Kaua‘i featured in women’s sports apparel shoot

LIHU‘E — Vidinha Stadium was closed to the public Wednesday.

“We’re just finishing up the permitting and paperwork for a photo company doing a shoot on Kaua‘i,” said Kaua‘i Film Commissioner Art Umezu. “They’ll be here at various parts of the island doing work for a major national women’s sports apparel firm for the next few days.”

Dylan Thomas of Havaiki Oceanic and Tribal Art at the Hanalei Center said he was coordinating the group, which used Vidinha Stadium as one of the sites for their two-week photo tour through Kaua‘i.

“They’ve got a lot of their own people, but will be using Mariko Strickland, a physical education teacher at Island School and renown surfer and athlete, as a model for one of their shoots,” Thomas said while watching the crew go through their paces. “We got a lot of help in coordinating this from the film commissioner and John Martin of the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation since some of the shooting will take place at county parks and facilities.”

Thomas said Wednesday was the first full day of shooting for the 14-member team, which includes production leaders, a photographer, two photo assistants, a digital technician, two stylists and a make-up and hair artist.

“The team does a lot for the island, and we are lucky they think we’re good enough a location to do these major shoots,” Thomas said. “While here, they add to our economy through their hotel stays, eating at restaurants and even shopping.”

Naseema Khan of Sandbox Studio in San Francisco, Calif. said she was contracted for her services as a production director, already garbed in a unique strawmat Kaua‘i cap. “I have to get me a chicken badge,” she said before running up the stairs with an accessory, which was holding up the shoot. “Does anywhere sell chicken badges?”

• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.