Though natural beauty surrounds us on Kauai, a reminder of that beauty in striking snapshots, capturing those unique moments in time, can serve as priceless treasures.
Aaron Feinberg seeks to achieve a similar goal, as he strives to use his photography as a tool to deliver beautiful natural imagery for all to enjoy. His photography reflects nature, helping to remind us what a beautiful part of the world we live in and highlights some of the best features and landmarks on island.
“I’m looking not to create a picture, but show people what’s already there, bring it back to life and refine it for them,” he said.
Feinberg recently opened his newest aFeinberg gallery in Hanalei at the Dolphin Center at the beginning of the year.
As you enter the door to the gallery, which faces the highway, to your right there is a panoramic photograph titled “Hanalei Bay Sunset,” featuring an orange-tinted view of the bay. It was the ideal time to capture the image because of the lighting and the many robust, free-flowing waterfalls in the mountains in the background, the artist said.
The key to capturing so much of the beauty outdoors, he points out, is timing, due to weather conditions, the time of day and cloud cover, for example.
The making of a many great photographs involves waking up before sunrise and hiking to the perfect location to get just the right view and lighting, such as in his photograph, “Tucked In,” taken on the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail.
“Tucked In” features a view of the ocean framed by the walls at the opening of a cave. It’s a perspective which is adventurous in nature and stokes the imagination. It’s as if you can’t help but feel, just by looking at the photograph, that perhaps you have discovered Mahaulepu for the first time.
While many of Feinberg’s pieces depict stellar locations on island, most often displayed in an array of colors and detailed imagery, other works are more simple.
A work which captures two basic elements, ocean and sky, though is minimalistic, is still a powerful depiction in its own right. From a series of pictures depicting the ocean, aptly named “Oceans,” Feinberg’s photograph “Oceans XVI” is both captivating and mysterious.
“We all see things in our daily lives, and using different camera techniques we can incorporate that into being able to show something more unique,” he said.
He continues, “It’s all abstracts done in the camera. It creates a surreal look. The trick is finding unique conditions and capturing it, so you can make something different.”
He told a story of a stormy day when he was camping at Polihale.
“The storm clouds were off in the distance. The horizon was turning really dark. The sky was all super steely blue from the storm clouds, but because the sun was directly hitting the water in front of us, the turquoise blues and cyans combined with the dark sky in the background to make a really surreal scene,” he said.
He had this to say of a photo he shot in Princeville:
“It’s always good to have spots in one’s mind that we can run to close by for sunrise and sunsets. I am extraordinarily lucky that this is that close to my house. Some friends asked me to head down here for sunset about 20 minutes before the sun was to depart, so hurrying to the trail and mostly running/sliding down it, got down to the bottom and was greeted by this scene.”
Adding to the intriguing story behind “Oceans XVI,” Feinberg said that this piece also a finalist for the National Geographic photo contest a couple years ago. This piece has only been released since October to the public for viewing, and only 30 copies will be produced.
Feinberg also makes use of new technology, which can alter the perspective of his photos, such as in “Planet Hanalei.” An aerial image captured from above with a drone, “Planet Hanalei” is not only striking in its display of deep blues and rich greens and other colors, but it also shows the new path of the Hanalei River.
The river redirected itself following the April 2018 flood, and so in being captured in the image adds a historical relevance to the work. Also shown in the piece is Black Pot Beach Park and Hanalei Pier, which only serves to deepen its intensity. A balance, however, to this intensity, is achieved by the clouds in the sky which, because of the technique, actually surround and essentially “contain” the globe-shaped image of Hanalei.
“Planet Hanalei,” like “Oceans XVI,” is another work of art Feinberg has been careful to release to the public for limited viewing. The artist has decided to refrain from digital reproduction of the work on the internet or in print publication. In other words, if you want to enjoy “Planet Hanalei,” it can only be done in person, by seeing it for yourself in the gallery.
Feinberg insists, though, that nature plays the star role in all his pieces, and he truly does few alterations to actually edit or change his photography.
He seems to embrace the simplicity that comes with his creative process of capturing nature photography. It’s a process that does not require much more than being at the right place at the right time, he says. This is not to say that there isn’t a great deal of effort, planning and technological knowledge that goes toward a successful photo shoot.
Feinberg lives in Kilauea. He is originally from Long Island, New York, though he left in 2004 and lived in Salt Lake City and Portland, Ore., before moving to Kauai 12 years ago.
Other aFeinberg Gallery locations include the Princeville Resort and the Shops at Kukuiula in Poipu.
•••
Monique Rowan, a lifelong North Shore resident, is a freelance writer who lives in Wainiha.
This guy is a gift. Lucky we live Kauai and lucky he has chosen this place to work his magic. Mahalo Mr. Feinberg.