Ocean Fire
Category: 25 Water
The Big Island, Hawaii
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is the highest and most prominent jewel to crown the mighty Pacific. In contrast, a temperamental force lies beneath. We think of the world beneath us as common and static. That mindset quickly evaporates once you’ve witnessed the ground shake, tremble, and come to life under your feet and before your eyes. The full moon backlit a huge plume of smoke exploding from the volcano. Adrenaline overtook fear. No matter what, I was going to the edge to get the shot. As I setup my camera I didn’t know what to expect. The pungent, sulfuric smell filled the air. Standing on partially cooled lava barely a day old, I used a long exposure to capture a wave formation with color and movement. More embers hit the sky the second I pressed the shutter, leaving a multihued, magical record.
