Traveling 8 hours by 767 to visit paradise may seem extraordinary or a luxury.  Both are likely true.  But what draws us back time and time again?   Do the sites of the same small island ever become mundane?  Can the same opportunity to relax, escape and spend precious family moments not be accomplished on the shores of lower Padre, Florida, Cancun, southern California or just as refreshing as the cool air of Colorado mountain vistas or upper Atlantic seaside towns of New England?  Possibly.

Certainly European adventures are phenomenal; the historical basis of our American society, leading, though often the trailing edge of our conscientiousness.  Always another sight to see, cuisine to experience, culture to encounter.  I will never cease to enjoy catching the next train to check off another site that has been on the eternal bucket list.  A different kind of trip that addresses a different yearning.

Maui’s local industry caters to the western tourist more so than the outlying islands. If one seeks non-stop activities there are countless opportunities and “deals” to keep one entertained and busy.  Scuba, snorkel, surf, swim, sail, scenic sightseeing, jet skis, fishing, submarine or helicopter rides, hang from a parachute or zipline, you name it, it will be found.

To us however, Maui is tranquility and serenity, perhaps closer to being Shangri-la than Shangri-la; a nice regeneration of soul while attempting to put the efforts and challenges of the work place briefly to the side.  Maui an island in and of itself, like each of the Hawaiian Islands, whose ambiance is influenced by the local tropical flavor and styles of Polynesia, brilliant colors, and blending of multiple cultures.  A politely simple, slower pace.  Air conditioning is optional.  Lobbies, eating establishments and shops are open to the elements.  T-shirts, shorts, swim suits, sun glasses, 50 SPF and flip flops are necessities. The occasional “Aloha-ware” totally optional. “Hang-loose” is the state motto.  Maui is where you stop and take count.

Schedules and lists are not allowed.  Island time, island feel, island courtesy, and island seafood (caught that day) creates an atmosphere and affect that ensures revival.  The gentle waves constantly lapping at the beach.  The island air is constantly refreshed by the Kona trade winds sweeping across the cool Pacific waters; absorbing the fragrance of a mountain shower or the always pungent blossoming flowers and trees.   The Fahrenheit has a typical 20 degree swing from the 60’s to the 80’s, with the breeze keeping the humidity and temperatures at a comfortable level.  Only when reaching the higher brisk elevations of the extinct volcano, often requiring a drive through the clouds, does one dawn a sweater or where hiking through a 400” per year rain forest is a jacket needed.

Every day starts with a morning walk on the beach.  Every day brings a vibrant rainbow.  Every sunset is shaded with varying hues of pink, yellow, purple and red.  Yes, taking stock of life, counting blessings, and reflecting on purpose and what is important, requires a regular infusion of Maui.

POSTED BY: Craig Reynolds, FAIA

Like most Architecture students at UTA, I took photography.  Back then it was a still photography. I spent both many hours in a dark room and a lot of money for the supplies. After graduating, I rarely took photos.

In 2006, one of my friends introduced me to Flickr, which is an image-hosting website and online community owned by Yahoo! It is a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs. I casually joined and got myself a DSLR.

To my surprise Flickr turned out to be a very supportive community.  It is basically a social network for advanced photography enthusiasts. There are various groups not only to share photos but take a part in discussions. Some of the groups are used by bloggers to host images that they embed in blogs and social media. I have had numerous photos featured in the NPR picture show, Art&Seek by KERA, and archidose by John Hill, which is a popular architecture blog site.

Originally I never liked the idea of switching to digital in spite of how convenient it is. The result was never same.  Besides, I realized that the most beautiful digital photos on Flickr were the ones in which the photographer spent a lot of time on Photoshop trying to not make it look like a digital photo.  The quality of image, depth of colors, or just the mood the film image creates is far superior to digital. I have come across so many captivating inspirational photos by film cameras on Flickr that it gave me an analog aspiration. I now own a few medium-format film cameras.

Medium-format is a film size. The film format is called 120 (60mm wide) and it is a rolled film.  The brand names — Kodak, Ilford, Fuji , Lomography — can still be purchased online. In Dallas, a couple of stores still develop medium-format films.

I have Holga and Hasselblad, both of which come in square frames, which I love.

I purchased a used Hasselblad 500C/M from a local photographer, who switched to digital.   It came with the body, film back and 80mm lens.   Hasselblad is made in Sweden using a German-made Carl Zeiss lens, which is widely used by professionals. Perhaps the most famous use of the Hasselblad camera was during the Apollo mission, when man first landed on the Moon. What I like about this camera is not only the exquisite design of body, superb optics, large viewfinder, and loud shutter sound but also the particular the shallow depth of field. The soft focus gives the images an ethereal feel.

My Holga is pretty much opposite. It is a well known as a toy camera, with a plastic body and plastic lens made in China. It is simple to use, the shutter speed is fixed, it has one effective aperture, and basic focus. The images are unpredictable until I develop the film. The aesthetics of cheap plastic construction fail in many areas.

On this black and white image of my daughter taken at the Modern in Ft Worth, I have a missing area on upper right corner because of the light leak.

The images display a vignette, blur, light leak and other distortions.  This is typical characteristics of the toy camera. Then again I love how the image appears to look a lot like an old, restored photo.

This is a color image of a sculpture called “Walking to the Sky” by Jonathan Borofsky at the Nasher Sculpture Center. It was such a sunny day.  Light leaked from the back of a red window, giving the image a surreal look.

I occasionally use a texture merged with a digital photo to express a different feel.

I recently bought a Holga wide-angle pinhole camera. The size of film doubles to 12×6. The look is timeless.

Double exposures  or any number of exposures can be done.

Actually, this was a happy accident. I did not know until I developed the film. Working with film creates both anticipation and unreliability. Those problems became a virtue for me.

Since I wasn’t familiar with the medium-format cameras, Flickr was my source and inspiration. I increased friends through Flickr all over the world, including from my home country Japan. If any of you would like to see those cameras, film or print out, just let me know and I would be happy to show you.

POSTED BY: Masako Fujinami