Paul Crisler

I will be traveling to Kauai in a couple of weeks. My research indicates multiple locations for photo opportunities, however, I will be there only six days. What would be the top five places for photos in Kauai. I am also planning an open door helicopter adventure. Need some help in settings (Rebel 6Ti) and any tips to enhance experience. Thanks in advance for your help.

asimeral Loc: Northern CA

Hanalei Bay! I got married there. It was gorgeous!

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Welcome to the Hog!
I took two doors-off chopper flights while on Oahu in 2014. Only way to go! Be prepared for the following:
Nothing loose. No spare lens, battery, etc. Not even a hat. You will even be asked to empty your pockets although you will be allowed to keep your ID on you if you wish. Just you and your camera, provided you have a secure strap on it, such as a standard neck or wrist strap. You will have vibration to contend with so use a high shutter speed. At least 1/500 would be my recommendation. A stabilized lens will be a help. Wind buffeting from the rotor wash will be a factor also. On the chopper I flew on it was more noticeable on the right side then the left due to the induced swirl of the downwash. You will learn to cope with it pretty quickly. With the door off there won't be much to brace your camera against, but don't anyway due to the ever present vibration. You may find that there will be three in the front and two in the back, with the larger people in the back. Avoid the front center seat since it will be very difficult to get good shots. I was shooting with a full frame and a 24-105 lens. For the most part that was fine, although there were a couple of shots where I wish I had something a bit longer. Most of my shots were in the 24-60mm range. You will most likely have a lap belt and shoulder straps. Pay attention to how they fasten and especially to how they release so that you can get your butt out of there in an emergency. A while back a tour chopper made a forced landing in the waters of Pearl Harbor. It was totally survivable but a teenage boy died because he was unable to release his harness. Almost certainly the result of confusion on his part. It happens. (Though rarely) Be prepared!
Have fun! I enjoyed my first flight so much that I went back for a second one!

Billbobboy42 Loc: Center of Delmarva

Paul, the whole island is eye candy. Top of the list should be Waimea Canyon, followed by a sunset cruise of the Ne Pali coast aboard a 60ft catamaran. Cruise includes all you can eat and drink. Cruises depart from Port Arthur(sp?) located on the south side of the island a bit further down the road from Poipu. Helicopter rides are available, but I preferred to stay on the ground. As another posted, Honalei Bay and adjacent valley are gorgeous. It won't take you long to understand why so many movie scenes were shot on the island- South Pacific, Jurrasic Park and many more. If you want to do a luau, avoid the hotels and go to Smith's Tropical Paradise and Luau.

I could go on, but this should get you started. Should you need photo supplies, at the time of my visit there was a small but nice camera store in Princeville, which is close to Honalai Bay.
Enjoy your visit😎

Marilia Loc: Dallas, TX

I did a day photo tour on land out of Kapaa and it was great! They take you to a few off the beaten path places for great photo opps.
http://www.hawaiianphotos.net/Kauaitours.htm


https://get.google.com/albumarchive/117402030594492187355/album/AF1QipPQlANA5tx8Akk_0yyesuu17Gmzg7uZSP37kKkO

davefales Loc: Virginia

Consider the lava ledge and the Queen's Bath at Princeville. Photo ops will depend on wave activity. Can be dangerous if waves are too big. Beware of rogue waves.

Best access is to park in the neighborhood and hike down. maps.google "Queens Bath"

You will hike by another spectacular pool getting to the Queens Bath. In 2005, we watched a 16-year-old girl jump into the cauldron multiple times. She was by herself and told us she learned how to handle it from her older brothers. (I was using a Canon P n S in those days.)

mikewalker1961

One note on the open door helicopter tour. You will be strapped in pretty tight and will find yourself twisting the camera around at odd angles to get shots. While doing this I accidentally hit the lens release button and my camera lens (EF 24-105L) separated from the camera and flew out the open door. I caught it with my left hand just before it was gone, but it was a really close call. Most of the photos in this link are captioned with the location where I took them:

http://www.pbase.com/lmwalker/travel_hawaii_2013_kauai

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Welcome to our forum!

You can't go wrong taking pictures in Hawaii.

DalerDad73

Waimea Canyon, that place is right out of the Jurassic Era!

Not sure what gear you have but invest in s waterproof camera (a good one, don't chince on a trip like Hawaii!)

Na Pali coast was nice, but they call it the "forbidden tour" for a reason. The last time we took it only one company did it, for good reason; there were 20-30 foot swells that came out of no where. The power Cat went airborne, and so did many lunches 😜

Bottom line ask the locals at the surf shops where to go; they've been answering those questions for decades

Oh, and don't forget to try a Bubba Burger Fish sandwich!

avery48 Loc: Jefferson City

What an opportunity!! I spent a few days in Kauai in January...did the open door helicopter thing. It was a blast! Because I was traveling from the Midwest to Hawaii and wanted to travel light, I took my Canon G16 and got some great shots with it. (I ordinarily use Canon 5DMk3 and the 24-105 f4 lens). I welcomed the zoom possibilities on my little point and shoot and used them to capture landscapes from the air. So on your camera, bring a zoom with some wide angle. You do need a little telescopic zoom. I got a great shot from the air at a goat climbing one of lush green hills. Lots of great places to visit in Kauai. Enjoy!

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

The hardest part of a trip to Kauai for me is to stay out of a car! The temptation is to drive everywhere. The people that live there find favorite spots, take their families and spend hours there.

My current favorite spot looks like this on Google Earth:

(Download)

FL Streetrodder

If you're up to a rather long drive over a bumpy and dusty red clay road, Polihale Beach State Park is a beautiful spot at the eastern end of the Na Pali coast. The road is a bit hard to find and is a mile or two past the turn-off for the Waimea Canyon. The beach is usually quite deserted and there is an excellent view up the coast. A trip up the Wamea River to the Fern Grotto is interesting, albeit a bit on the touristy side. You can also find some rather interesting old churches whose style are influenced by the early missionaries and the Portuguese immigrants.

27ftWhaler

Waimea canyon, great views along the entire road but be sure to drive to the end of the road (Kokee road) to the Pu'u O Kila lookout and then Walk/hike the Pihea Vista trail which begins right at the overlook

View from Pihea Trail

katherineivey Loc: Corinth, Texas

Definitely do a catamaran tour of the Napali coast. If you get motion sickness do take a patch or medication. There is an old church right on the main road near Hanalei that is awesome to photograph at or after sunset. Waimea Canyon is a must. Go to the end of the raod. There is a scenic overlook where you can see a glimpse of the Napali coast.

windshoppe Loc: Arizona

The suggestions above are all good. Cannot go wrong on Kauai. As to the helicopter tour: While researching prior to the trip I contacted a photographer who specializes in helicopter & plane photography.
His suggestions included using a shutter speed of around 1/1600 if possible. He also suggested using auto ISO - a great suggestion with the changing light experienced on a helicopter tour. I used my 24/105 lens for most of my shots, but also took along my backup SX50 for longer shots, as changing lenses is not possible. One final thing. When booking the trip and again at check-in I told the scheduler that I was a photographer. As a result I was assigned the right front seat (with wife in middle) and it was great. The pilot turned out to be a knowledgeable photographer as well, and he helped me set up for a lot of shots. Have a wonderful trip!