Editorial Photographer Susan Seubert shoots Travelers of the Year for National Geographic Traveler

Earlier this year, I was sent on assignment by National Geographic Traveler Magazine to the island of Oahu.  Two out of the ten people who had been nominated for “Travelers of the Year” awards were in Hawaii – one as a visitor and another as a resident.  Travelers of the Year is NGT’s inaugural celebration of individuals who explore the world with passion and purpose.  I’m often already based in Hawaii,  but it’s such an easy flight to Honolulu from Portland that it was a natural fit.  The story is out now in the December 2012 issue of the magazine.  You can read about all ten notable travelers here.  My two subjects were very different from one another, but both were passionate about travel.

Linda Yuen is one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever met.  She’s well into her 80′s and still travels regularly.  She and her husband snorkel weekly at Hanauma Bay Park, a beautiful, protected bay on Oahu that is frequented by tourists and locals alike.  Linda and her husband swim a mile out from the beach once a week, help people who are visiting to identify undersea creatures and walk up and down the big hill to get in and out of the water. I get winded just thinking about it!  It would have been ideal to shoot there, but the park has very strict hours and we would likely have to get a permit, so we had to find a different location for her portrait session.  I thought that the best photo would be of her with her snorkel mask on, in the water.  She was so brave to agree to this!  Most women I know at any age wouldn’t be at all thrilled at the idea of appearing in a major national magazine in a swimsuit, but she was game.  I had location scouted the beach in front of my hotel the night before to see if it would work with light, water depth, swell issues, (I didn’t have a water housing with me), and we agreed that Sans Souci Beach would be the perfect place for a late evening shoot.  She and her husband not only like to swim there, they also like to eat dinner at the restaurant in the hotel there.  A perfect fit!  We had about 30 minutes of glorious light.  Her sweet husband acted as my assistant and held the extra camera gear while I went in the water with Linda.  She has such a beautiful smile and her face is full of life, so it was easy to get a wonderful photo of her.

Linda Yuen, one of National Geographic Traveler Magazine’s 2012 Travelers of the year photographed in the water on the island of Oahu at sunset

Theron Humphrey is a young man who self-assigns projects that take him on adventures with a purpose.  He was nominated for a project where he interviewed people from all 50 states.  At the time we met up he was on his 50th state – Hawaii.  We photographed him in several different scenarios, but my favorite location was one he had found the previous day, in a park on a hillside overlooking downtown Oahu.  First I photographed him on a swing.  This idea worked conceptually because he’s very much a free spirit and swinging into a seemingly infinite space seemed apropos.  The second location was just down the path from the swing, up on a tree platform. Theron gingerly made his way up into the branches of the tree and I followed and stood as far back on the platform as possible, constantly reminding myself that I could easily fall backwards and break my neck!  It was worth the effort even though it’s a more serious portrait. The gaze is straight at the camera and he’s out on a tree limb with no bottom in sight.  When you follow your heart to the extent that he does for his photo-based projects, you will end up out there in the world in new and challenging environments and, quite literally, out on a limb.

Theron Humphrey, one of ten National Geographic Travelers’ “Travelers of the Year”

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Photojournalist Susan Seubert in the New York Times: Georgia O’Keeffe’s Hawaii

Earlier in October of this year, I was assigned a story by the New York Times to cover a piece that was both art history and travel.  What an adventure!  My husband and I live in Maui for four months a year, so it’s always great to have an excuse to head out and explore.  I didn’t know that Georgia O’Keeffe had spent time in the islands.  I was familiar with only one landscape painting of a waterfall surrounded by green cliffs by the artist, but I learned through the story that this painting was made by O’Keeffe after a visit to the lush Iao Valley on the island of Maui.  It was so much fun to try and see that area, an area that I’ve been familiar with for quite some time, through the eyes of Ms. O’Keeffe.  Although there was no missive to try and emulate what O’Keeffe painted, to try and see what she saw was a wonderful visual exercise.  When I started puzzling together the time of year she was there, it made sense that she may not have been as taken in if she had been there in the dry, early autumn as we were at the time of the assignment.  The waterfalls on Maui are fed by rainwater and currently the entire county of Maui is in a drought.  However, another more obscure painting of two papaya trees in the Iao Valley was equally daunting to emulate as she had superimposed the unmistakable shape of the tree on backdrop of that lush valley.  However, the majority of her time on the island was spent in the lush area of Hana.  The story is on the New York Times’ web site here, but I can summarize our experience of following in the footsteps of this great painter.  She had been commissioned by the Dole Pineapple Company in 1939 to produce two paintings promoting the pineapple company and was invited to Oahu to visit the plantation.  She was disgusted by the fact that Dole wouldn’t allow her to stay on a working plantation because it was considered, “unseemly for a woman.”  She immediately bailed on the project.  Kudos to Georgia!  Instead, after traveling around the territory of Hawaii, she ended up in Hana on the island of Maui where she created most of her paintings during this period.  These stories are well documented not only through letters to her husband, Alfred Stieglitz, but also by her unlikely Hana guide, a 12 year old named Patricia Jennings, who was the daughter of the plantation manager where O’Keeffe stayed in Hana.  Patricia is still alive and living on the Big Island of Hawaii.  The author, Tony Perrottet, interviewed Patricia and was able to put together a living guide to Georgia’s time in Hana and the places where Ms. O’Keeffee painted.  Those places are still intact and very visible to anyone willing to seek them out.  This type of approach to travel is wonderful – not only does one get to stand and see precisely the same thing that Georgia did, the writer incorporated other destinations including where to stay, what to eat and other useful travel tips.  For me, it was a treasure hunt.  Having visited Hana many times, I’ve never considered it through the eyes of one of the most important American painters.  Ever since my parents took me as a teenager to see an O’Keeffe exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute back in the ’80′s, I’ve long admired her work.  This story was also a first for me in another way: there were far more photos published in the printed newspaper than there were online.  These days, as a contributing photographer for many magazines, most of the visual content ends up not in print but online or in an iPad version, there’s still a thrill in seeing a large photograph running across two pages of the New York Times.  Please read the article here.  I’ve also put together a portfolio of the outtakes online here for your enjoyment.  Aloha and mahalo for visiting!

Georgia O’Keeffe’s Hawaii in the New York Times’ Travel Section

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Maui Photographer Susan Seubert in National Geographic Traveler Magazine

Aloha!  The November 2012 issue of National Geographic Traveler is available online and a story I photographed here on Maui for the magazine is featured.  The story, which you can read here, is in the Road Trip section and investigates how the Road to Hana and beyond relates to the music of the Hawaii.  Traversing the road with the car stereo set to the local radio station, we set out to document some of the things that are the subject of local music, both traditional Hawaiian songs and more contemporary island sounds.  Our journey took us from our home here in West Maui, along the Hana Highway where we met people who farm taro in the traditional way on the Keanae Peninsula to Hana where we explored black and red sand beaches, around the back of Haleakala, through Kipahulu and Kaupo.  It’s a beautiful drive and although it’s possible to do it in one day, I recommend spending at least one night in Hana so that you can take your time, do some hiking, explore the waterfalls and enjoy the peaceful town. The photo gallery which has more photos than the printed magazine, can be seen here.

Mahalo and a hui ho!

The story about the Road to Hana in the November 2012 issue of National Geographic Traveler’s online magazine. Click here to go to the photo gallery.

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Editorial and Commercial Photographer Susan Seubert in Maui

Aloha from the island of Maui!  I will be based here in the islands until November 30th.  Already, it’s been an extraordinary trip beginning with an encounter with an Hawaiian Monk Seal, both on land and in the water.  In the morning, tourists discovered a female monk seal hauled out on the beach here in Kaanapali.  Later, as I was stand-up paddleboarding, looking for turtles to photograph, she swam directly to the tip of my board, sorted a few hellos, then headed off for a nice ocean brunch.   It was an incredible encounter as the Hawaiian Monk Seal is one of the most critically endangered sea mammals on Earth.  It is estimated that fewer than 1500 remain.  They generally occur in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, so it’s rare to see them in areas like Kaanapali Beach, which is populated by humans.

I’m taking a little time off in order to test some underwater photo equipment for a trip to the Galapagos with National Geographic Expeditions where I’ll be the on board National Geographic Photography Expert.  I’m thrilled to be working with National Geographic Expeditions as every trip is truly an adventure!  If you’d like to join me in the Galapagos, I’ll be on two departures in January, the first beginning January 4th.  I’ll be giving tips and tricks to enhance your photography experience while we’re on the Expedition together, and demonstrate the type of work I do on assignment.  You can read more about the itinerary here.  In the mean time, if I don’t answer the phone, you can find me here:

The view from Honolua Bay on West Maui looking out over the marine preserve and the island of Molokai in the distance.  Aloha!!!

This image was taken with Lumix G2 fitted with a 20mm 1.7 pancake lens.  The RAW file was processed using Adobe’s Lightroom software.

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Commercial, Editorial Photographer Susan Seubert heading to Maui

Tomorrow, April 20th, marks the beginning of another adventure in the Aloha State where Susan Seubert will be based for four weeks.  With headquarters on Ka’anapali Beach, she’ll certainly be spending many mornings surfing and enjoying the tail end of the Humpback whale season,  the large cetaceans that migrate to this area every year from Alaska.  Otherwise, she will be available for assignments. Hawaiian Air just announced new non-stop service to Tokyo and Osaka in Japan and Incheon and Busan in South Korea.  For portfolios, stock requests or assignments, feel free to contact Susan directly at susan (at) sseubert (dot) com or by phone at +1-503-819-6692.  A hui ho!

A young man surfing at a popular winter break on the North shore of West Maui, HI

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editorial photographer Susan Seubert heading to Maui, Hawaii

Happy New Year to all!  2010 was certainly a fabulous year filled with many glorious adventures and it looks like 2011 will be a continuation of the same.  On January 4th, I will be heading to Maui where we hope to spend time watching the humpback whales.  One of the largest parts of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Marine Sanctuary is just steps from our home in Maui, viewable from Ka’anapali Beach.  This time of year marks the beginning of the peak of the whale sighting season and you can often see them tail and fin slapping or breaching right from the beach.  It’s not unusual to see them just at the drop off point, hanging just at the surface, their humps conspicuously sticking out from the ocean’s surface.  If you have a good pair of binoculars, (I recommend the Canon Image Stabilizer Binoculars), then you can see a good distance.  I’ve spent the better part of many days on the beach, under an umbrella, watching these gentle giants.  It’s also great to view them on a kayak tour, from a stand-up paddle board, or in the comfort of one of the many whale watching boats.  Aloha!

Kayaking off of Olowalu on West Maui

 

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editorial photographer Susan Seubert heading back to Portland

Well, our time here in Maui is wrapping up with just 6 short days left to enjoy the sun, surf, sand and outdoor grilling.  It’s been a marvelous time in the islands with small projects and lots of days off.  The time spent in the water has been thrilling as I feel that I have made more progress in my ability to surf.  It’s also been a great time to think.  I had one of my best years ever in photography – landing great new clients and continuing wonderful relationships with my loyal customers. Cheers to all of you! I’m heading back to Portland, Oregon on November 23rd, where I’ll be based until January 4th, when I return to Maui for two short weeks to watch the humpback whales.
There are so many blog posts about how to improve one’s eye as a photographer, but precious few discuss taking time away from the camera.  I feel this is equally important – particularly if one has been shooting continuously for several months, or years as the case may be.  Sometimes shifting gears completely and seeing the world without the viewfinder or ground glass is a wonderful way to refresh.  Over time, patterns develop which can end up leaving an eye stuck in a conventional rut, which sometimes becomes style or perhaps confused with the notion of formula.  Taking a few steps back, in the form of not taking pictures, is a way to gain some distance from one’s work.  I love looking at other photographers’ work during times like this: when I’m not researching a subject or forcing myself to renew my approach to image making.  When I am able to gaze at the sea for hours, take a nap, read a book, then I can turn around, take a deep breath and paddle out for the next session.  2011 – here I come!

susan surfing in the sea

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Maui Editorial Photographer Susan Seubert photographs watershed

In addition to making a short multimedia piece, which was posted previously, I’ve made some images available on my Stock Photography site from the Pu’u Kukui Watershed hike.  This is a rare and marvelous place.  If you’d like to look at more photographs from the day, you can do so by clicking here.  Here are a few more pictures from the day. Aloha!

Hiking along the ridge

The view down to Lahaina and the Ka'anpali Resort Development.

The forest is resplendent with massive tree ferns

Heading up into the cloud forest

patterns in nature

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Maui, Hawaii editorial photographer Susan Seubert on the 5D Mark 2 in low light

Last night we were having dinner in Maui on Ka’anapali beach on the lanai as the waxing crescent moon was setting in the twilight… it was astonishingly beautiful so I grabbed my 5D Mark II and the 70-200 f2.8 IS USM lens and took a few snapshots of the moon and Venus.  I could not believe how pretty the image turned out.  If I had tried to shoot this on film, it wouldn’t have been possible, I don’t think.  (and I still love film!) I processed the RAW file in Adobe’s Lightroom with just a little noise reduction and the image just sings.  In fact, I could see more with the digital file than I could with my naked eye.

the waxing crescent moon setting at Ka'anapali Beach, Maui, HI

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Portland commercial and editorial photographer Susan Seubert heading to Maui

Tomorrow we fly to Maui for six glorious weeks.  The humpback whales should still be around and the water temperature will exceed the average air temperature in Portland by at least 20 degrees.  With my Canon 5D Mark II cameras in hand, I’ll be fully equipped to shoot whatever assignments come my way.  Hopefully we’ll have time to surf, spend some time relaxing on Ka’anapali Beach and head to Merriman’s for the best seat in the house for a sunset drink.  Aloha!

A local jumps off the rocks at Ka'anapali Beach on Maui. In Hawaiian, this place is known as Pu'u Kaka'a which at one point in ancient times housed a heiau (temple) and is a sacred spot known as "ka leina a ka 'uhane," a place were a soul leaps into eternity. Most evenings a diver from the Sheraton Maui resort dives into the ocean from the rocks after lighting torches to honor the souls of the departed. This evening, in addition to the torch lighter, a group of locals enjoyed diving off the rocks into the beautiful evening sea.

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