Fale Sunset

This is on the island of Savai'i not far from our hotel. I didn't have much time to go out and photograph for myself but was able to sneak out one night because one of the directors wanted a little photo lesson. This is where we went.

The Savaiian

I spent around 4 weeks in Samoa last summer photographing. I worked with 3 different groups from Utah Valley University. The main one was a group called Rheumatic Rescue that seeks to educate, screen and find a cure for Rheumatic Heart Disease. It is a preventable disease that affects children and can result in death due to heart failure. Many pictures will be shared from my time there. This diptych was taken at the hotel were our group stayed while on the island of Savai'i. I was wowed by this tree every time I walked past it. As we were packing up to leave the island I decided I couldn't leave without creating a picture of it.

Leaves, Petals and Lava

The Virgins Grave

In the Saleaula Lava Fields there is a spot known as the Virgin's Grave. Basically a hole in the lava that now has plants filling the chasm. Legend has it that the village taupou - which literally translates to the high chief's daughter who is a virgin - died of tuberculosis as a teenager. The name in the legend is due to the idea that she was so pure that the lava flowed around her grave, without touching it.

P.S. this is pretty much the last of the color film I shot so don't get used to seeing color on my blog.

Satoalepai Sunset

Towards Upolu

This is one of those rare moments when I look at a scene and can't see it any other way than in color. This was our last sunset before the storms set in and almost stranded Clark Goldsberry and myself on Savai'i. The color and simplicity still bring me a sense of calm. Truly the calm before the storm.

Church and Fale

This scene is typically what you would expect to see in Samoa. There are a lot of churches and the other buildings that look like pavilions are known as a Fale. These are traditional structures that come in many different sizes and functions but are symbolic in design and based around the social organization of the communities.

Haunted

Clark Goldsberry and I decided to rent a kayak and go play around in the waters of Savai'i, Samoa. The only instructions given was not to row out to a small island…because it was haunted. Now what kind of a photographer would I be if that didn't perk my curiosity. So we started to row out towards it. We planned on snorkeling, but in that general direction obviously. Our kayak somehow sprung a leak and capsized us. We went back to shore and I settled on taking this picture of the island instead.

New Growth

The Fires of Hell Win This Round

The Saleaula Lava Fields are from an eruption of Mt Matavanu on the island of Savai'i from 1905 to 1911. It was a slow moving lava flow that destroyed the village of Saleaula. Here are the ruins of a church where the lava entered through the windows and stopped when it got to the other side. The church was fully destroyed other than the huge stone walls used in construction.  

Calming

Is it weird that I traveled almost half way around the world (Samoa in case you were wondering) and one of my favorite photographs could have been made in my back yard? (In approximately three months when the snow melts and things start to grow) I love finding beauty in the simple things.