I’ve never considered myself a photographer in any traditional sense. Shooting film began for me as an extension of a hobby I always loved but never considered pursuing. My grandparents passed me down their favorite film camera for my birthday 6 years ago and from the moment I got that first roll developed; I was hooked. Since then, I’ve been documenting moments in my life and storing them in stacks of photo albums on my bedroom floor. Something about film brings an air of nostalgia. I can replay the memory by just looking at a photo and I’ve never found that feeling with anything else. I shoot primarily with 35mm film, but have been experimenting in the last year or so with whatever funky cameras I pick up at thrift stores and most recently attempting to teach myself some things with Super 8.
I’ve always found my most treasured photographs are shot in black and white. The depth, detail, and even color is left up for your mind to decide. I find the most inspiration in my surroundings; with Maui being my number #1 muse, I find my favorite shots are the ones that give me that sense of “home”. Being constantly surrounded by so much raw beauty and authenticity, it brings a sense of pride and enthusiasm to keep our home the way we know and love. This is a driving force in my desire to make sustainable changes that benefit our community and our home, and I think a lot of my peers here could agree. I think a platform like this is so important for our future as a community; in educating those around us to take action in whatever way they can. Whether it be reducing your plastic consumption, using reef-safe sunscreen, or buying locally and/or from brands and shops that support the same cause. With that, a huge thank you from myself to the team at Hoku Mag for creating a platform to speak about these things and showcase art, sustainability, and fashion all in one.
Here are a few of my favorite snaps that makes me feel at home, shot on black and white 35mm film. I see a piece of myself in each photo I take, I hope you do too, enjoy.
