Some places earn their meaning over time. Kaua’i is one of those places for me. My first trips here weren’t holidays in the traditional sense. They were family gatherings. My dad’s extended family, coming together in Po’ipu the way families do when they sense that time is starting to move faster than it used to. My grandfather, colloquially referred to as Papa Pete amongst family, friends and the Chico community had a way of making things happen, like somehow get a sprawling extended family to pause their lives and show up somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. What I think he understood was that the slower pace of the island wasn’t just a backdrop. It was the point. Kaua’i has a way of making you put down whatever you were carrying and pay attention to what was right in front of you.
Category: USA
A Hawaiian Sunset at Hualālai: Family, Photography, and Being Present
There’s something about Hawaii that shifts your perspective the moment you step off the plane. The air is warmer, the pace is slower, and the ocean always seems to be within arm’s reach. On my first trip to Hawaii with both of my kids, when they were just 6 and 3, I found myself drawn to moments like this one: quiet, simple, yet deeply meaningful. The photo above was taken at the Four Seasons Hualalai, where the sand is soft, the palms lean gracefully toward the sea, and canoes rest patiently on the shore. It’s more than a beautiful scene. It captures the essence of Hawaii’s laid-back, water-first culture. Capturing the Perfect Hawaiian Sunset Photo As a photographer, sunsets in Hawaii are irresistible. The light does all the heavy lifting, painting the sky in warm tones of orange, pink, and gold.
Looking Up at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco
One of the best lessons photography has taught me is simple: always look up. When I first stood beneath the rotunda at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, my natural instinct was to frame the sweeping arches and those monumental columns head-on. But then I tilted my lens skyward, and suddenly the shot transformed. What I found above me wasn’t just a ceiling. It was an intricate tapestry of geometry, light, and craftsmanship that most people walk under without ever noticing. That moment changed how I photograph, and in many ways, how I travel. I still lag behind my family – egging me on to move faster, but I digress. Photography Tip: Always Look Up. Capturing Ceilings, Domes, and Hidden Details Ceilings, domes, and archways are often overlooked. Our eyes get drawn to the obvious. Doorways, facades, landscapes.
Being a Tourist in Your Own City: Rediscovering Where You Live
When we think about travel, we usually imagine somewhere far from home. Far away destinations, bustling markets, white-sand beaches. But sometimes, the greatest adventure is being a tourist in your own city. Being a tourist in your own city isn’t just about saving money. It’s about reawakening your sense of wonder. As someone who has been fortunate enough to live in three incredible cities: San Diego, San Francisco, and Sydney. I’ve come to learn that the joy of discovery isn’t reserved for faraway places. It can happen right here, at home. San Diego: Rediscovering the Hometown I Once Took for Granted I was born and raised in San Diego, in my opinion, one of the most picturesque cities in America, with its beaches, palm trees, and sunsets that sparkle. But, like many locals, I didn’t fully appreciate what was in front of me.
Why Kaua‘i is the Ultimate Wild & Wonderful Wedding Destination
There’s no true halfway point between the U.S. and Australia, unless you count the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which, while scenic, lacks things like chairs or land. Fortunately, Hawai‘i exists, and nestled within its island chain lies Kaua‘i: lush, untamed, and quite possibly the most photogenic third wheel a wedding could ever ask for. When my wife and I decided to get married back in 2007, we looked for a place that made sense geographically (as much as that’s possible when the Pacific Ocean is involved). With my roots in the U.S., her family ties spanning both sides of the ocean, and our home base now in Australia, Kaua‘i felt less like a compromise and more like a revelation. Specifically, the south shore, Poʻipū, and the Grand Hyatt, which became our wedding destination. A Wedding Destination That Brings the Wow Kaua‘i isn’t just a location; it’s an atmosphere.
Shipwreck Beach: Where We Said Yes
The beach in front of the Grand Hyatt Kauai is not the best beach on the island. The waves are almost always rough, the shore break is serious, and in three or four trips back I could count on one hand the number of times I actually got in the water there. They have an exceptional pool for a reason. But at sunrise, with the lava outcrops catching the early light and the cliffs framing the whole scene, it’s something else entirely. That’s the shot. Not the postcard version of a Hawaiian beach. The real one. Raw, dramatic, and completely indifferent to whether you’re comfortable in it or not. It’s also where I got married. Halfway Across the World My wife is Australian. I’m from San Diego. There’s no logical halfway point between those two places unless you count the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which lacks chairs.
Battery Spencer: The Best View in the Bay Area
I lived in San Francisco for eight years. Eight years of working in the city, seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, but not appreciating it for what it was. I didn’t know much about Battery Spencer, and, frankly, I never went. It took moving to Australia and flying back on a work trip to finally do it. The Friend Who Made It Happen I’d stayed in touch with a mate from the BMW car club I was part of back in my San Francisco days. A chef, a photographer, and just generally a good human being. The kind of person who, when you’re back in town for a few days and mention you’ve never been to Battery Spencer, says, ‘Let’s go tonight.’ He’s since visited me in Australia.
Chicago in November: Cold Fingers, Warm Lens
My brother and I don’t need much of a reason to travel together. We just need a good enough one. Brett Favre was retiring. Or so we thought. The Packers were playing the Vikings on Monday Night Football at Lambeau Field, and it felt like the kind of game you’d regret not seeing in person. So we did what made complete sense at the time. I flew from San Francisco, he flew from San Diego, and we met in the middle. Chicago first. Green Bay second. Two brothers in their twenties, first time in either city, no real plan beyond the game. The City Getting Ready Chicago in November is cold in a way that San Diego and San Francisco don’t prepare you for. Not unpleasant cold. The kind of cold that has texture to it.