Gallery of North America

2025 Makua Beach and Lantern Floating Hawaii

The abstract images in this gallery weren’t created by AI. A few of them are actually underwater shots I took at Makua Beach. Others were captured during the Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony, using a slow shutter speed and a panning technique to create that dreamy motion blur. Later I sandwiched some of them in PhotoShop.

Makua Beach is one of the most remote and secluded spots on Oahu. Most visitors to the island never make it out there — no tour buses go, there’s no signage, and not even a parking lot. While the white sand is undeniably gorgeous, what really catches my eye are the tide pools. They're like natural canvases, full of colorful algae, tiny microorganisms, and all kinds of marine life — way more fascinating up close.

As for the Lantern Floating Hawaii event, it’s a powerful ceremony on the Memorial Day honoring those who’ve fallen in service to the U.S. With thousands attending, getting the right shot wasn’t easy. I had to wade into the water to find the perfect angle. In addition, I also used a 600mm lense when standing on a ladder at the shore.

2025 April and May: Hawaii

Kaʻena Point State Park, Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden, Hilton Waikoloa Village, Makiki Christian Church, Magic Island, Hawaii State Art Museum, and others

2025 March: Oahu, Hawaii

2025 North shore and west side of Oahu

2025 March: Big Island of Hawaii

Volcano, Kaumana Lava Tube Cave, Green Sand Beach, & South Point

Maui Island 2025 March

Hoʻokipa, Garden of Eden, Ke‘anae, Kula Garden, Haleakalā

2025 Honolulu Festival

Los Angeles: 2025 January

Nocturne Theater, Broad Museum, Disney Concert Hall, and Museum of Contemporary Art

Washington DC: December 2024

2024 North Shore & Others

Nestled on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, the Banzai Pipeline stands as one of the world’s most renowned big wave surfing destinations. Often simply called "Pipeline," this legendary reef break is famed for its powerful, barreling waves that crash over a shallow coral reef, creating perfect, hollow tubes that challenge even the most skilled surfers.

2024.11 Big Island of Hawaii

We visited the Big Island of Hawaii over the Veterans Day long weekend, exploring its natural wonders, including the Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, Mauna Kea, and South Point.

Mauna Kea’s peak rises to 4,207.3 meters (13,803 feet) above sea level, making it the highest point in Hawaii. Watching the sunset from this elevation, above the clouds, is breathtaking and unforgettable.

Big Island

South Point

South Point, known for being the southernmost tip of the United States, is where powerful currents and wave patterns wash coral fragments ashore, leaving the beach scattered with pieces of dead coral. South Point is about 1,304 miles (2,100 km) from the equator, whereas Key West, Florida is about 1,694 miles (2,727 km) from the equator. South Point is therefore closer to the equator by about 390 miles (627 kilometers).

South Point’s most famous attraction is the Green Sand Beach, known for its distinctive green hue caused by the mineral olivine, which erodes from a 49,000-year-old cinder cone of the Mauna Loa volcano. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to visit Green Sand Beach on this trip.

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2024

Lantern Festivals & Others

2024 Honolulu Mineral Show

Close-up using macro lenses

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