AtlasLandscapes, Sunsets, Sunrises, Volcanoes, and Other Things of the Earth. And a little bit about each image.
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‘Ohia, Lehua, and Pele—In the Hawaiian mythology of the goddess Pele is the story of Ohia, who was a handsome warrior that Pele desired. However, Ohia spurned Pele's advances as he was in love with and faithful to his love, Lehua. This infuriated Pele so she turned him into a gnarled tree. This upset Lehua so much that the other gods took pity upon her and asked Pele to undo what she had done. When Pele refused, the gods decided to turn Lehua into a beautiful red flower to adorn the ohia tree so that they could remain close forever. It is said that if you pluck the lehua blossom that it will begin to rain as Lehua is still upset when she is separated from her love, Ohia.
When Nature Paints—While Hawai‘i is known for having some spectacular sunsets, they do not always get this dramatic. This was an evening I was hoping for something special with the wild cloud forms that had developed and the evening did not disappoint. Was even lucky enough to have the "Sunset Sail Tour" returning.
Pele's Howl at Mahina—In Hawaiian mythology, Pele and Mahina represent the powerful duality of nature and the sacred feminine: Pele is the fierce, volatile goddess of fire, lightning, wind, and volcanoes, while Mahina is a revered lunar deity who represents nurturing feminine energy and the cycles of time. While I have not found any myths involving Pele and Mahina together, there are enough tales of Pele's temper that it is easy to imagine that she is angry at Mahina for something.
At the Edge of Darkness—Back in December of 2022, Maunaloa started erupting. Maunaloa is the largest mountain and volcano in the world and since most of the population on the Hawaii Island live on Maunaloa, it is big news when it erupts. Fortunately this eruption did not threaten any of the towns or cities on its flanks. I like going out to shoot before sunrise as the crowds are down and there are beautiful opportunities as dawn breaks. This picture means a lot to me not only because I think I caught a special moment in time, but it is also the last photo of mine that my father saw.