The Big Island, Hawaii
My first day of shooting the volcanic edges of the Big Island transformed me into an addict. The unpredictable dangers, the overwhelming sulfuric scents of the lava, the memories of the meteor shower the previous night. This ever-changing landscape and I had created a bond with each other. I needed to become part of it again. Upon arrival at the location where I was shooting just hours before, I realized the ledge I had been shooting from no longer existed. It had collapsed into the ocean. Fighting the fear this realization brought upon me, I moved forward to capture this new day. As I was hiking towards the plume in the nighttime darkness of the volcanic sky, I noticed a glowing ember in the distance. By the time I had reached the source, the sunlight was upon me. Even the light of day could not extinguish the glow of the raging river of lava just inches beneath my feet. The constant rumble of the flowing lava is a sound I will never forget. As I looked up from the lava flow, I was left breathless by the scene that had presented itself. All of the elements were present...fire, earth, water and wind. It was a moment I had never seen in my life. Without hesitation, I setup my camera and fired off frames hoping the latent image would be able to represent the view I had been witness to. I was ecstatic when I saw the result.
45 Artist Proof / 950 Limited Edition
