Taken by Kris Nelson on August 25th, 2011.
Location: Ka’anapali, West Maui.

Photo Story

This photo was taken during the 3rd annual Maui Photo Festival and Workshops last month, during their doors-off helicopter excursion. I had previously posted how excited I was about this helicopter flight after flying back in ’09, and coming up to the event, I started sharing with the MPF staff and instructors how bad I really wanted to get this shot. Well, here it is!

The thing about the Sheraton is – for those new to the blog, anyway – is the place where we fell in love with Maui back in ’06. It’s also where I took my first Maui photo, right from the lanai of those ocean front rooms you see left of Black Rock in the photo. So having an image like this and being able to point to the fourth floor of those buildings and say “we were there” is pretty special to us.

Also, it gives you a great perspective on just how large the Sheraton Maui Resort really is. Maybe you’ve never visited there before or were in one of the ‘ohana suites and never ventured on the other side of the resort. Back when I blogged about some of the walking paths and lookout points from this side of the resort, this view from above really lays out those photos better.

The Return of Sunday Photos!

It’s been a few months since the last Sunday Photo now, but after coming back from the Maui Photo Festival last month and having so many new images to share, it’s about time to get back in the swing of things again. After all, we already have over 85 photos in our Sunday Photos series, so it’s about time we hit that century mark and blow passed it like a whale pod cruising by a boat of spectators. Be sure to follow along.

Share the Aloha on Facebook

There are also a few other updates for the site in the works – one of which is the new ability to Like our posts on Facebook. It’s a pretty popular feature over at my Daily Maui Photo website, so I decided to put it to work for us here, too. Go head, give that little Like button a click, and even post a comment to Facebook about this image if you like, too. The more, the merrier.

Also, you’ll notice the Facebook Fan Box (the official term, by the way) for my Maui by Photo page. You might remember a post way back when in which I introduced this FB page back in ’09. Since then, we’re now at over 10,000+ Maui fans, which still blows me away. If you haven’t seen it yet, why not join us for daily photos and discussion.

Check Back Soon

We’ll have another Sunday Photo available next week, but don’t be a stranger until then. If you’d like to stay up to date with the blog throughout the week, every week, view the Subscribe options on the upper-right of the page and stay informed.

Until next time,
– Kris

Poster Title: To The Heavens

View Ordering Options

Forget the references to the supposed rapture coming this Saturday, the photo in the latest edition in the Posters category was featured in Friday’s daily photo. It only felt fair to give it some Aloha here at the blog as well.

As a reminder, these posters are all featured my eBook, Maui by Poster.

About: To The Heavens

Fans of the Ka’anapali resort area, not to mention the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, will be very familiar with the scene depicted in this poster. It is from the nightly cliff dive ceremony performed at Black Rock just at sunset. Seeing as four of our five Maui trips all included accommodations right there at Black Rock, we’ve seen more than our fair share of this display to have some great memories.

While it only lasts for a few minutes, it’s free and it’s always a great way to kick off your evening if you’re in the area to enjoy the sunset anyway. We love seeing people crowd up along the beachwalk or in the sand, and folks break out their cameras and camcorders (or camera phones these days).

Download the eBook

If you like this image and wanted to see 23 others like it, check out the Maui by Poster eBook if you haven’t already. It’s free, and available in PDF format so you can view it on your computer or most smartphones or tablets out there.

Maui Posters for Sale

If you really like this image or wanted more information on how you can order prints of these posters, head over to the posters page on the Daily Maui Photo website and learn how you can put some Aloha on your wall.

Taken by Kris Nelson on June 3rd, 2006.
Location: Black Rock, Sheraton Maui Resort in Ka’anapali.

Thanks to the folks at the Maui Photo Festival, I and all other MPF alumni were recently invited to submit a portfolio of imagery for consideration in an upcoming Maui coffee table book due out this fall. This was one of the images I submitted under the Hawaiian Culture category, as it speaks to the legend behind the Black Rock Cliff Dive Ceremony.

The portfolio I submitted consisted of 12 images, and altogether I worked with 25 photos in the process. Many of them are re-edits to images I’ve shared in the Sunday Photo series before, but I’ll try to feature the ones that are new to the blog in the coming weeks.

Share your #MauiSunset Photos on Flickr

In other news, I have a new Maui photo/website project in the funnel that I wanted to pass along. And with this one, you get to help out!

About a year and a half ago, I tried to gain support for the use of the #MauiSunset hashtag on Twitter to call out all the wonderful sunsets from the Valley Isle that visitors and residents share on a nightly basis. I recently came up with the idea of bringing that same concept from Twitter over to Flickr, and I created the #MauiSunset Flickr Group. And here’s where it gets really neat.

Imagine if there was a website that you could use to browse different Maui sunsets by choosing a particular night or location? Maybe you were driving back to your hotel and saw a great sunset but couldn’t stop for a photo. Or maybe you witnessed an awesome sunset in Lahaina and wondered what it looked like to the folks in Wailea.

By curating as many Maui sunsets as I can through the Flickr group, and working with the Flickr API like I have been doing for years now, I’m hoping to add such a feature over at the Daily Maui Photo website. Hopefully I can have something up by the end of April (given my other time constraints).

How to Help

If it sounds like something you’d like to help out with, that’s great. It’s pretty easy, especially if you already have a Flickr account. Even if you don’t, you can sign up for a free account. Once you’re on Flickr, there’s really to easy options to contribute to this effort:

• Add your photos to the group pool. You don’t need to join the group to add photos, but it’s not a bad idea.
• Help spread the word to other Flickr users or sunset photos you find. If you come across a great Maui sunset on Flickr, just leave a comment or send a note to the photographer telling them about the #MauiSunset group and seeing if they’d like to share their photo.

At the time of this writing, there are almost 75 photos that have been contributed in roughly a 3 week timeframe. With your help, we can easily get that number higher and hopefully have a starting base of 250 photos when I get the website feature running at the end of April.

Also, if you have any other suggestions or ideas, please feel free to share those, too. I look forward to seeing some of your awesome sunset photos!

- Kris

Taken by Kris Nelson on February 19th, 2009.
Location: Our lanai at the Sheraton Maui Resort, Ka’anapali, Maui

A sampling of the morning views we used to enjoy when staying at the ocean front rooms at the Sheraton Maui Resort in Ka’anapali. Sure, we paid a premium for those rooms, and all budget-minded travelers will say that you can save a ton of money on cheaper rooms that you’re not really going to spend that much time in anyway. And they’re right.

Still, for two weeks out of the year, being able to wake up and walk out on your balcony and see views like this…

I like to think it was worth it.

Mahalo,
– Kris

This photo is from my Maui Portfolio on my photography website. Head on over there if you’d like to see more.

Aloha Friday
A cloud covered Molokai as seen from a private area of the Sheraton Maui Resort.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 3 months since my last Aloha Friday post. I guess it goes to show just how busy of a summer it has been for me. Regardless, I’m still working on getting things a little more regular here.

This photo is an oldie but still a goodie. It’s taken from one of the viewing areas at the Sheraton Maui Resort in Ka’anapali. In fact, it’s only one of many great views you can find at the Sheraton.

More FollowFriday Coming Soon
I’m writing this a little unprepared today, so the return of Follow Friday (aka #FollowFriday on Twitter) will have to wait until next week. I’m excited, though, because I met so many great people at the Maui Photo Festival last month and have a great list of tweeps you’d be interested in following.

And speaking of the Maui Photo Festival, they’ve recently announced the dates for the 2nd annual event next year. If you couldn’t attend this year, or wasn’t sure what it was about, let me tell you, it was absolutely amazing. I still owe you details and photos from my MPF experience this year, and hoping to feature some of them this weekend over at Maui by Photo. In the meantime, find me as @MauiByPhoto on Twitter and ask away.

Back to the dates for next year’s event, block off August 25-29 on your calendars. Also, there will be a big push on preregistration starting in a few weeks, and great early bird deals to save money on your registration. Check out their site (and here) as more details are released.

Hope to see you there next year.

Aloha Friday
An old version of the sign out front of Whalers Village.

Back today with another Aloha Friday photo after missing the last few weeks.  I like this photo, even though this sign has since replaced with a new one.  It’s a reminder that even though all of our past trips have essentially centered out of the same spot in Ka’anapali, there is something always new and different to discover at Whalers Village.  The second year we were there, they updated the sign and a few shops.  This past February, there were even bigger changes with the Rusty Harpoon moving out and the edition of Cindy’s favorite, Swarovski, near where Tiffany’s used to be.

Our Aloha Friday photo each week is from our Maui Photo Day Calendar. Visit www.mauiphotocal.com for more details on how to add a new Maui photo on your iGoogle page or your blog everyday, as well as how to subscribe via RSS.

In the News – Sheraton Working Giving Back
In addition to the Aloha Friday photo, I ran across this article in the Lahaina News this morning that I wanted to pass along:

School receives fresh coat of paint from Sheraton workers

You probably know by now that we’re fans of the Sheraton, so that’s one reason why it popped up on my radar (thanks to a Google News Search).  It’s just one of many touching examples of how people from all over the islands regularly show off their Aloha Spirit and give back to the communities around them. I posted a link to another story back in December about members of the Ka’anapali Beach Resort Association joined to participate in a holiday drive that raised 30,000 pounds of food for families in need. You may only hear about these stories every now and then, but you can rest assured that this type of community sharing and commitment can be found somewhere on the islands just about every week, however large or small.

Follow Friday
So, I’ve been sort of absent from the Twitter seen for the last two weeks now, only jumping back in earlier this week. I don’t have a full Follow Friday list like before, and I actually wanted to take a moment for a shameless plug of the new Maui site I’m working on.

So, I’m inviting you to follow @MauiByPhoto on Twitter and help me spread the word.  I’m targeting Monday for the initial launch of the new site, so be sure to look for an announcement soon.

As for the new site?  It’s going to be mainly a blog format, but with a few slight twists. Relatively small in the grand scheme of things, it’s primary goal is to highlight the beauty and magic of Maui through some of my best photos, and be a place where fellow Maui fans and residents can talk story about some of the best places, and their favorite memories, on the island.  It’s not a replacement for the site here or any other of the great Hawaii blogs out there, just a little place to stop along the way.

I’m pretty excited (and slightly nervous) about the concept, and here’s to hoping it’s well received.  Hoping to see you there.

Mahalo,
- Kris

Taken by Kris Nelson on February 17th, 2009
Location: Private lanai at the Sheraton Maui Resort, Ka’anapali

I was looking through the past editions of our Sunday Photo Series and noticed that I haven’t featured a beautiful Maui sunset in quite a long time.  In fact, the last one was posted all the way back in September! I guess we’ve had a lot of other great things to share if we’ve gone that long here without featuring one of these beauties.

This photo was taken on our most recent trip to Maui and the day after we witnessed our first Haleakala sunrise. I guess maybe the Maui sunsets were getting a little jealous that their early early morning cousins were getting all our attention this trip, so it decided to puff up its chest and spread out its peacock feathers in all its glory. And I must say, while it’s not the most fiery and golden sunset we’ve seen on Maui, the blue skies added their own dramatic feel to the mix. The result was one of the best sunsets we’ve seen in our relatively short time on the islands.

I have already received a few compliments on this photo, but to be brutally honest, I’m not 100% happy with how it came out. When I see this photo, I still recall the anguish I was going through as I snapped away with photo after photo. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful image and certainly worthy enough of being shared with all of you. My angst at the time was that I couldn’t capture the actual beauty of the scene exactly the way I was experiencing it (which happens a lot on Maui, actually).  To put it another way, I took about a dozen shots at this scene with various exposure settings, came away with this one as the best of the bunch, and in my opinion, it’s still probably only half as spectacular as it was in person. What does that tell you about these magical Maui sunsets, eh?

Talk Story
Since we’re back on the topic of Maui sunsets, a very popular one I might add, I thought I’d pose the question to everyone: Where is your favorite place to watch the sunset on Maui? I realize that’s a pretty tough question, but we’d love to hear your thoughts. 

Not to introduce any bias of our own (cough, West Maui, cough), but I mentioned the above photo was taken from our private lanai of our room at the Sheraton Maui Resort. I only say that because as much as fun as it is to share a gorgeous sunset with a beach-full of strangers or with a handful of nearby tables at your favorite ocean view restaurant, there’s a lot that can be said when you and yours are able to bask in the beauty of one of these moments in private. It is definitely one of those moments where you feel like the only two people on the island, and that the sun is putting on this amazing show just for you.

Your turn, tell us your favorites, and don’t be afraid to link to some Maui sunset eye candy as well.

Mahalo,
- Kris

Related Posts and Links

• Archives: Sunday Photo Series
• Sunday Photo: Warm and Golden Maui Sunset
• Time Lapse – Maui Sunset
• My Flickr Photoset: Maui Sunsets

Taken by Kris Nelson on May 30th, 2006
Location: Sheraton Maui Resort, Ka’anapali

It’s really hard to believe that it was only 3 years ago yesterday that we set foot on the island of Maui for the very first time. It feels like we’ve had the Aloha Spirit and the magic of the Valley Isle in our hearts for so much longer than that, but alas the calendar doesn’t lie.

For our “Maui Anniversary”, as @Ucsmiles put it, I decided to hunt down and post the very first photo I ever took on Maui for our Sunday Photo this week. So, here it is. It may not be exuding Maui like a beautiful waterfall or a sandy beach would, but for Cindy and I, the view in this picture sparks the recollection of so many great moments and wonderful memories that keep us longing to return to our favorite island paradise. It’s the view from our lanai at the Sheraton on the very first evening of the very first day of the rest of our Maui-enriched lives.

The Story Behind the Photo
I’ve probably told parts of this story here and there through various blog posts in the past year and a half, but since I’m sharing this particular photo this week, I decided to throw it out there again in it’s entirety.

It was back in the early part of 2006, and we were planning and budgeting every nickel and dime we could afford to get us to Maui. At the time, we had no idea we were about to fall head-over-heels in love with Maui, and that it would change our lives forever. Cindy’s aunt and uncle were seasoned veterans with this heaven on Earth, and their own location of choice was the Royal Lahaina Resort just north of Black Rock in Ka’anapali. They were the ones that scoped out the Sheraton, among many others in the area, and made the recommendation that “this was the place for us.”

So it had been decided, the Sheraton it was. We made the reservations, and opted for the ocean front rooms in what we later found out to be called the “Hale O Ka Moana” building. With Hale, meaning ‘house’ and Moana, meaning ‘ocean’, you knew these views had to be good. Admittedly, we never did a lot of research into the grounds of the Sheraton prior to our trip, or about the Ka’anapali area as a whole. We didn’t know what Black Rock was, or about the cliff diving ceremony. We’d heard Cindy’s aunt and uncle talk about the walking path along the beach, but we weren’t expecting to find Whalers Village so close and to be such a great place to shop.

After all, it was only our second true vacation as husband and wife, so I never really thought to look into those types of things.

Our Arrival
So, after things were booked and the countdown to our vacation was over, we were on our way. I’d like to say that the direct flight to Kahului from Chicago just flew by, but those who have made similar flights know that’s just not the case. We were a little worn out from travelling all day, but that feeling didn’t last much longer. As soon as we started our final approach to the airport, the first visions of palm trees, those amazing mountains, and the sparkling ocean came into view through that little window. That was just the small start of a turnaround in our spirits that latest the rest of the evening.

We made our way off the plane, got our bags, and waited for the shuttle to take us to the car rental area. Feeling the trade winds rush by and watching all the palm trees sway above us around the airport parking area was the next part of magic that started infecting our spirits. We had a bit of a wait at the rental counter, but that didn’t dampen our mood at that point. With some sketchy directions from the nice man behind the counter, we had our car keys and a map and were on the road.

The First Drive
We’re veterans now of that drive from Kahului to Ka’anapali along Hwy 30, but I still remember the feeling of awe we had that first drive. The winding roads heading west towards Ma’alaea, those amazing views, the tunnel, seeing cars parked at the Papawai lookout, the view of the West Maui mountains towering into the sky right in front of you. It was starting to get to us, we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. After what had become a long and taxing travel day started to feel like a dream. Maybe it wasn’t real and we had dozed off on the plane and we really were just dreaming.

Closer to Lahaina, and even passed town, there are parts of Hwy 30 that literally go right up to the ocean. There are concrete dividers, much like those used in highway construction back home, that do their best to keep the water from the roads, but that’s really it. When we were passing those areas for the first time, we couldn’t believe our eyes. I, being focused on the road, was listening to Cindy’s cries of disbelief of what she was seeing, and I was hearing emotions in her voice that rivaled those of our wedding day.

Aloha, Sheraton
We made it to the Sheraton Maui Resort on the first try without getting lost (which is rare for me). As we pulled up to the front lobby for check-in, we were greeted with fresh flower leis that were so beautiful we wish we could have kept them forever. While we checked in, the bell hop took care of our bags by loading them up on a golf cart. We hadn’t thought much about it at the time, but it was because the Hale O Ka Moana building is actually on the other side of Black Rock. That meant driving to the back of the resort, to where we followed this nice fellow in the golf cart.

The bell hop unloaded our bags onto the luggage cart while we parked the car, and he led us up to our room. By know, we were just about speechless because we were starting to see some of the greenery and flowers around this part of the Sheraton for the first time. No kids running around, no crowds, everything was just so peaceful.

The Moment
We get to our room and the bell hop opens the door for us. The first thing we see is a view like the one to the right. The bright sunshine rushing through the curtains, the top of a giant palm tree, two chairs on the lanai, and nothing else but clear, blue ocean. That was pretty much it for us as far as holding back our emotions.

We raced towards the lanai while the kind bell hop started unloading the luggage cart and putting the bags on the bed for us. I think both of us completely forgot he was there, which I’m sure was a reaction he and the other staff got a lot from first time guests like ourselves. That first deep breath of the ocean air from our lanai was more intoxicating than the best Mai Tai’s on the island.

I turned around just in time to see that the bell hop was almost done, so I came back inside to give him his tip. He tried giving me directions on how to walk back to the lobby from this side of the resort, which I was barely able to focus on, and then he was off on his way. By the time I made it back on the lanai to rejoin Cindy, it was too late. Her eyes were welling up, so mine started right along with hers. We couldn’t believe how beautiful everything was, and that we had come so far that day, and in our lives, to be witnessing this magic for ourselves.

The Photo
So, after we had a moment to collect ourselves, it was time to freshen up after that long day of travelling, and to go find something to eat. Part of me thought a good, cool splash of water on the face might have awaken any bit of disbelief we might have been experiencing at that moment, but it was all real. While Cindy was getting ready, that’s when I tore open my luggage to get to my camera. I snapped what would end up being my first Maui photo ever, and although it’s not going to be hanging in any galleries anytime soon, it has all that special meaning for us as being the start of a beautiful love affair with Maui.

Talk Story
So that’s it, the story behind this photo. Our lives, much like the ones of many others before us and since then, were forever changed by the experiences of that first trip to Maui. Each time we arrive at Kahului airport, there is that sense of magic, but it’s never going to equal that feeling we had on our first trip.

Do you remember your reactions when visiting Maui for the first time? Silly question, I guess. Well, share them with us, as we know we’re not the only ones that have been struck hard by the magic of Maui over the years, and we’d love to hear your stories, too.

Mahalo,
- Kris

Related Posts

• Great Views from the Sheraton Maui Resort
• Travel Tradition: Arrival Day
• Sunday Photo: We’re Back

Taken by Kris Nelson on February 26, 2009
Location: Ka’anapali Sunset Luau, Sheraton Maui Resort

I’m turning up the heat a little bit with this week’s Sunday Photo. This shot was taken at the luau at the Sheraton Maui Resort during the second week of our trip last February. Although the weather forced the rest of the luau indoors, we were still treated to the fiery finale outside in the upstairs courtyard. Regardless of the weather, the luau was still lovely, and just another part of our travel traditions each year.

From a photography standpoint, this is the type of shot I really prepare for; doing researching, looking at samples, and a little bit of trial and error. Much like shooting the whales out on the water, there isn’t much you can do to practice for this type of shot (unless you know someone you plays with fire for a living). For all the anticipation and effort, I’m pretty happy with the end result.

A Small Bonus
As I put this post together, I’m listening to the latest release from the newest Maui-born artist in my Hawaiian music collection, Anuhea. It was @jalove that tipped me off to this CD with a post on Twitter. After firing up iTunes and listening to a few of the samples there, Anuhea just sold herself another copy of this self-titled record.

It’s not the type of Hawaiian music that fits into the same categories as HAPA or IZ, iTunes files it under R&B/Soul for what that’s worth. It does, however, have a subtle island feel to it that you might only pick up on if you’re a fan of Hawaii (hence reading this blog) and take a peek at her bio at Amazon.com. Some compare her music to that of Colbie Caillat, but I like to think each artist has his/her own sound and urge you to take a listen for yourself. You can also track what others on Twitter are saying about Anuhea here.

Head over to iTunes or Amazon (click the cover image above) to listen to samples, and if you like what you hear, be sure to grab a copy. Not into digital music yet? Shoot over to MELE.COM to order a CD and also check out some other Hawaiian artists while you’re there.

Mahalo,
- Kris

Cover Image from Amazon.com

If you like this photo, you can see more in our Sunday Photos series here at the blog. Our website also features daily photos on the Today’s Photos page, and you can also get a new photo from Maui everyday on your Google home page. Check out our Maui Photo Day Calendar for more details.

Aloha Friday and Happy May Day!
A young whale calf practices breaching off the West coast of Maui.

Our Aloha Friday photo each week is from our Maui Photo Day Calendar. Visit http://www.mauiphotocal.com for more details on how to add a new Maui photo on your iGoogle page or your blog everyday.

Follow Friday on Twitter
For my Twitter recommendations this week, how about a few great travel and destination resources offering some great deals and advise.

• @SheratonMaui
  Name: Sheraton Maui Resort
  Location: Ka’anapali, Maui
  Web: http://www.sheraton-maui.com
  Twitter Bio: Where the legend of Ka‘anapali began…brought to you by Jocelyn
• @starwoodhawaii
  Name: starwoodhawaiiPR
  Location: Hawaii
  Web: http://www.starwoodhawaii.com
  Twitter Bio: Starwood Hotels Resorts in Hawaii…Sheraton, Westin, Luxury Collection and St. Regis – Iconic resorts, beachfront enclaves and breathtaking locales
• @TheWestinMaui
  Name: The Westin Maui
  Location: Ka’anapali, Maui
  Web: http://westinmaui.com
  Twitter Bio: The Westin Maui Resort & Spa is situated along a spectacular stretch of the famed Ka’anapali Beach
• @kaanapaliresort
  Name: Melissa
  Location: Ka’anapali, Maui
  Web: http://www.kaanapaligolfresort.com
  Twitter Bio: Marketing Manager for Ka’anapali Golf Resort on the island of Maui
• @KahanaSunset
  Name: Kahana Sunset
  Location: Kahana, Maui
  Web: http://www.kahanasunset.com
  Twitter Bio: Maui vacation condo rentals on secluded white sand beach.

If you have Maui or Hawaii tweeps that I haven’t featured yet here on our Aloha Friday posts, feel free to leave a note, or better yet, catch me on Twitter (@webnelly) if you haven’t already.

Have a great weekend everyone