There is a song by Trevor Hall that goes, “Hey wish man, tell me, what’s your wish? Close your eyes all we got is this.” Wistfully looking back on this photo now, I wish I could close my eyes and open them here again. Waipio Valley is such a beautiful place and I loved the way the sky’s sunrise colors altered the water and clouds, adding almost a full rainbow palette to the scene. Next time though, I wish I could paraglide down and stay for a few days, hiking up and down the valleys in the distance too.
Before golden hour even began, I knew this would be a sunset no photographer should miss. While the sky was still varying shades of blue, the cloud formation shifted into small circular puffs dotting the sky and stretching out in all directions. When the light of the setting sun hits these types of clouds, magic happens. Once the sun disappears behind the horizon, the color show beings and bright purple, orange, magenta, and pink colors erupt across the sky, shift colors every few seconds as they interact with different clouds. I can't explain why but I've learned to read the sky much like the waves and anticipate the events that might unfold before our eyes.
The only thing better than watching this sunset from the shore of Oahu would be sailing off into it on one of these boats. I imagine being out on the calm water during this spectacle would create the illusion that you were surrounded, above and below, by this fantastic display of natural colors as the sunset reflected across the ocean. You could dive into a pink ocean and float on your back looking up at an orange sky. The water would magnify its luminance.
