the earth ink

This isn’t how it was supposed to be – my life, that is. I was meant to follow the example of generations before me: Grow up in my homogenous “safe” community, earn good grades in school, make friends, play outside, and graduate from high school. Then I would dash off to a reputable university to obtain a degree—and that coveted Mrs. degree with the man of my dreams. Then, I would settle down in my small safe hometown and push the refresh and repeat button for my own child. I am literally on the other side of the world from those initial 22 years of aspirations. When I graduated with only a degree in communication I started facing the raw disappointment that my life would not follow the plan handed down from most of my family and female role models. I still desire pieces of that carefully preconceived notion about life’s path. But, I can see that every sentence of my story is woven like a thread into a fantastically intricate tapestry of experiences. None of my moments are worth retu...

I normally do not post so many photos in a blog, but this story, this location, and this event seems particularly unusual. This happened several weeks ago on the Big Island of Hawaii. ----- He told me I was going to have a dinner that I might not be able to indulge in two weeks from that day. Already slightly blurred by an early morning drive from the Kohala Coast to Hilo—and picking up a dormant friendship after a year, I suspected a seasonal crustacean or rare crop of taro would be on the menu. Whatever was in store for me, I assumed it would be memorable. Though aware of a lava flow, the size of a 20-lane highway, baring down on the town of Pāhoa, it had not occurred to me that he would tour us on a potentially last visit to a potentially non-existent town. Only a few moments after turning off Highway 130 our conversations quickly changed—from catching up with each other to the tangible sights of a town nearing its end. Questions mounted audibly between us while many remaine...

© 2014 Andrea Rip | The Earth Ink Have you ever visited a place where you wander through streets and alleyways that block your view from your surrounds? Perhaps you're in the middle of Hong Kong and only see skyscrapers rather than the water or the dramatic hills surrounding the City—or maybe you have been hidden in the trees of Mount Rainier National Park and unable to see the majestic mountain towering above you. Rather than remembering the scope of your surrounds, we often focus on finding one little shop on an unnamed side street and forget that through the urban jungle or fir forest lies a magnificent mountain. Enjoying the details of a place has a great amount of value. We learn about communities and culture. We seek out nooks and crannies and get to observe what a place is made of. But sometimes, we need to get up above the streets and through the trees to gain perspective on where we are—both literally, in geographical place and figuratively, in a mental space. W...

There is no doubt that Hawaii is a beautiful place to be. There are beaches, waterfalls, mountains, beautiful sunsets, and swaying palm trees in nearly every direction. One short hike showcases the tremendous landscape that the Island of Oahu has to offer. The Pali Puka Trail is a path hidden behind a broken down rock wall at the Pali Lookout. It is steep and, at times, a little difficult. However, to see the spectacular view, you must climb the ridge and follow the trail along several exposed areas - where tripping on a rock or tree root will send you down a sheer rock face on the windward side of the Koolau mountains. The view from the ridgeline stretches far up the saturated green windward side of Oahu to the cerulean Pacific Ocean beyond (in photo). In the other direction, you can see down the Nuuanu Valley to Honolulu. The Puka (meaning "hole" in Hawaiian), is a little peek-a-boo from the leeward side over to the windward side where sustained winds can nearly blow yo...

The Earth Ink has recently moved from Honolulu, Hawaii to Denver, Colorado. In the course of the moving I uncovered one of the first postcards that I designed. In the midst of saying so many goodbyes and leaving those people who became an influential and special part of my life in Hawaii, I read the quote I referenced on the card: Though miles may be between us, we're never far apart, for friendship doesn't count the miles, it's measured by the heart.   -Rozina Hosham-  Letter writing is one of the most beautiful ways to communicate with someone (hence the postcard design), but it has become much more easy to keep in touch with friends with social media and text messages as well.  So, here is looking forward to all the new friends (and The Earth Ink clients) and remembering the heartwarming generosity and hospitality from those who I said "aloha" to in Hawaii!

Upon first glance, you would never guess where this image was taken. The low lying vegetation indicates it might be a higher elevation and a temperate climate zone. The clouds create a feeling of cool temperatures. These pink knotweed plants were spotted on the Saddle Road on the Big Island of Hawaii . The Saddle Road cuts across the Island and connects the Kona side (leeward) with the town of Hilo (windward). The road is flanked by the two tallest Hawaiian volcanos, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. In fact, Mauna Kea is the tallest volcano in the world from base (in the depths of the Pacific Ocean) to top. The Island of Hawaii boasts 11 of the 13 climate zones in the world and such fantastic and diverse landscapes that no one can grow tired of driving around the Island to explore them all!  It is possible to spend the morning snorkeling and enjoying a beach, the afternoon zip lining through a rain forest, dinnertime with a picnic dinner overlooking a volcano, and the night stargazing ...

There are heap of curious spectacles in the world, but none that I have found so turbulent and soothing at the same time as Kilauea's lava entry point into the ocean. Arriving near sundown, the sky and ocean reflected a blue evening hue with a mild golden glow from the sun over the Pacific's waves. In deep contrast to the calm of evening were dark jagged black sea cliffs bleeding deep orange, pink, yellow, and red magma from Kilauea. The evening was perfect for setting a long exposure and capturing the movement of the waves and steam against the island's growing cliffs. The lava that shows its face to the sea is 2000-4000 degrees Fahrenheit and creates steam clouds that roll back over the cliffs while the magma quickly cools and is washed away into the sea. Poke-a-Stick Lava Tours are an excellent way to be safely guided across private land that was once a neighborhood of homes; each house wiped out by one of a number of lava flows down the side of the island.

Hawaii has been a wonderful lab for practicing photography. With afternoon rainshowers, it is easy to test out my camera's macro capabilities on raindrops. Just as in a wine glass, a raindrop can reflect an image upside down. This image was carefully arranged to show the reflection of a palm tree in a dangling drop of precipitation.

A long awaited vacation. A chance to see a new place in my own state. A delayed flight. A window seat. A sinking sun. I did not know what to expect when I flew over the Big Island and landed in Hilo, Hawaii. The Isle of Hawaii is the biggest in the state and has several different sides to show. Hilo is on the windward side where rain falls regularly and waterfalls have cut dramatic and deep valleys that are cloaked in the thickest and greenest vegetation I have seen. On the coast were fields in a dozen shades of green crops. This remarkable photo hit my camera's sensor shortly before sunset. It was a cloudy day, but my flight delay put me in perfect time to see the sun peak through the clouds for a spot of time during our decent.

This is a picture of patience.  At times, photography is much more about having patience and taking advantage of the circumstances de jour than going out with an intention of finding the perfect shot. You cannot plan to visit Big Ben and expect to carry home a crystal clear image on a sunny day in your lens. Chances are, it will rain that afternoon, or you will miss your bus, or tourists and business people will block your shot. But, if you leave yourself open to the circumstances or find patience to wait out the rain, you may perfectly capture a little girl's reflection in a pool of water nearby  with the clock tower over her shoulder . On my trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, I travelled to see the volcanoes. It rained and the lava was not flowing to the visible naked eye. I was travelling alone with a leisurely day planned to drive around half of the Island. I was about to walk through a small lava tube at the Royal Kona Coffee Mill & Museum to find some ...