KAUAI…. through the eyes of Photographer, Mike Cavanaugh

Mike Cavanaugh, a freelance photographer with over 190 publishing credits brings us the beauty and wonder of Kauai through his artist’s eyes.  His subject matter is solely based upon his many interests and for this reason he did not concentrate or limit himself to any one area of photography.  His subject matter includes music, landscapes, travel, people, sports, still movie productions, and nudes.
Mike’s clients include All Access Magazine, Music Connection, Strutter Magazine, San Gabriel Press, Pasadena Star News, Whittier Daily News, the state of Alaska’s official tourist website (http://www.travelalaska.com/), Arizona Office of Tourism, Faith and Form Magazine, Sfarzo guitar strings, Peerless Guitars, Mills Acoustic, and the feature film “Sin-Jin Smyth”. 
In addition to his growing client list his images have been exhibited in three Los Angeles gallery’s (”View of the Sound” - Kopeikin Gallery on Wilshire; “Fiddle” - LaFoto in Santa Monica; “What’s Her Name” - Santa Monica College photo gallery).  And in 2007 two of his images (”Malibu Pier at Midnight” and “Great White Shark feeding”) achieved finalist awards and were published in the 2007 Photographer’s Forum Magazine Annual.
WIND AND THE MOONLIT SKY - This is what happens when a photographer returns home at night after spending the day photographing and snorkeling on a tropical island and is still feeling creative.  As a photographer visiting a tropical island it’s easy to get wrapped up looking for the perfect postcard image, but in this image I created something completely different.  On this night the moon wasn’t quite full but very bright, the sky was filled with scattered white puffy clouds that flowed across the evening tapestry like water in the warm coastal breeze.  And the palm trees, the most important part I feel, were a perfect foreground subject waving back and forth.  My gear set-up was simple: a tripod and my Canon 5D set on bulb.  Without having a cable release for the camera, and the timer setting doesn’t work effectively when the camera exposure is set on bulb, I just pressed the shutter, counted to ten, and here’s the end result.  

UNDER THE HANALEI PIER - As a photographer I’m always looking for the path least traveled to see  things from another side.  For this image I had been photographing the Hanalei Pier with gorgeous light luminating the clear green water.  Walking back to the rental car I was watching my little boy playing under the pier and I got curious as to what the perspectice looked like.  But as I took off the polarizing filter from my lens and was getting ready to photograph a kayaker invaded my space and ruined my shot.  However, when on an island you learn to slow down and be patient - island speed - so I waited.  Eventually the kayaker exited my shot and I snapped a couple pictures before my little boy couldn’t stay out of the frame any longer.  

CANOE’S - Arriving on Kauai after 9:30PM and trying to locate a budget motel under $100 is an amazingly difficult adventure.  And an adventure that would not prove sucessful.  Sometime around 11PM we abandoned all hope of finding a budget motel and turned our attention to finding a beach we could camp on.  Anyone who’s driven around an unfamiliar area at night trying to read street signs that are poorly marked and written in a language you can’t pronouce (Hawaiian street signs are rarely in English), essentially a hunter gatherer hunting blind, knows how difficult such a search can be.  Finally around midnight we located Hanamaulu Beach Park north of Lihue.  Being a camper and backpacker for the past 10 years I can honestly say there is no better way to wake up in the morning than poking your head out the tent to see the sunrise over the ocean.  This was the first of many sunrises I would see while on Kauai.  To view more of Mike’s work or to purchase visit: http://www.mikecavanaughphotography.smugmug.com/