Lava Light Galleries Blog

Long time no Blog

2012-01-09T17:58:00.000-08:00

I have not blogged for a while but I have been busy. I have done a few private photo workshops in the last 2 months. In fact the photo above is from one of them. I have made many new friends on these workshops and I look forward to shooting with them again. From the time of my last post I have only been in the surf a few times our season has been a little dry in Kona but below are a few images from my time in the water.

I have been underwater quite a bit with the lack of surf.

I have even spent a few days out on the water looking for whales and dolphins with amazing results.

I even got my first whale breach of the year off a private charter on Marlin grand o. By far the most luxurious boat I have ever photographed whales from and I look forward to getting out with captain Brian again soon.

We saw over 14 whales on this trip but only one breach it was still a blast.

The last shot looks like it was taken by moon light but it was just getting very dark out. I kinda liked the effect. Below was a double rainbow that greeted my group to the Kohala mountains.

This is shaping up to be a very diverse post as I even spent time in the botanical gardens shooting these beautiful orchids.

What would a diverse post be without a few turtles, and sunset photos. I was stoked to see this many turtles here with such an amazing sunset.

The last photo was taken just the other day at A-Bay. There was lots of V.O.G turning the sky orange as the sun went down to balance this light and capture the detail in the foreground I needed to stack a hard and a soft grad and give a lot of exposure time. Luckily it was the calmest that I have ever seen it here. I cracked a few ribs attempting to get out to the ocean entry by boat so I've been recovering a bit. And Nick and I are getting ready to do a winter trip here at the end of the month.

Weak Weekend Saved by Sharks

2011-12-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

This is why we came to Oahu!! Unfortunately the conditions for waves were poor. High winds knocked most of them over before a shot could be taken. We spent many days in the water with few successful wave photos taken.

We even tried to shoot multiple locations each day. I was lucky and able to pull a few shots from pounders in between wind gusts and clouds.

Saving the whole trip was our buddy Juan Oliphant, who had inited us to shoot sharks with him. We were stoked as long as we didn't have to be in a cage. Juan did not disappoint we got some great shots, no cage involved. Juan has an amazing portfolio and has shot sharks for years. I would love to have been in the water with half as many sharks as him. Check his site here: www.waterinspired.com. Juan is an amazing photographer and doesn't truly know it yet. He shoots for the love of it and does weddings to pay the bills.

Below you will see the empty cage and a few images of us photographing. We were in the water with upwards of 20 Galapagos sharks, one silky shark and a rare pelagic black tip shark.

It was a fantastic time in the water the only thing that could have made it better would have been a tiger shark. I put together a short video of our hour or so in the water. The video was from my go-pro mounted on top of Nicks camera. Due to the number of sharks we were constantly spinning circles to see what was coming up behind us. The uncut video was dizzying I spent hours on the computer making a 15 minute video. I know now why I shoot stills I hate being in front of a computer for that long. You can watch the video here:

The number of sharks made for great shooting. Many of them would come within inches of me, making for amazing shots.

So yes our photographic weekend was saved by sharks. My thanks go out to Juan for the invite and hook up. It was a pleasure shooting with him and I can't wait to do it again.

Day with Aussies

2011-12-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

What a fantastic day!! Had a photography workshop of the underwater kind. It's not to often that I get do underwater photography work shops. Not too many people travel here with a full underwater photography set up. Leave it to the Aussies! David and Melanie did travel all the way from Australia packing gear. After a disappointing few days in the water they met up with me and we changed all that.

First we got in with this amazing spotted eagle ray. Trying to see dolphins at this spot didn't go to plan but we were rewarded with this ray and our next spot was the winner for dolphins.

I'm sure David got some great shots. The dolphins were totally checking him out.

After dolphins we headed to see turtles. The turtles were amazing as usual. David and Melanie Both were great in the water and were greeted by many turtles. Many opportunities to take epic turtle photos.

I even got a few gems.

Finally a quick check to see turtles on the beach and we called it a day. What a fantastic workshop. Anytime I get great photos on a workshop it a good one. I had a lot of fun with David and Melanie and hope to see them again soon.

Playing with sharks

2011-11-06T20:07:00.000-08:00

Had a great day on the water first with dolphins then with the sharks. Above is a photo taken by Don Hurzeler of me surrounded by oceanic white tip sharks and a few pilot whales. These were all taken off of China Mikes trip Sunlight on water. First off as usual we started off in the water with Hawaiian spinner dolphins.

The dolphins were very active and swam by in large groups quickly and then they would come back for pass after pass. There seemed to be about 20 groups in the pod that would swim by at different times.

Don and Linda both got some great shots of there own and even the crew was enjoying themselves playing with these beautiful mammals.

After a great swim with the dolphins we headed out to sea looking for pilot whales. Mike always aims to please and impress and he never seems to let us down. On the way out I spoke with mike about how I like to get in at the back of pods of pilot whales rater then the front or middle as pilot whales are always followed by oceanic white tip sharks. I like to photograph these sharks because on most occasions in the water I am shooting very wide angle so I can get close. The further away a subject is underwater the more red is absorbed out of the color spectrum of light and the subject then turns blue. With oceanic white tips they may not be as big as a tiger shark but they are more prone to rush at a human then swim away. Sometimes this is curiosity and sometimes it is aggression but it always makes for a good close photo. We didn't see any until the trip back when off in the distance I spotted them and Mike sure enough let me off right at the back and as always there were many oceanic white tips.

It seemed every where I looked there was a shark. Final count was either 5 or 6 sharks. I had to keep my head on a swivel as they always try to approach when and where your not looking. The close shot above was taken as I felt the pressure wave off this shark as he tried to bump me. I turned just in time to put my camera between the shark and I and have him ver off so I could snap this shot. The neat thing was everyone got in the water as it was a more experienced group and even the inexperienced were guests of the experienced. Everyone stayed by the boat as instructed. I was the only one off in the distance other then Don who followed me until he realized just how far from the boat he was and just how many sharks there were. Don later joined the group by the boat putting the deckhand Gabe between themselves and the sharks.

Above you can see the group by the boat and the sharks between us. In the bottom photo you can see Mike's deckhand Gabe defending the group as a shark neared them. What a great day on and in the water my thanks as always go out to China Mike and Sunlight on water. Below is my favorite shot of the day and probably the best photo I have ever taken of a Oceanic white tip shark. Thanks Mike!!

Photo Safari

2011-11-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

Went on a little photo safari today and pulled some fantastic shots. When taking out people in search of photos many times I do not get images better then I have got in the past from the locations that I shoot. Today was a different story. We started at sunrise at Pololu Valley. Not only did I get a improved photo from many that I have taken there in the past but I found while playing with my flash for fill light, that there are red flowers that bloom at this time of year. What a find and what an amazing sunrise.

After Pololu we headed to Waipio overlook and to some waterfalls. These locations I have shot in the past and did not better my old shots but on the way I did find this tree in the rolling fields of Kohala in perfect light.

Finally we headed to Maunakea hoping to shoot star trails in the night sky. We were met by a storm and the most amazingly colorful sunset I have ever witnessed myself from Maunakea.

My grads were put to good use getting the most out of the color in the sky and light striking the rocks in the foreground. What an amazing day I just hope my guest realizes just how amazing it was to have these fantastic and rare conditions.

Back on Maui

2011-11-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

This is kinda a late post. Nick and I headed over to Maui for a week to view our work up in the Christopher Egan gallery on Front street and of course to shoot this beautiful island. First off we headed to the beach to get in the surf for awhile.

The first day in the water was fantastic. Nick and I both got some great shots on day one. It was hard not to with such perfect conditions.

Sunsets were off the charts almost every night. We shot the first night at secret beach and let me tell you the secret is out there were 5 weddings going on around us on this 50 yard tiny beach. You will see the couple in the image below that I call Maui romance.

The next day in the water wasn't quite as amazing but it was still fun.

After a short time in the water we headed over to get some daytime photos of secret beach.

We finished up with sunset at Napili Bay where Nick got the gem above. The next day we woke up a 2:30 am and headed to Hana for sunrise. As you can see from the images below it was totally worth the early morning.

After sunrise we headed to Hamoa beach then back over the long twisty Hana hwy to Lahaina.

Our final day in the water as the sun came up on Fleming beach outside Lahaina was a good one.

Nick got a few of his favorite photos in the water yet on this trip including the ones below.

We finished our trip off with this last sunset just before we got on the plane to fly back. All and all a fantastic trip and we can't wait to get back to the Valley isle again.

A day on the water

2011-10-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

Spent a day out on the water with China Mike owner of Sunlight on water. All I can say is what a day!!! Mike is so knowledgeable having operated on the Kona Coast for I believe 30 to 40 years. He took us right to a Manta cleaning station that was just going off. I was able to photograph manta rays in the day for my first time ever and I have explored the Kona coast for 15 years and never got this experience before.

While in the water with the mantas we were joined by a large pod of dolphins. Unfortunately there was just too much separation between the dolphins and mantas to shoot them together. The dolphins were on the surface and the mantas were down at about 60 ft. After getting some great manta shots I went up to hang with the dolphins.

There was even a little baby albino dolphin I learned later had been named Casper. He was very curious to see me in the water Maybe because I am almost as white as he is. It was a beautiful site to have him swim by with his family and check me out.

There were too many dolphins to count as this was one of the larger pods I've seen. The dolphins were so mellow and as long as we didn't chase after them they were happy just swimming around us and checking us out.

As you will see in the photos below if you just stayed calm and allowed them to do as they pleased they would come in so close you could look them in the eye. I had many of them within a foot of me on many occasions.

Finally on the way back into the harbor we encountered a 12 foot Tiger Shark. I asked Mike if I could get in with it. At first he seemed a little reluctant but Mike has known me for a long time and knows my experience level. So after a brief pause I was told "grab your gear". I got in the water and swam a direct course to cut off the shark as it swam out of the harbor. I was able to get about 5ft from it as it swam by, but it wanted nothing to do with me and quickly headed out to sea. Unfortunately the harbor has a lot of fresh water that comes out of it and it mostly mixes at the harbor mouth. This mixing of fresh and salt water of different temperatures causes a blurry effect. This did not help my image but it was a great experience.

What a great day on the water with Sunlight on Water. I can't wait to join Mike again. Mike's knowledge of the coast, the marine life, and his sharing of the Hawaiian culture make for one of the best boat trips on the island.

Marine life madness!!

2011-09-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

Well where do I begin? The last week I have been in the water everyday. I went out with turtles, octopus, eels, and dolphins on my birthday. I got to snorkel with my son Kai, Nick, Bandera, Don and Linda over the last week. It's always great to do what you love but to get to do it with people you love make it even better.

In the shot above "I call Charlie bit me" I watched as one turtle bite another. I don't know why.

This was another thing that I haven't see before. This eel was curled up with a turtle. I think he just thought the turtle was part of the reef.

The octopus above was just minding his own business posing for me until the turtle came over to see what I was doing and spooked him. I feel bad that the poor guy had to ink to get away. I don't think the turtle was coming for him. This turtle was coming over to check me out every few minuets to see what I was doing there with that big camera case.

I had a lot of time to play with above below shots as the turtles were shallow, close to shore and circling me. I haven't tried to get this type of shot before, just took me a little while to work it all out. I like these shots a lot, as they are challenging to capture. I'm sure you will be seeing more of these from me as I perfect my skills with this difficult shot.

The spot I've been going out at has so many turtles that almost every frame has 2 turtles in it.

On my birthday I got to spend it in the water with Nick Selway and Bandera. We were surrounded by dolphins the whole morning. As an added treat we had a manta swim by and I saw an octopus deep below.

This is how different each of the turtle photos could be in this one spot.

There are so many turtles and they are so curious you can just hang with them for hours. Most of the time you have to back up as they are swimming right at you and to close to frame up.

What I am still looking for is a active turtle cleaning station with yellow tangs. It will happen one day and I'll be stoked. Until then the one I have below will have to do.

Below are some photos of my son and of my good friends that have spent the days out with me. It has been a fantastic week and I look forward to many more like it before surf season gets here soon and I will then be spending my days in the pounding surf having fun that way.

Lastly here is the eel that Don was photographing above.

Back in the Bay

2011-09-16T21:47:00.000-07:00

Finally after over a year and a half away from Kealakekua Bay (the bay I spent the previous 10 years in guiding tours) I have returned. I got the opportunity to visit the bay again on the Fair Wind 2. It was so nice to return to the bay on the boat I worked with for years. It was as beautiful as always and the Fair Wind is still the best platform to enjoy Kealakekua from. After a nostalgic trip down with the captain and crew of the Fair Wind I was able to hop in and enjoy and photograph the shear beauty of Kealakekua bay.

The first thing I came upon was this little baby puffer fish. He was such a little chunk, not much bigger the the yellow tang around him.

The next thing I found was this eel swimming around on the hunt. He was definitely on the move and not to concerned with me and my big yellow camera.

This ulua on the other hand was quite interested in my camera and swam by be many times to check it out.

The fish were as beautiful as always and out in mass quantities. These saddle backs are rare but I can always seem to find them in Kealakekua bay.

My final find was Case of Living Ocean Productions filming the multitudes of fish in the bay for all the guest on the Fair Wind 2. They make a great high quality dvd that makes an awesome souvenir. What a great Day out.

A golden weekend

2011-09-16T01:33:00.000-07:00

I had a quick trip over to Oahu this weekend and was able to shoot a few shots. It turned out to be quite a golden opportunity. The sunrises were golden and beautiful on all three days and made for waves that looked like liquid gold.

The first day there was a north and a west swell hitting the island at the same time. This caused the surf at sandies to be a bit of a jobbled mess. So in a last ditch effort I headed to to Makapu'u to check the conditions. Well the surf might not have been cooperating the sunrise was spectacular. I quickly removed my camera from it's water housing and shot a few of my first hand held sunrise landscapes in years. With no grads to balance the light or tripod to shoot off of I was limited in my creativity but I still got a few keepers. Mainly because the sunrise was so beautiful it was almost impossible to take a bad shot.

The images above were some my favorite from the next day in the water. The north swell was dropping and as the north decreased in size the south shore cleaned up beautifully. In the series above you can see the progression of light as the sun rises on Sandies beach.

In the shot above you see my friend Kimo holding his ground as a wave comes his way. Unfortunately I have no shots of my buddy Jon who was behind me in the line up as we shot. He has a great shot of Kimo and I as were were right in his shot as he got the shot of the day. If you check my Facebook page you can see Jon's amazing image as I was tagged in it with Kimo. It was by far the shot of the day. I was stoked to get to be out with friends in the water on this day. It turned out to be Kimo's birthday. What a way to start it off.

The images above and the first image that started this blog are from my last day in the water. I was all alone in the water for about 45 minutes as the sun came up. The conditions were perfect. The sunrise was amazing and the waves were gorgeous. I got one of my personal favorite wave photos on this weekend so it was truly a golden weekend.

Dolphin Days

2011-08-23T00:54:00.000-07:00

After a couple of weeks of getting skunked on every attempt to get a new shot, I was blessed with this amazing day. I was invited to head out and snorkel this morning with my good friends Don and Linda Herzeler. When we arrived to the beach the conditions were a little rough. I was figuring that it was par for the course for my last couple of weeks. Thats when I saw the first dolphin jump and knew that my luck had changed.

We decided to swim out and see if the dolphins would get curious and come check us out. Not only did they come by us once but they circled us for about 2 hours. The water wasn't the clearest but the dolphins were swimming so close it didn't matter.

There were so many dolphins swimming around us. Some stayed away but quite a few of them would come by and check us out. Some times one or two would swim by and other times a huge group would just buzz by out of nowhere. The neat thing was the they were by us in about 30 ft of water so the sand and reef was often visible in each shot.

Don and Linda got their first day at this location with the dolphins. So we had both had our luck turn around on the same day. I'm sure they both got some good shots. I know that Don got a few shots as I saw him diving deep on many occasions. You will see Don in the background of he next few images.

The final shot in this series of shots was taken by my buddy Don Hurzeler. It was probably taken at the same time that I was capturing the shots of him. I think he got a better shot of me then I got of him. So thanks Don for this great shot of me hard at work. All and all it was a great morning and hopefully my luck has changed so I might posting a little more often then I have been for the last few weeks.

CJ Kale & Nick Selway Finalist

2011-08-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

This years finalist for the Windland Smith Rice awards have been notified. From the thousands of entries they have chosen 250 finalist. Between Nick and I our gallery Lava light galleries Kona Hawaii has gotten 7 of our images selected for the finals. 3 of Nick Selway's and 4 of CJ Kale's images are in for final judging.

Nick Selway "Vibrant explosion" (Power of Nature) .

CJ Kale "Epic drip" (Art in Nature)

Nick Selway "Purple River" (Landscape)

CJ Kale "Lava on Fire" (Art in Nature)

CJ Kale "Morning Curl" (Art in Nature)

Nick Selway "Cliff Face Explosion" (Power of Nature)

CJ Kale "Artistic Edge" (Art in Nature)

They chose some really great images this year. Any of which we would be proud to have on display in the Smithsonian exhibit. With any Luck Nick and I both will be on display this year. I just hope that Nick wins a category this year. Then Nick and I can take a trip to the east coast for the awards and some great photographic stops on the east coast. I hope to see Nick pictured like this or even better to have the two of us pictured together this year at the awards.

Maui Madness

2011-07-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

Nick and I are back from a week in Maui. The week was very hectic but at the same time very productive. We flew over early in the morning and headed strait to Mekena beach to get in the water and get some wave photos. The surf was small but very fun on the multiple sandbars. Unfortunately the light was only good for about a half hour or so. Soon after we got in the water large clouds formed and blocked the sun. So we made our way out to Hana, where we were staying with Nicks family who were there for a family reunion. We had agreed to get some family photos for the them during there Hawaiian ceremonies and luau. The first morning we woke up early and headed out to photograph the families cleansing ceremony. Soon after we headed up to the bamboo forest and I was able to do my first long hike after my accident.

The wind and rain on the Hana side were so extreme that we were unable to shoot waves, as we had planed. So the next morning we woke 2 hours prior to sunrise and did the early morning road to Hana race course and headed to Mekena on the other side of the island. Where I captured this great series right on the sand.

After a few hours in the water at Mekena we headed to Lahaina to check out the town and look at space for another gallery. While doing our normal try to meet the other artist run, we met Christopher Egan In his gallery ( Art Visions Hawaii ). After talking for awhile he asked us if we want to be on display in his gallery. So long story short we will now have a presence in Lahaina in Maui. After this great news we headed over to Hana again. The next morning we were blessed with great conditions so we headed out for a beautiful Hana sunrise and early morning wave photos.

Our last night in Hana was spent at the Kaikala family luau where we got to eat some amazing Hawaiian food. And as most of you know here in Hawaii we have 3 levels of full (Full, Tired and Painfull). I definitely passed the tired mark and went strait to painfull, but it was worth it. The next morning it was raining cats and dogs and blowing a gail; So we got to sleep in. We then headed back to Lahaina to meet up with Chris and his business partner to discuss our business agreement and caught a great sunset as well.

Our last day on Maui was amazing for wave photos. Mekena was going off and the light was perfect. Nick and I both captured some winners, then waited to fly back to Kona. We were just glad not to be driving the road to Hana again, as it was driving us madd.

Hail Mary

2011-07-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

Over the last weekend I headed over to Oahu with an amazing swell on the way. I had hopes of some big days in the water. Unfortunately mother nature had different plans and as we all know her plans come first. The swell hit the island as forecasted. It was one of the largest south swells of the year so far and Sandies was big. The unfortunate curve ball that I was thrown was that the swell arrived with 25 knot winds. The winds were blowing out the surf and with the surf my hopes for any amazing images this weekend.

So now I know the question on everyones mind is "How did you get the images for this blog?"

Well shear desperation led me to get in the water on Monday. The winds were now 15 to 20 knots, better then 25 knots but still pretty strong. The surf was smaller and pretty sloppy from the wind, but it was my last day on Oahu and my last chance to shoot. So I went for the Hail Mary and got in the water well before the sun came up as you can see from the images above and below.

I was able to get in the right position quite a few times despite being sucked out to sea and down the beach by the current on numerous occasions. The winds made it quite a challenge to get a clean image. On other occasions that I have entered the water with similar conditions I have been lucky to pull one or two images out of the session. On this morning despite the conditions I captured a multitude of cool images.

I got quite a few images before the sun came up over the horizon. When the sun finally made it over the horizon the color came and went in a matter of moments. I got very lucky and was able to snap a few frames in this perfect light before it was gone as you will see in the images below.

After the sun cleared the clouds that were just above the horizon the light got very harsh and the winds picked up even more. So after a few more frames I got out of the water and was elated at the success of my Hail Mary.

I don't normally get this many good shots when the conditions are good, so getting this many good shots on a day with such challenging conditions, made the whole weekend worth while.

Turtle Bonanza

2011-06-19T01:40:00.000-07:00

What an amazing morning I had with the turtles. By far the most amazing images I have ever gotten on one day out in the water. After yesterday's snorkel and key fiasco. We decided to go out again this time making sure not to lose the key. There were so many turtles I didn't know where to start. Most of them hung right by us as long as we didn't swim too fast and allowed them go their way. They would swim right by us.

The topography at this location was amazing. The stark contrast between rock, sand and coral made for a beautiful backdrop for these gorgeous sea creatures.

Many of the photos that I have envisioned getting over the years; I was able to create on this one morning out. I could not have imagined ever getting this many amazing images in one morning. It was like I had paid the turtles to model for me.

The rays of the sun piercing through the water added to my backdrop. The backdrops couldn't have been better if I drew them myself. For those of you that have seen me attempt to paint or draw, you know this to be true.

I also loved the perfect ripples in the sands below. I was able to use them to my advantage in many of my compositions. And the sun glistening off the shallow bottom was just icing on the cake.

The turtles move so gracefully through the water as they travel up to the surface, down to the bottom and over all the different underwater obstacles. Each of these obstacles adding depth and interest to my images. Many of these obstacles were teaming with beautiful fish.

I love when the turtles would come to the surface and reflect in the mirror of the water above. If the turtles were comfortable they would surface right by me giving me the opportunity to capture images like the ones above.

I just want to say thanks to Don and Linda Hurzeler for letting me tag along on one of their many snorkeling adventures here on the Big Island. They Snorkel almost every morning. So this is how most of their days start. Not a bad start to the morning if you ask me. And today we didn't have to wait for triple A. So it was just a perfect day in paradise.

With Friends in Turtle Heaven

2011-06-18T01:13:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning to an invite to go snorkeling with some friends. So after a mad dash to get all my gear ready; as it hasn't been used in awhile due to my accident. We were on our way to an underwater paradise filled with turtles. It has been almost six months since I have been in the water snorkeling. I was curious to see how my ankle would fair with fins. Especially because the only fins that I had were Cressi long blades. I was surprised at how good it felt in the water even with long fins. I got some amazing shots while out in the water. The turtles were posing today and stayed by us for quite some time.

Don and Linda Hurzeler are both snorkeling addicts and spend most of their mornings in the water. I've just been waiting to heal up so I could join them. I spent years on the water teaching snorkeling and diving and spent most of my days in the water. Now with my gallery I have not been in the water quite as much, just enjoying the beauty below. Now that I have friends living here that enjoy it as much as I do I have an excuse to get out more often.

After a great morning in the water, we got out to find that we had lost the key to the Jeep while out in the water. Luckily Don had an extra key in the car and also triple A. So if the worst thing that happens to you on a day in Hawaii is you have to spend another hour and a half at the beach waiting for triple A to come and unlock the car. It's all good! The last shot was accidental as my camera was triggered while I sat and waited for triple A.

All in all it was a fantastic morning. So good in fact that we are doing it again tomorrow. Minus the key fiasco of course.

Not according to plan

2011-06-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

Well Nick and I headed to Oahu this weekend to photograph waves. The plan was to photograph waves at Sandy beach this weekend while the sun would be perfectly positioned down the barrel of the wave. Well things didn't go according to plan. First of all as seen in the photo above we were given the ultimate tourist mobile (a red pt cruiser look a like). It was a Chevy HHR. In all fairness to Chevy it was a very comfortable car and it drove fantastic. It just was not the car that you want to blend in on the Waianae coast (The most local community in the islands with a well deserved reputation for being rough for new comers to the islands.) I was raised on the Waianae coast and graduated from Waianae High so I knew better but couldn't resist posing with lei's on by our tourist mobile in the heart of Waianae. The photo above was taken at the dead end of the road in Waianae at one of my favorite beaches (Yokes). I love the high surf sign in the background and my handicap placard in the window, but the cheap ABC Store lei's that we went out of our way to get made the photo. The photo below was taken very quickly with Waianae Store in the background. I had to do these two photos for my friends in Waianae who will get a laugh out of the car Nick and I were driving out there.

Day one we headed out two photograph with to friends from Oahu, Jon and Kimo. We got up early and headed to Sandy beach. We pulled up to a massive thunder storm. The lightning was amazing. Nick and I were looking for a break in the rain so we could shoot lighting through the barrel. With no break in the rain there was no way to keep the ports clear on our cameras so that plan was shot. So we called Kimo and Jon and headed to the only place on the island that was not blanketed in rain, Waianae. It was a good call as Yokes was beautiful. Waves were right on the beach so it was fun to roll around in the shore break with friends.

You can see Jon down the barrel of this wave and Kimo entering the surf in the photo after. Kimo had to leave the break early. While jumping through a wave it pushed his water housing back into his head and split it open a bit. So he got out to apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding. Later we headed to the drug store and got supplies. I had to patch Kimo up on the tailgate of his truck. This definitely was not according to plan. But before that we got these great shots at Yokes.

After Yokes Nick took off on his own while I went to help my friend Jennie look for a car. He spent the day on the north shore and got this amazing image below at Keki beach.

The next day the surf was bigger as a south west swell hit simultaneously with a small north swell. We went to over 10 beaches looking for a place to shoot. The plan was still Sandies but the sky was still black and gloomy after the previous days thunder storms. We got in for a few minutes but the conditions were terrible. So we left and checked a few breaks on the south and east shore then headed over to the north shore, and finally after an extended surf check we arrived at Pounders. Conditions were nice other then all the sticks and debris in the water that had come down stream after the thunder storms. These are a few of the shot from the day.

On our last day we decided to scratch Sandies and head straight for Pounders at sunrise. We got up early and rushed to the north shore with hopes of conditions like the day before and sunrise colors. Once again things did not go according to plan. We pulled up to Pounders to find the winds blowing a gale directly on shore. So Pounders was a no go. We quickly headed back to Waimea bay to get in before the crowds. The back wash was making for some interesting images I just wish there was more color in the sky.

As the sun finally came over the mountains both Nick and I got some great images just before the crowds of people arrived. I got the one I was trying for with the Waimea church and Nick was just purely on his A game getting many great images in the short time we were in the water.

Finally we headed back to Waianae for one last chance in the water. Yokes was huge and crashing right on the reef and the sand was closed out. We would have needed fins, which was not an option with my ankle yet. So we backtracked to Makaha Beach Cabanas. A beach that I used to hang at as a kid. The outside was closed out clear across the bay and the inside would wall up steep but every once and a while one would curl nice. It was here that we encountered Scuba Steve. He was determined to get out even after we warned him.

I let him know on many of his attempts that the surf was big and it wasn't a good idea for him to go out. But my warnings were ignored and he kept trying. Finally I told him the yellow fins might help in locating his body later. Still he didn't get the hint.

Every time there was a break in the surf, He went for it! Later we saw him on the beach after he lost his fins and got a little scraped up on his legs. I was glad that he made it out safe as it could have been far worse. When the sets came in they were tossing Nick and I like rag dolls. Scuba Steve was safe, we returned our awesome rental car, and even though nothing went according to plan we got some amazing images.

The Doctor said

2011-05-21T01:47:00.000-07:00

This was a great weekend. On monday of last week after returning from Washington D.C. I had a Doctors appointment. For the first time in months it was good news. Infection was gone and I could start using just a cane. Best news of all I am now ok to enter the water. So this translates to me as "go off and do wave photos. Enjoy!!" So off I went with Nick Selway and Josh Lambus to Oahu to spend the weekend photographing waves. Josh spent most of his time skydiving while he was in the air Nick and I were all over the island in search of surf.

Nick And I both got some great images on the second day after spending the entire first day exploring the island in search of unique surf breaks and backdrops. This search lead us to my home town of Waianae. It was great to be back in my childhood surf breaks.

On Saturday night our friend Stewart arrived and we went out to celebrate his birthday in Waikiki. Needless to say we didn't make sunrise in the water on Sunday. After getting back to the hotel at 4am we weren't getting up at 5am to make it to the beach for sunrise. Now getting up at 9am to go skydiving thats a different story. Josh, Stewart, Nick, Elvis, and Karen all got up early and did some hungover skydiving. I had to pass on this with my ankle. I'm pretty sure just use a cane doesn't mean go skydiving.

The next morning Nick and I woke up early and headed to Sandies. We were greeted by this amazing sunrise. The surf was a little inconsistent but fun.

The shot above was taken on the north shore in one foot surf just laying on the beach. Just goes to show it's not the size of your wave it's how you shoot it that matters. The shot below shows how I was getting around this weekend. It was probably funny to witness me caning down the beach just to jump in and get pounded in the surf with a surf housing. I had to also take all impacts to my back and shoulders

and not land on my ankle. So many times I went over the falls with my bad ankle out of the water landing backwards.

All and all a great weekend. I finally feel like I'm recovering. Now maybe I can drop a few of these pounds I put on while being stuck in the house the last few months.

Trip for Smithsonian Awards

2011-05-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

Well here I am at the Smithsonian. You would think that this would be my first stop, first photo, but for those of you that know me, you know better. I would not travel all the way to the east coast without photographing nature first. The image below was my first image taken from outside my lodge room in Watkins Glenn. After 14 hours of air travel Amanda and I arrived in DC at 4pm. Then drove straight to Watkins Glenn in up state New York. We checked in to the lodge at 1am woke up early checked out and started shooting.

I wanted to get shots of the famous falls in the glenn. To my surprise all the trails were closed for repairs after a harsh winter, ice had destroyed the paths. It wasn't all awash, there were beautiful falls off the side of the road which worked for me because I'm still on crutches after my fall.

I headed to Ithaca after a few shots in Watkins Glenn. Unfortunately by this time the light was too harsh and I didn't have time on this trip to wait, so we headed to Niagara falls. While on the way we stopped many times for images off the side of the road. Here are just a few.

Around 4 pm we arrived at Niagara falls. Only one problem I did not realize that there have been changes in border crossing after 2009 and now you need a Passport, EDL, or passport card to cross into Canada and back. The last time I crossed all you needed was as Drivers license. Not having our passports with us we were stuck on the American side. Both sides are beautiful but I like to take everything in when I travel to an area. So I felt a little left out. But everything happens for a reason and I am sure it was to keep me from over doing it on my ankle. I would have hiked Watkins Glenn, Ithaca, and across the rainbow bridge to Canada, but god was keeping me off my foot.

As you can see Niagara falls is still spectacular from the American Side. After this night image we headed to New York City. Nick had bought Amanda and I a night at the W in times square for our anniversary. Our friend Justin is the banquet manager for the W times square so we were upgraded to a deluxe room on the 52nd floor. It was a great way to spend our anniversary. After an amazing meal at a plush french restaurant I went out at night to photograph Times Square. It just so happened that I was able to capture a unique image in times square. Unique one of a kind images that can't be reproduced are kinda my signature on an image. So how do you get this kind of an image in New York City? Well be there at the moment they announce Osama Binladen's death on the news ticker in times square of course.

I also took the normal NYC shots that are a must for any portfolio, minus the Brooklyn Bridge as it was covered in tarps for painting. I'll save that for next time.

After a night out with our friend Justin we headed for DC and the Smithsonian exhibit. They closed the museum and had a banquet and drinks for us under the elephant in the main hall. After the dinner and the awards ceremony we headed up to view the exhibit. I got to meet many other great photographers and speak with lots of people who were enjoying the exhibit.

The photos above were not taken during the exhibit but were taken the next day when we walked the whole museum. After the walk in the Smithsonian we went to see the US Capital. It was erie to think just how close this building came to it's demise, on the orders of Osama Binladen. It was saved by the heros on flight 93 who saved this landmark and the people inside at the cost of their own lives. Just a few days before I took the photo below another group of American Heros finally tracked down and killed the man responsible for their deaths.

During our one full day in DC we also made a point to got to the National Zoo and see the Pandas and the newest edition to the zoo 3 brand new baby lion cubs.

Our final few hours in DC were spent photographing famous Land marks at night. There are quite a few that I didn't get to on this trip but I will see them on my next trip back, hopefully to be on display in the Smithsonian again. Next time hopefully with Nick on display as well.

After all the time on my healing ankle over the week and the 14 hours traveling back to Hawaii I arrived back in Kona not only with a swollen ankle but my whole leg was twice it's normal size. Nothing that couldn't be cured by a night of steep elevation. All and all it was a great trip, I got a lot of shots that I've wanted for awhile and had a blast meeting other artist at the exhibit.

On my way to the Smithsonian

2011-04-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I participate in the Windland Smith Rice awards Photographic competition every year. One of the worlds most prestigious photographic art competitions. In fact so highly competitive that out of tens of thousands of entries world wide they choose only one hundred and fifty for the publication and only 19 category winners out of that. The 19 category winners and a few of the highly honored winners will be on display from April through September in the Smithsonian museum of natural history. They are holding a Awards ceremony for the category winners on May 3rd so I am on my way to Washington DC to attend. I plan on photographing the east coast while I am there. It will be a challenge because I am still on crutches after my last accident while photographing. I don't plan on traveling that far and not coming back with a few more award winning images.

Above is the image that I won with and the category (Power of Nature). This is my river to the sea image. It has always been one of my favorites and now it will get to be seen and enjoyed by millions in the Smithsonian, not just at my humble Kona gallery. It is every fine art photographers dream to be included in this exhibit and though I have been in the exhibit before as a highly honored photographer this is my first time being exhibited as a category winner. Truly a dream come true to recognized for my hard work, determination and artistic eye.

Nick Selway's Kauai trip

2011-04-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

Well if you can't tell from this amazing photo of Wailua falls, Nick just got back from Kauai. He had a few days over there with some friends. While playing tourist he got some amazing shots. The one of Wailua falls is one of the best I've ever seen from this waterfall and I am totally jealous. I wish I wasn't laid up for this trip, as I missed many great shots. Luckily it doesn't matter with us who gets the shot our gallery always benefits from any new images either Nick or I get. Besides the shot above he took to the air on a doors off ride and got the shots below.

The two images above are the beautiful Napali Coast of Kauai and the images below are some of the many towering waterfalls of Kauai. You might recognize one of the falls as the water fall from the movie Jurassic park.

Nick also took a quick stop in Hanalei bay and got this great long exposure under the Hanalei pier.

And of course no trip is complete without getting some new wave photos at a new beach for either of us. He had some great conditions and got some amazing wave photos on a beach out by Barking Sands. Here are just a few.

Well Nick had a great trip and got some great images next time I hope to join him and be posting a few of my own images from Kauai but for now we'll all just have to enjoy his from this trip.

First Photos After My Accident

2011-04-05T23:26:00.000-07:00

Well the doctor finally gave me the go ahead to start putting weight on my broken ankle. So being that my doctors office is in Hilo and in anticipation of this good news I brought camera gear of course. About ten minutes after being told I could put a little weight on it, I was over the rails at Rainbow Falls. I am still on crutches for about four more weeks but I am little more mobile. As you can see from the photo above the water was at it's peak. In fact it was the most water I've seen coming over the falls in years. So it was totally worth climbing over the rails and standing on the edge of the cliff on crutches to get these shots.

While getting the shot above a tour group pulled up. Because I was beyond the rails I was in everyones shot so I politely crutched out of their way. Some of the people in the group asked me why I was on crouches. So I told them about how I dropped into a lava tube and all that had gone on. Later their tour guide asked "So whats the moral of the story?". I looked straight at the group and while on the other side of the rail on crutches, I replied " never go past the rails". I had fun, got a few laughs and got some great photos.

On the way back from Hilo we stopped along the road to take these photos of the rainforest in full bloom. It's only a few weeks out of the year that it blooms like this and all the rain had the streams at max flow. So the timing of my doctors appointment couldn't be better.

We later arrived back in Kona at A Bay just in time to watch the sky light up and get one last photo for the day.

The next day in Kona Nick and I closed up the gallery early and headed to the beach to get a sunset shot. I felt as if Mother Nature herself was glad to have me back as we were blessed with this amazing sunset. I also learned that crutch pads and lava rock don't mix.

With sunsets as beautiful as this I fear that I will be spending a lot of money on replacement crutch pads over the next four weeks until I can get off these things. But all and all it feels great to be a little more mobile and I am loving it.

No longer invincible

2011-04-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

First off I just want to say thanks to my good friends Don Hurzeler and Nick Selway who helped me more then you can imagine on this night and the days to follow. As you can see in this photo I am having a bad night. Nick is helping me lash my foot to my leg with a tripod leg, camera strap, and my belt. Don is getting the images that I can't take at the moment. Why is all this happening? Well one bad step out of the millions I have taken in my life. On a hike out to photograph I stepped to the edge of a crack that we needed to cross and a rock on the edge gave way. A moment later I was 20 foot below ground in a 3 foot wide crevasse. The crack is much deeper then what can be shown in the image. I was in the depths beyond the rubble pile.

Looking up all I saw was the flashlights of my friends desperately trying to get to me. Looking down I saw my foot at a 90 degree angle to my leg in a direction that it dose not normally move. I knew this was bad. Nick climbed down a bit and relayed my camera bag and tripod up to Don. There was no way they could lift my 190lb body out of there without ropes. I knew I would have to climb out on my own. I also knew that the adrenaline from the fall was going to wear off soon and pain would set in fast. Using my arms and one good leg I moved over to a giant bolder that had wedged itself in the crack you can see it in the photo above. After climbing up on top of it Nick and Don were able to help me out. Unfortunately the only way out was on the wrong side of the crack so this added one more obstacle to our trip out. Nick helped me immobilize the foot and Don hiked the gear back to the car. After Don got back Nick and I had already crossed the crack so I put an arm around Don and one around Nick and we began the mile hike back. The longest mile of my life over uneven terrain with a shattered ankle. After getting back to the car we realized our first aid kit of one bandaid and two ibuprofen just wasn't going to cut it. So we GPSed the hospital and were on our way. It was over an hours drive to the hospital, witch was made longer by the GPS taking us out into the boonies to where the old Hilo hospital was back in 1950.

Finally a hospital! The nurse actually asked me if it would be ok to cut my jeans off from around the ankle. To me a funny question as the jeans were already shredded from the fall and climbing up razor sharp lava rock to get out.

Who said drugs are Bad? At this moment drugs were very good. Thank God for morphine. I was a happy man despite my unwarranted fear of needles. The shattered ankle no problem. The IV needle I could have almost passed out. But afterwards I was feeling no pain and I was a happy man.

The first X-ray after they tried to set it with man power. The first doctors attempt was a no go. So in came an orthopedic surgeon and I was given a choice, leave it like this or surgery. So off I went to get put under and in turn loose about 3 hours of time after counting backwards from 10. This was my first time every being put under. Weird feeling when you wake up as though just a few seconds had gone by. I guess my doctor went to ACE the helpful hardware place, because this is my X-ray after surgery.

Seven screws on one side with a plate, two long screws on the other side and tape on the outside of the incisions. Get er done!! At the time I didn't know if I went to a doctor or a redneck mechanic.

After coming out I had to keep asking Don if we were still on for dinner that we had planned that night. This was my gauge to see how bad it was. If we were going to dinner it meant I would be out of the hospital and going home. If not then I knew that it was sever. This was my first broken bone and I did not know what to expect. I geuss in my effort to succeed in all I do I couldn't just break it clean, I had to shatter it and do it right. Go hard or go home!! Needless to say we didn't make dinner that night. And my poor wife, up to this point all she knew was I got hurt and was on my way to the hospital. I had called her when we got to the car at 7am but she had no update after that call, as I didn't get out of the recovery room until about 12pm. At least I got to have a romantic dinner of hospital food with my wife, as she came to spend the night in the hospital with me.

I named this blog no longer invincible because up until this point in my life I have never sustained any serious injury. Given my lifestyle, it has been an amazing run. As I say most people learn their not invincible in their 20's I'm in my mid 30's, so a good run indeed. It's Steve Irwin syndrome. How Steve Irwin spent his life tackling crocodiles, sharks and handling venomous snakes. Any of these could have killed him in at ant moment. Then he gets killed by a petting zoo pet that they let 5 year olds play with. Here I spend my life on the edge of an active volcano, hanging off cliffs and swimming a mer 20 feet from where the lava meets the sea. When do I get hurt? On the hike out!! The safest part of my journey. What I did learn is that while I am not invincible with a good doctor they can rebuild me as seen in the photo above. Thanks again to all my friends and fans for helping me through this. And thanks to Don Hurzeler for taking the time to record the ordeal on film as I'm sure these were not the type of photos he thought he would be taking on this morning.

Winter Waves

2011-04-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

This has been one heck of a winter surf season. Both Nick Selway and I got some amazing days in the water. We photographed many surf-breaks throughout the state. I just wanted to share some of our favorite shots from our many days in the water. First the shot above was taken on my last day in the water this year at Sandies beach on Oahu at sunrise. These next few were taken on various days at Hapuna beach park.

EYE OF THE STORM

ORANGE CRUSH

ETCHED GLASS

SHAVED ICE

INTO THE BLUE

The next few images are all taken at Kua Bay. Where Nick was on his A game this year he smoked me every time out at this spot this year. I guess he is at one with this break.

FISHEYE KUA BAY

GLASS HOUSE

LIQUID GLASS

I got quite a few days in the water at Magic Sands beach and a few good images to show for my time.

JAMERSON'S CURL

MAJIC GLOW

We had a few days on the north shore of Oahu this year. One day we photographed Rock-piles and then made our way to Keiki Beach for some slamming shore break.

ROCK PILES FRAMED

GREAT WALL

WHERE HEAVEN MEETS EARTH

The next trip over to Oahu I was in some of the biggest surf that I have ever photographed. In fact the day I went out was so big they were going to hold the Eddie Aikau surf competition which is only held when it is 25 ft Hawaiian style so 50ft faces at Waimea bay. The wind conditions were unfavorable so they didn't hold the competition. A little further down the road and latter when the winds had dyed down the conditions were epic and huge. I was the only one out in this massive surf as the sunset but it was well worth it.

BLACK AND WHITE

SYMMETRY

SURFERS SUNSET

It has been a great surf season and our time in the water has been rewarded by many great new wave images. The few that I have shown here are just a small taste of what we got this year. If you want to see more check out our wave galleries on our website. : Lava Light Galleries

Aloha and thanks for reading CJ Kale

Whirlwind Fall Trip

2011-04-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

New images come to Lava Light Galleries. Images in colors not seen in Hawaii. Living in the tropical islands of Hawaii has many advantages and many great photo opportunities. Of course it dose come with a few disadvantages one being no seasons. If we want fall, winter or spring shots we have to get on a plane and choose our destination and time wisely. Fall colors happen in a very short window for each region, change their peak time wildly, and we have to book our trips in advance. When planning any trip we have to take into account past, present and future weather conditions. Then we make the best educated guess as to when and where to go. Sometimes we have to adapt and change plans on the fly to make sure that our limited time on the mainland dose not go to waist. On this trip we started in Oregon for 3 days. The first photo of our fall trip was the one above. The rest from Oregon are below.

Multnomah Falls

Silver Falls State Park

Columbia River Gorge

From Oregon we flew to Las Vegas and drove to Zion National park to hike the narrows. Nick and I have been to Zion many times but neither of us had been there at a time that we could hike the narrows. The peak of fall colors was not happening yet so we skipped everything else in the park and just went right up the narrows for a day.

After our long wet hike we made our way to Arches national park to meet up with Tom Till one of the top photographic artist of the south west. We hadn't seen him from the last time he came to meet with us here in Hawaii. We came very close to running out of gas on a very long stretch of highway that had no services. Ironically after about 40 miles on empty but luckily down hill we arrived at a gas station covered in our friends photos. After a little rest at a friends house in Moab and a visit to Tom's Gallery we photographed for about a hour then met up with Tom for Dinner.

After dinner with Tom It was a mad dash to the Maroon Bells in Colorado for some late night star trail photos reflecting in Maroon Lake. We stayed by the waters edge freezing in sleeping bags doing long 2 hour + exposures. In the morning we were greeted by an amazing sunrise and the realization that we were a little late for peak fall but a lot more yellow aspens remained then we expected and the mountains already had a light dusting of snow. We couldn't have asked for better conditions no wind, snow, a little yellow left on the hillside and an amazing sunrise.

After just a few hours lakeside at the Maroon Bells we headed for the Grand Teton mountain range. To our surprise as it was supposed to be a week earlier, we hit peak colors in the Grand Tetons. We spent a few days photographing sunset and sunrise then spending days looking for moose to no avail.

We then headed up to Yellowstone national park in search of a few animal photos as fall colors were done at the higher elevations of Yellowstone.

As we left Yellowstone through Grand Teton national park we got lucky with a clear wind free night and we were able to photograph star trails reflecting by the Teton mountain range.

On the way back down to Zion from Grand Teton we made a short stop in the Wasach Mountains witch were ablaze in color. We even got to Bridal Veil falls just in time for sunset and to witness moonrise above the falls shortly after.

We arrived in Zion around 3am and waited for the park office to open so we could be first in line to get a back country pass to hike the Subway as the weather forecast was for massive rain and thunderstorms for the next few days. If we couldn't get a walk up pass for this day our plans to hike the subway would be out due to flash floods. We got lucky and got one of the last passes. Prior to our long hike up the river bed to the subway we stopped by the bridge to capture sunrise with the fall colors that were now happening after our 8 days of travel elsewhere.

After our long hike in and out it was dark and the rain had started. We made the drive back down to Las Vegas. It was now time to rest and relax in the pool and hot tub at Nick's dads amazing home on the golf course in Vegas. Back to comfortable beds and sleep. All in all I would have to say it was a great trip as we accomplished most all of our goals and even had a few bonus shots along the way. Well thanks for taking the time to read and I will be sure to keep everyone posted on upcoming trips, events and awards.

CJ Kale & Nick Selway Masters Podcast

2011-04-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

Just a little more recognition for Nick and I we were recently featured in Profetinal Photographers Masters podcast #10. It was a great honor to be inluded in their Acadamy of Masters podcast series. They did the interview with us via Skype while we were on a whirlwind fall photography trip. On this trip we started in Oregon then flew to Vegas and drove all over from there. We were glad to even be able to do the interview as there was a 12 hour time difference between us and them and we were beat tired from days of shooting. It was all we could do to wake up for this interview, but we had fun with it and got back to photographing. The pod cast is featured here:

Masters Special Podcast 10

Lava Surf Photography in Pro Zone of Professional Photographer Monthly CJ Kale & Nick Selway

2011-04-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

Aloha Nick and I were recently featured in Professional Photographer Monthly in the Pro Zone for our pioneering shots of the lava from the surf. It's always nice to be recognized for you efforts and achievements in your chosen field. You can read the article here.

Boiling Point

Unfortunately for many of us in the field of photography this recognition may not come as often as we like. Photography is a very competitive field, as it should be. Photography is a art medium that takes us places; places that a great many talented people want to go. So obviously hundreds of thousands of people world wide attempt to make a living with the photographic arts, and very few do. The spot light is only so big and we all have to share our time in it with a great many other talented artist around the world. To get recognition in such a competitive field takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice. Some do it by contacting magazine after magazine, dedicating hours upon hours of their time to get a magazine to take their shots. Others do it through competitions sending in as often as possible. The final and in my opinion one of the most enjoyable ways to get noticed is to dedicate your life to getting new and unique photos. These unique photos command attention and often as in our case, the magazine will seek you out and your work will be rewarded by a moment in the spot light. Then the goal is to stay in that spotlight. So as a photographic artist you can never rest on your laurels. Your life pursuit has to be about that next great awe inspiring image.

First Lava Tube

2011-04-04T00:57:00.000-07:00

Aloha this is our first blog and it isn't even going to be written by myself or Nick. I am new to blogging and am just now setting up a blog for Lava Light Galleries to let our fans and supporters around the world know what we are up to. In fact this blog is about photos that we took a year ago and never got around to writing a blog about. So thanks to my good friend Chris for showing me how to set up and use blogger and in the process writing this blog for us.

On May 9th 2010 CJ Kale and Nick Selway made history by being the first photographic artist to ever capture a view of the lava hitting the sea from the surf. Taking on extreme risks to life and limb they entered the water a mer 20 feet from where the lava meets the sea. The water was extremely hot and varied quickly in temperature depending on their distance from the lava flow. CJ Kale and Nick Selway had waited over five years to get the conditions to get this shot. The conditions needed for these shots are very rare and need many variables to all come together all at once. First of all the lava needs to hit the sea on an established beach. An established beach because the small beaches that form at the end of newly created lava benches are very unstable and rarely have a bottom structure that will create surf that is rideable. There are very few established beaches in the area that the lava flows into the sea, as these beaches take years to form and most of the coast is lined in shear cliff left from collapsing lava benches. The second thing that is needed is the proper volume of lava hitting the sea. If the volume is too high the water temperature will be too hot to get close enough to get the shot. If the volume is too low it will not be dramatic enough in the frame. Finally when the lava hits the sea lava bombs are created as waves knock lose chunks of molten rock. In turn these rocks are still too hot to sink as the outside cools but the inside remains molten. They float around in the surf until they are cool enough to sink. If there are too many of them in the surf it is impossible to enter the surf without sustaining major injury. As it was they did have to turn back on one morning do to a high concentration of lava bombs in the surf.

Cj and Nick got three days in the water with the lava bringing to the world what they call Lava Surf Photography. They are truly willing to risk it all for their art, doing what ever it takes to elevate their unique photography to the top. When asked why they would take such a risk just to get a shot. They both answer almost as one," to be unique". In a world full of photographic artist who spend their lives copying each other CJ Kale and Nick Selway choose to use their skill and teamwork to bring new and unique images to the world. Most of the extreme photography that these artists do is only possible because they choose not to compete but to work together, watching out for each other. In their working together they find a small bit of safety in a dangerous environment. Here is a short video to show what they had to do to get these historic shots.

The water was extremely hot in fact as you see in the video so hot it was turning their skin red. Just a mer 20 ft in front of them the water was boiling. They would have to wait in the warm water for a wave then when they had their chance they would venture into the scalding water just for a moment to get the shot then retreat back to the cooler waters behind them. During their three days in the water they captured many great one of a kind images that might not ever be repeated again. Here are just a few.

Once again thanks to Chris for the help getting us set up on blogger. And just to add a few things to what he wrote. In the last image shown there is a small rainbow. It was just the beautiful end to this experience as this image was from our last day in the water with the flow. The next day we went out but the lava flow had increased in volume, it was about 50 yards wide and over took the beach. Obviously we did not enter on this day. Doing so would have probably caused our immediate deaths. But I did get this final photo to conclude the series, of Nick out on the edge photographing the beaches last moments.