A World Less Seen

       Fine Art International Photography By Thomas Upton       

Hawaii and Pacific Islands: Lava & Rainforests

Volcanic geology and tropical water shape many of the scenes in this gallery, but they produce remarkably different landscape and travel photos. Volcanic rock, steep green slopes, beaches, waterfalls and sheltered lagoons create distinct settings, while settlements and everyday island details add another perspective. Weather and light can change the appearance of the same coastline or valley within minutes. The Hawaii photographs include lava-strewn shores, Pololu Valley’s high cliffs, waterfalls near Hilo and palm trees beneath changing skies. In French Polynesia, steep green ridges, rainforest cascades and shallow coral lagoons offer another view of island life. A market scene or a close view of reef fish brings the viewer nearer to the details within these larger settings.

Bright yellow reef fish gather in clear blue water.
A sunset wave bursts into spray over lava rock at Wawaloli Beach near Kona, Hawaii.
A broad green valley opens between high cliffs to a black-sand shore.
Wailuku Falls rushes over the rock ledge after heavy rain.
On the Waikoloa Coast before dawn.
A bright turquoise bay curves behind dark volcanic rocks beneath a clear blue coastal sky.
Single yellow-green slipper orchid with striped pouch and dark long petals against black.
Two white waterfalls descend through dark green forest behind clusters of vivid red tropical flowers.
The uppermost of the three waterfalls that make up the famous triple-tiered falls on the Umauma Stream.
A white waterfall falls beside black volcanic rock into a quiet pool surrounded by ferns and damp forest.
Sharp green volcanic ridges under a heavy swirling gray cloud ceiling.
Dark slow-flowing river between lush palm forests and distant rugged green mountains.
A thin waterfall descends through lush rainforest into a shaded clearing, with palms and dense vegetation surrounding the cliff.
A split-level underwater photograph shows coral below the surface and a tropical beach beyond it.
Small tree-covered tropical island lies in calm turquoise lagoon water inside the Tahaa reef.
Small green motus among vivid turquoise shallow lagoon channels, photographed from above.
Surf rushes into and drains from a lava well at Wawaloli Beach.
Dark palm silhouettes rise against a vivid red and purple sunset over the ocean on Hawaii Island.
A dramatic red sky glows over open land and silhouetted trees as storm clouds gather near the horizon.
A narrow waterfall descends through red volcanic soil in Waimea Canyon, with sparse greenery and exposed clay walls surrounding the stream.
The Pololu Valley trail faces calm water and steep coastal cliffs.
Market stalls and shoppers gathered beneath a roof in a bustling South Pacific town.
White surf explodes around two dark offshore rocks in a black-and-white view of Onomea Bay.
Rows of wind-shaped trees border open pasture along Old Saddle Road on the Big Island.
Dark leaves and an ohia flower silhouette the foreground while a red lava plume rises from the crater.
Green pointed volcanic mountain island across an expanse of dark blue sea.
A bright band of stars spans the sky above dark pond water.
Still water mirrors palms and lush vegetation around an ancient coastal fishpond on Hawaii Island.
Black-and-white waves wash among jagged lava rocks with palms silhouetted along the distant shore.
White water drops through dense green vegetation into a shaded pool, including lower falls.
A close-up lilikoi flower shows purple-white filaments, green central structures, glossy leaves, and intricate radial detail.
Exposed roots snake over volcanic rocks and leaf litter in a rugged coastal park setting.
White spray explodes over black lava rocks as rough blue water surges along the Laupahoehoe coast.
Foaming turquoise water explodes against dark volcanic shelves at Lanai Lookout on Oahu.
Waves swirl through dark lava tidepools at sunset, reflecting orange sky and soft water movement along the Kona coast.
An aerial view looks across rounded green hills, forest patches, and sunlit fields beneath a dramatic cloud-filled sky.
King's Highway runs through an open lava field in South Kohala.
Warm sunlight glows over still coastal water, with tree silhouettes and a small sandy cove in the foreground.
A broad white wave curls and breaks across dark water beneath a deep blue evening sky at Keokea Beach.
Elevated view of Hanauma Bay showing turquoise water, reef shallows, and volcanic coastal hills.
Closely spaced trunks and tangled branches shade the valley floor.
A bright green gecko rests on the patterned red cone of a torch ginger flower in soft tropical shade.
A wide volcanic landscape is crossed by a low rainbow beneath blue sky and shifting clouds on Hawaii Island.
Bicycle decorated with flowers beside a standing person in a shaded outdoor tropical setting.
Akaka Falls drops in a thick white column through dense tropical vegetation after heavy rain.
A Lava Field at Saddle Road can be seen with exposed lava and cinder under broad island sky.
The Kilauea Iki crater erupted explosively in 1959 devastating this 2 mile wide place and all surroundings.
A black-and-white view looks into a massive banyan, emphasizing tangled limbs, trunks, and radiating canopy lines.
Yellow and red fountain grass has overtaken an old abandoned dirt road near Waikoloa Village in Hawaii.
Small white jungle waterfall with lush thick tree ferns and broad leaves.