Kulaniapia Falls at Twilight

Kulaniapia Falls – Hilo, Hawai'i. Kulaniapia Falls is a stunning 120 ft. waterfall located on the Waiau Stream, nestled on the lower slopes of Mauna Kea near Hilo. The trail leading to the falls offers a pleasant journey, passing through bamboo stands and a serene zen garden. As you follow the trail alongside the tranquil Waiau Stream, you'll be rewarded with the breathtaking sight of the waterfall. It's worth noting that exclusive twilight access to the falls is reserved for overnight guests.

When I found this composition of Kulaniapia Falls framed by foliage, I faced the photographic challenge of ensuring both the foreground and the waterfall were in focus. Initially, I attempted "focus stacking" by taking two separate images—one focused on the waterfall and another on the foliage. However, when attempting to combine them using Helicon Focus software, the results were not satisfactory.

Fortunately, the Cambo lens mounts I use come equipped with a built-in tilt mechanism that provides a way to control of the focus plane. With subtle adjustments to the lens tilt, I made a single exposure where the foreground foliage and distant waterfall were both sharply in focus. This enabled me to make an artistic composition of Kulaniapia Falls with precision in a single exposure.

Technical Details: Cambo WRS1600 + Phase One IQ4 150 + Schneider APO Digitar 60XL f11

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Images are protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976. Photographer Warren Diggles retains copyright.