The View from Makapuu Point in Hawaii
The view from Makapuʻu Point on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, as seen during our June 2023 Hawaiʻi Trip.
During our trip, we had hiked up the trail to see the Makapuʻu Lighthouse. But before we climbed, I was not quite expecting to see the view that we found there.
I like wide vistas, where you can see for miles with the sky above you, and that was certainly what we found. The lighthouse itself was interesting enough to see, but was no match for the ocean and mountains down below. The shoreline seemed to go on and on, curving this way and that around the mountains that protruded from the water. And there were even a few pieces of land jutting up away from the main island, too. The clouds did their part as well, filling the blue sky with white fluff to add to the scene.
I had included a few photos in Part 6 of the trip report, but I had others to share that I did not include then. This is one of them.
Finding the Unexpected?
Have you ever thought you were looking for something, only to find something else that was even better that you were not looking for? That happens often for me. Maybe it can be attributed to not knowing for certain what I am actually looking for, or perhaps it is because I have not done my homework to see what is out there.
In the case of the photo above, Laura said, “Let’s go see this lighthouse!” She might have also read something about the views from there, but I mainly focused on the fact that we were going to see a lighthouse, and I was pleasantly surprised by the views when we got there.
I would not say that my expectations were low, but rather that I had not set any expectations other than the basic facts. So in that case, as in so many others, it was easy to exceed my expectations.
You cannot go through life without having any expectations. But you can keep your expectations in control and not let them get away from you. And you can be willing to change your expectations when something different comes up, too. Go with the flow, as they say.
To say you are looking for the unexpected is a bit of a conundrum, because if you are looking for it, you are expecting it. But you can look to be open to the unexpected and then embrace it when you find it.
Enjoy the unexpected!
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. - Romans 12:16
About the Photo
I spent a little more time on this photo than I did on the similar photos in the trip report part. To you, it might not look any different. To me, I see the differences, and I am happier with this version. I do not dislike the other photos, but I do like this photo even better. Perhaps I fiddled with the settings just a little too long here, but for me, that was time well spent.
Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Raw Therapee and GIMP.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: Rokinon 35mm f/1.8
Date: June 18, 2023
Location: Makapuʻu Point, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
