Charla Photography

Ripped!

2011-12-12T09:27:00.001-08:00

Congratulations on winning your division in the Aloha Classic Bodybuilding Competition, Kim!

Lori and Jayson

2011-09-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

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Lori and Jayson

2011-09-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

A spectacular sunny morning in September, Giselle and I pulled into the Honuali'i estate in Puako, one of our favorite venues. The table in the entry was decorated with pinwheels crafted from travel maps and fixed atop pencils, an old suitcase that would soon be filled with the postcards scattered on the table from around the globe--awaiting guests to write well wishes. Suspended glass balls filled with orchids were swinging in the gentle breeze coming off the ocean. An exquisite bouquet rested on a granite counter top. So many great details, I was chomping at the bit to get started.

I found Lori sitting, smiling, tiara in her hand, her hair being coiffed . Her wedding dress hung on a four poster canopy bed in a room all abuzz with the anticipation of the girls who would proceed her down the isle.

Giselle found Jayson and the boys and they were getting acquainted photographically.

Sometimes, at an event, time wants to speed by. You have to mentally pull in the reins to enjoy it moment by moment. This was Lori's day. She was absolutely beautiful, surrounded by those she loved in a setting that simply took everybody's breath away. She was about to commit herself to the man she adores. I reminded her to breathe and take it all in. I then slowly walked out the door and then dashed out to the wedding lawn at the water's edge.

The rest is best said with images... and yes, we spent sunset at the beach!

2010-10-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

Who are you anyway!! Show me. This past month, some really incredible seniors did just that.

Zoe and Erin, best friends, did their session together.

Alaina was visiting from the mainland.

Jumpin Billfish!

2010-08-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

I’m on board the Chiripa, a 36' Hatteras fishing boat engaged as the Press Boot for the Hawaiian International Billfish tournament (HIBT). Rick and I (and now Giselle) have been the official photographers for the tournament since the early 90’s. Today I’m out to catch some action!

I love to sit on the fly bridge with B.C. Crawford, Captain and owner of the Chiripa. He’s a salt of the earth and sea kind of guy who has been fishing Kona waters for over 30 years and this tournament long enough to have some of the most amazing stories, and man can he talk story! I indecently, love to listen.

There is a beautiful sunny blue Kona sky and ultra calm Kona seas today. Mate K.J. Robinson sets two trolling lines. Hey, we may as well try to catch some sushi while we’re out here.

Also on board is fishing photographer Jon Schwartz. You may have just seen his amazing images from the tournament a couple of days prior on the front page of Yahoo of a 500 pound Marlin charging the press boat. Whoa baby! We’re talking jackpot image of a lifetime. Check it out.

At about 8:45am, our line starts screaming. Man, I love that sound; we’re hooked up!

I grab two cameras and rush down the ladder onto the lower deck. K.J. is busy reeling in the other line while Capt. B.C. keeps the active line tight. Jon and I take knowing looks at each other. Neither of us wants to sit in the fighting chair and K.J. quickly realizes he’s the angler and the crew, not an immediate problem.

When a fishing boat starts backing down, it signals the possibility of the fish coming to the surface and jumping. Here’s the coolest thing of all, it’s just like jostling, elbow to elbow with other photographers, and waiting for first finisher of the Ironman triathlon to cross the line… the anticipation in your stomach, a level of alertness I just love to experience, one eye squinting through a small hole in the back of the camera, the other wide open and searching the area outside the viewfinder for anything expected or unexpected.

“Here she comes. She’s going to jump.” I could hear Capt. B.C. shouting. And she did, all 700+ pounds of her! My Canon 5D Mark II’s camera lens was locked on in a flash, shutter sputtering like rapid gunfire. K.J. ‘s reeling hard at the line, she’s coming closer, lights up to phosphorescent blue and pulls the line back out at an alarming rate.

Well over an hour later, she eventually came close enough to tag. Jon put down his camera, reached out and did the deed. Soon afterward she swam free.

All of the HIBT photos are on line and can be viewed by clicking HERE:

Brother Noland Concert at Keauhou

2010-03-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

Rick had the opportunity to photograph the Brother Noland concert in Keauhou last February. It was a great concert and Brother Noland rocked the house.

Kauai Wedding

2010-01-14T20:52:00.000-08:00

Trash the Dress

2010-01-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

Flying into Kauai, you get a sense of anticipation; like the ocean before a big swell arrives. You know you are in for something truly special. Every time I come here, I am amazed at how my senses tingle and I am convinced that this is one of the most beautiful places in all the earth. Kauai is magic – pure and simple.

I am here from the Big Island of Hawaii for three days to chronicle wedding events for Raeshell and Kenji, a young couple who had the joy of watching each other grow up long before they knew they were in love, though Shell actually had a crush on Kenji at an early age. Now, with the commitment just hours ahead of them, their exuberance is contagious, their excitement like trying to hold in infectious laughter.

We arrive at the Plantation Gardens in Poipu for the rehearsal dinner with the sweet light of the setting sun just disappearing behind the mountain. The garden is exploding with orchids of every color and size; they actually seem to be thumbing their noses at the waning light. “Lets go for a stroll in the garden,” I offer. When Shell and Kenji immediately lose themselves in each other while floating down the walking path, and I carefully nestle my way within the orchids to await their approach, I knew we were going to have a magical time together.

This is why I love shooting wedding events. I love the details, the emotions, the spontaneous highlights of the day where a page is turned in life. Where the realization that you have found someone to grow old with, to share intimately the depths of who you are and accept the other unconditionally is acted upon. There are few events in life that set a new paradigm of hope and expectation as this.

The rehearsal was filled with humor, the rehearsal dinner, with levity and laughter. The Ceremony at the oceanfront estate inspired perfect weather, a crystal clear afternoon at the perfect venue; an expansive yet intimate lawn nestled in coconut palms along an azure sea. Raeshell, giddy with impatience to read hand written vows to her Kenji, is emotion in motion, snatching glimpses of the arriving guests thru the bedroom’s window slats. The groom seems completely lost in his gaze watching her approach, as though there are no guests, no venue, no air. The vows, an amazing sunset… the reception, a culmination of heartfelt congratulations and celebrations, candlelight and moonlit, personal liliquoi tarts, and a hula danced for the groom by his own hula girl. But, by far, the best is yet to come. As a fun-loving photographer, the climax of the event comes the day after the wedding via a “trash the dress” session.

Trash the dress. This is a provocative after-the-wedding photographic adventure resulting in the ‘time of your lives’ and some great images for your wedding album and beyond. If you have no plan to wear that fabulous dress again or don’t mind the risk of mussing it up, don’t miss this opportunity to get romantic on a whole new level. There is no spectating on this shoot, and no reserve, but a sense of abandonment that give legs to your whimsical expectations and lets your inhibitions out to play. You are in for an incredible time.

Raeshell actually has a reception to attend back on the mainland and didn’t want to get her dress wet or particularly dirty, so she brought a white summer dress to change into that she would feel comfortable with in the surf. We find our way to her favorite beach located at the island’s westernmost point, Polihale, down the long, bumpity, unpaved Old Mana road (four wheel drive or cushy shock absorbers recommended), and arrive at an expansive white sandy beach with continuous rolling surf and the Na Pali dipping their toes into the sea. And the beach is completely empty! Feel my exuberance. My instructions are simple, “Go have fun, hold nothing back.”

The results, well, you be the judge. What a great way to start the new chapter in your book; a crescendo in your wedding experience punctuating the newness of life, letting go of whatever held you back, starting anew on a journey that together will take you further up and further in to the adventures of your lives.

Any Given (winter's) Day Mauna Kea

2009-01-18T19:46:00.000-08:00

Any Given (winter’s) Day on Mauna Kea, Hawaii

The winter storm had brought the temperature down almost enough to build a fire in the fireplace, a rare occasion at our 900 ft elevation home up Hualalai. It had dumped a ton of snow on Mauna Kea’s summit, Yeah! But the summit road is closed, Boo! (Message recorded at 9:30am), but should open later today. Yahoo!

It’s Christmas break and there are going to be lots of snowballs being pitched on the mountain. We round up the down jackets and ski gloved, a hat and extra socks to stuff into our running shoes, and fuzzy slippers for the ride back down. Yesterday was a spectacularly sunny day but the only way up the unploughed mountain was solely via snow mobile. Maybe the astronomers manning the telescopes have access to one, but I’ve never seen or heard of one on the Big Island. Alas, we wait impatiently for the “all clear” signal. A couple of hours later we get it and get going.

Rick and I set off in the Honda accord, my camera riding in the front seat just in case the mountain is showing off her new clothes early on the drive. The old girl is shrouded in clouds, but a truckload of snow is already passing us going in the opposite direction as we make our way up the newly paved saddle road bypass. The butterflies in our stomachs start flitting and we anticipate what lies ahead. We make the left turn up the Mauna Kea Mountain road. A long potty stop at the visitor’s center acts to acclimate our humanness to the elevation at 9000ft. The longer the wait the better. Like it or not, there are consequences to climbing to 13,000 ft from sea level in just a couple of hours, yet anxiousness wins out and we climb into the back seat of Sean’s 4-runner, snowboard strapped into his surf racks up on top. Giselle sits shotgun with a Cheshire cat grin, her Kona knit cap and smiling eyes. I’m happily snapping pictures as we slowly wind our way up the unpaved switchbacks. There are already some retreating pick-ups loaded with snow and headed for the beach and an Island style snowball fight. There’s a covering of snow on the ground, jagged a’ a lava rock appear as a chain of islands in an ocean of white. Some very brave souls are sliding down even here on large Rubbermaid tub lids.

As we snake up the winding road another 20 minutes, we round a corner and the convoy goes bumper to bumper. Where did all these 4-wheel drives come from? Are there this many people even on this island? We’re talking traffic jam! We still have 4 miles to make the summit and the movement stops entirely! In typical ‘shaka brah’ style, no one seems to give a hoot except maybe Sean, who would rather not slalom the a’a and ski this firm yet wet snow pack. There are those who don’t mind hiking up the steep slope with snowboards, boogie boards, plastic platters and anything else that will slide. Snow angels are flying everywhere, snowballs wiz by in e very direction, snow’kane’ are stacked and huge and still growing snow boulders are taking more and more friends to roll them down the grade. Shovels scoop a mountain of their own into pick-up beds hoping to have enough left for a neighborhood snowball bash when they get home. We throw some snow of our own at each other, and, other than my soggy feet, I’m quite warm. And then it happens. The sun peers through the clouds and it’s magic! The a’a island chains contrasts red cinder against its white blanket, shadows stretch long and weary in the late afternoon glow. Fog rolls in patches atop the summit sometimes exposing its baldhead, a smooth dome of perfect white. Bits of blue sky tease us, seeming laughing at us before hiding again behind its foggy curtain. Having had our superosity, we finally agree to retreat down the mountain, already trying to recall our calendars well enough to reschedule our next adventure up Mauna Kea. The truck heater cranks up, toes wriggle cozily into our lambs wool slippers – Mmmm. Ah nuts! We forgot the hot chocolate.

For those on the mountain with us, more images can be viewed at charlaphotography.com - Your Event - Password: anygivenday

2008-12-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

Aloha,
This morning whales and dolphins sited right outside of Lyman's surf spot. Hmmm. Work or swim?