As part of my responsibilities at the Fire Pit Collective, I am often called upon to be the eye in the sky for important golf happenings. In this instance, I was in charge of patrolling the skies over the island of Kauai as we highlighted some of the amazing golf and people on the island. As we prepare ourselves for the full length feature to drop, I have compiled my 7 favorite drone images from the visit.
These images are more than just a quick capture for me, each one holds its own little story. Maybe it is great lighting or a fortunate break in the clouds, each of the 7 images below stands out from the crowd. Please enjoy this special behind the scenes peak at why I like each image and what it took to capture the shot.
IMAGE #7: The Club at Kukuiula
My favorite aspect of the image below is the large number of cool things happening in the photograph. We have Hawaiian coast line, high end golf, and sun splashing across the green grass. Most often it’s a “less is more” approach that captures my attention but this one manages to score points in the opposite direction. This image would have scored higher had we had more time to capture this piece of property at low light.
IMAGE #6: 316 at Poipu Bay Golf Course
Even though this image comes in at #6, it has the potential to be much higher. With a coastline that fits snugly into the composition and a green neatly settled against a rocky precipice, this scene has the potential to be world class. Sadly the lighting did not deliver to maximize the potential greatness of this photograph. A little break through from the clouds would have blown this picture into the next level.
IMAGE #5: The 6th at Puakea Golf Course
The strength of this image lies in the background. The rays of light shooting over the mountains and illuminating the fields in the backdrop propels this beauty into the top 5. You will notice that the lighting gets progressively better as we move down this list. Lighting isn’t just the most important thing, it is everything. The jungle vibes surrounding the 6th hole also play an important role in making this image special.
IMAGE #4: Princeville Makai
Although, we had to wait a bit for the clouds to clear at sunrise, the lighting in this image is just about as splendid as it gets. The setting is also of high excellence. You have two green sites sitting atop cliffs overlooking the Hawaiian coastline. However, what really makes me smile about this image is that those trees on the center right portion of the photograph are breeding and nesting grounds for a group of albatrosses. These birds are almost as beautiful as the golf scores that they represent.
IMAGE #3: 16 Green at Hokuala Golf Club
As we step inside of the top 3 we find a handful of images that offer a little more than just good lighting and a good golf scene. This image was captured moments after I got the FAA flight clearance to update on my drone and minutes before the sun hid beyond those clouds again. A slight adjustment on either end of these variables and this image falls flat. The way the palm trees are set against the morning sky and look down upon the crashing waves below gives this image the extra boost that it needs to reach #3
IMAGE #2 The 18th hole at Hokuala
There is something special about island greens and aerial photography. So I can’t really be surprised that this gem ended up at #2 on the list. The palm trees set against the water make this photo really stand out for me. The low light and the nice little pop of sun kissed faraway in the background bring this photograph into the next level despite the roads and cart path infringing upon our vista.
IMAGE #1 The 17th green at Wailua
There was approximately 5 minutes of sunshine when the early morning sun broke through the clouds on our visit to Wailua. Fortunately, it lit up the 17th green like a Christmas tree. I was there in the sky with my drone ready to pounce. The resulting photograph captures everything that I look for when capturing an image. The clouds in the background add some attitude and provide a spectacular contrast to the illuminated green. The foreground provides interest and extends its presence all the way up through the photograph. When you add in the dramatic beach setting, this drone photograph becomes one of my all time favorites.
