Olivine Pools

Olivine Pools on Maui's northwest coast, near Wailuku, show the black lava shoreline and the tall sea cliffs around Kahakuloa in late-day light. I made this photo from the rocky edge above the pools during an evening stop along Kahekili Highway.

What I liked most was the contrast between the rough foreground and the calm shape of the headland in the distance. The ocean was not calm at all, though. Waves kept hitting the lava shelf below me and throwing up white spray, which gave the lower part of the frame some motion without taking over the whole scene.

The light was changing fast while I was there. A warm sunset glow was catching the cliffs and the right side of the rocks, while the water stayed deep blue and the clouds turned soft pink and purple. That mix of color is what made me stop. It felt like one of those short windows where everything lines up for a few minutes and then looks completely different again.

I framed the shot to keep plenty of the coastline in view, with the jagged lava in front leading the eye out toward the larger cliff and open water. From this angle, the scene has a real sense of depth, from the splash in the foreground to the layered rocks and then the distant headland. I used a mid-range zoom for this one, which let me keep the scene natural and balanced without pushing too wide or too tight.

Olivine Pools is a rugged place, and I wanted the photo to keep that feeling. Nothing about it is polished. It is dark volcanic rock, shifting light, and the constant movement of the Pacific, which is exactly what made the place memorable for me.