Hawaiʻi, The Big Island

I've always wanted to go to Hawaiʻi. It seemed like some fairy tale destination far far away that I would never see. With its lush raw jungles, inviting beaches and island style it seemed to be calling me my whole life. This December, accompanied by Charlotte I finally got on a plane destined for the Big Island. When you only know a place by postcards and travel brochures theres always the danger of disappointment when you step off the plane, but in a way when I arrived in Hawaiʻi it almost felt like a homecoming. It reminded me of my homeland, Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa, it was like the two pieces of earth were distant cousins, I felt like I was in the the right place.

I explored and photographed the island with as much ferver as I could, driven by an emotional connection and sense of discovery. I drew on my memories of old travel commercials and what I wished the place would be and blended it with what I feel it was.

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Vancouver #2

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Vancouver #1

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House by the Lake #4

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House by the Lake #3

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House by the Lake #2

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House by the Lake #1

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Bottle Rocket

Here are some photographs I took on the 2nd of July in Washington State near an American Indian Casino, two days before Independence Day. There was a fireworks market across the street made up of about twenty small shack like stalls selling every style and flavour of explosive you can think of. Around back I found a group of kids having firework wars, no eye or ear protection, just fun. Two teams, one on either side hurling lit widow makers and bottle rockets at each other. Awesome.

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America

Its about cans of coke warming in the sun, busted headlights and pin-ups in the locker room. Green eyes, dirty neon golf balls and infomercials. Its having one more cup of coffee. Burnt out light bulbs, laptops and phone books. Its about listening to the air conditioning in the dark.

All photographs were made in the United States of America by Shaun Stander, 2011.

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