog you would think Nate is a researcher or scientist of some sort but nope, dude is an accountant. He’s got a regular 9 to 5. What you see in his photos and on his blog are products of his passion for being outdoors and on the trail over the weekend.

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Meet Chase Norton.

Bro really likes hiking.

About a month ago, Chase spent a week up in the mountains and completed a hike that no one has completed before. (In modern times at least.)

He hiked the entire length of Oahu’s largest mountain range.

On April 1, 2012, Chase Norton became the first documented person to hike the entire Koolau summit in a single trip.

It took him 8 days. He brought in a two days worth of water and hiked down to streams when he needed to fill up his supply. He carried all his food and camping gear on his back. Nothing was stashed along the trail in advance. He had companions on a couple sections of the trail but for the most part, Chase hiked and camped alone.

When it was done, Chase had traveled by foot from the North Shore of Oahu to the southeast point of the island. From Pupukea to Makapu’u to be more specific. He had covered some 50 miles. With the side hikes needed to collect water, it was probably a bit more. It’s hard for me to imagine trying to even walk that distance on a paved road. Chase did it along the top of a mountain range.

Now, I don’t know how to put this but … this is kind of a big deal. If you’re interested in hiking in Hawaii at least. When you see the Koolaus I’m sure many of you have wondered if anyone has ever hiked the entire thing and if it’s even possible. I know I’ve wondered that and I never knew the answer. But now we know. It’s finally been done and the name Chase Norton is now in the Hawaii hiking record books. (Yes, there are Hawaii hiking record books. And no, that is not at all totally nerdy.)

But even if you’re not interested in hiking, the story of how Chase was able to complete this goal is pretty fascinating. To hike the summit ridge in one shot takes serious mental and physical endurance. And because no one has ever done it before, it took a lot of planning. Four years of planning to be exact. And, one failed attempt from which he learned some major lessons. This was a big project that consumed all of Chase’s free time. Every hike he did for the last four years was done with the purpose of learning the Koolau mountains, finding natural water sources and testing out backpacking gear.

It sounds like a lot of work and it is. But what surprised the heck out of me more was when I asked Chase what activities he was into before he started hiking. I assumed he was a soccer player in college or a runner of some sort. But no, Chase did nothing. Like, he was sedentary. Before he started hiking in Hawaii, he smoked two packs of cigarettes a day, drank beers every night and did nothing active. Then, literally overnight, he switched gears. And over the course of the last four years, Chase has hiked every weekend and transformed himself into a lean healthy endurance athlete who has found his passion in life.

So the lesson we can all learn is that if you move to Hawaii you will become active and healthy and find your passion. Nah nah just kidding. (But seriously, you might.)

In the rest of this post you’ll learn some details about the preparation for this hike, see some photos Chase took during the hike and learn a bit more about the history of this hike. Chase has also written up a day-by-day report on the hike with a full gear list. You can download the PDF here.

DISCLAIMER: Do not attempt what you see in this post. It is extremely dangerous and can lead to death or serious injury. The purpose of this blog post is to tell the story of Chase’s accomplishment and does not serve as a guide of any kind. I am not recommending that you attempt this hike. The website UnrealHawaii.com is for entertainment purposes only.

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