Sneek Peek: JALPAK Prep 2013

I'm still going through all the photos David and I took over the Hula Ho'olauna weekend but wanted to share a handful of pics from our prep day.   We used my trusted hair and make-up artist, Melanie Samiano again.  It's always nice to not worry about the quality of the work.  I showed Melanie a photo of the hairdo I wanted and on her first try, she got it down.  Melanie brought along her friend Arlene, who did the make-up.  We all loved Arlene -- I showed Arlene the dresses and within seconds she picked out the perfect blend of eyeshadows.  The ladies looked so beautiful!

Photos taken in Waikiki, O'ahu, Hawai'i.  

All photos except the HDR and group photos were taken with our Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens.  The HDR and group photos were taken with our Sony NEX-5R.

 Melanie

 Tools of The Trade

Still haven't mastered my prime lens.   I was trying to get the words "True Red" on the lip liner in focus but that didn't happen. 

Arlene

 Hairdo

 Make-Up

 More Make-Up

More Tools of The Trade

 Dress

My poor attempt at mimicking a wedding photographer's photo of a bridal gown.  

 Make-Up and Hair Session in HDR

Beautiful

Hinahina Night With Noa-san

For several years I've had the ladies of Naleilehuaikapoli help with cleaning flowers for their hairpieces.  This year, they danced "Ka'ena" and I decided to use some hinahina in their hairpieces.  My hula brother Noa worked with us on this special project.  

Taken on O'ahu, Hawai'i.

Noa in HDR

The first step -- gathering -- Noa and I went out to his secret gathering place to pick hinahina for the hairpieces.   

Sony NEX-5R

 Hinahina Kahakai   

Sony NEX-5R

 Cleaning   

Next step -- Noa taught them how to clean the hinahina.  

Sony NEX-5R

Hinahina   

Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

Wili   

Sony NEX-5R

Learning   

Hiroko and Chieko have taken lei making workshops in the past and both make beautiful leis.  This was their first time working with hinahina.  Noa taught them how to wili the hairpieces. 

Sony NEX-5R

Fast Learner   

With little sleep, Chieko and Hiroko (pictured here) helped Noa finish the hinahina hairpieces in no time. 

Sony NEX-5R

Hinahina Hairpiece   

Sony NEX-5R

Hinahina Hairpiece - Close-Up

Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

Chieko's First Hinahina Hairpiece 

Good job! 

Sony NEX-5R

Extra Time   

We had some extra hinahina and time -- Noa taught the rest of the dancers how to wili.  The three shown here with Noa have never made any type of haku lei.

Sony NEX-5R

Noriko   

Noriko's first hinahina hairpiece....looks great!  

Sony NEX-5R

Proud   

All the ladies should be proud of their hinahina work!

Sony NEX-5R

Goodnight   

After spending 7 1/2 hours on the plane, checking into their hotel, cleaning hinahina and learning to make their own hairpieces, it was finally time to say goodnight to Kumu Noa and get some rest for our next day of hula preparation!  

Sony NEX-5R

A Sneek Peek

A few photos of our hula weekend with the ladies of Naleilehuaikapoli.  We couldn't be prouder of their performance.  They were just beautiful.  Our hula weekend is extending into the early part of this week, so we'll be posting more photos of the performance and preparation soon!

Taken at the Kahala Mall in Honolulu, Hawaii.  

Group Photo

After the performance we went outside and took a zillion photos :-)  Here we are with my Kumu Hula, Frank Kawaikapuokalani Hewett - he noted his bag matched our costumes and it sure did!    

Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Autofocus Lens

 Hula Hairpiece

Hula student, Hideko modeling our hula hairpiece.  The hairpiece was really a collaborative effort.  Many thanks to all those who contributed - the hinahina was gathered by Noa and myself; Noa taught the students how to clean and make the hairpieces; the students helped clean the other flowers; Melanie Samiano did their hair and I created the hairpiece.    

Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Autofocus Lens

Kumu Noa

Noa is my hula brother and dear friend for over 12 years.  He's young, but very knowledgeable.  Our other hula brother used to tease Noa that he's a 64 year old man in a 24 year old body, but when you consider how akamai Noa is about the hula and culture, he really does seem like a 64 year old in a 30 something year old body :-)  The ladies of Naleilehuaikapoli are pictured here with Noa -- he is teaching them how to clean the hinahina we picked earlier that day.  These ladies are amazing -- they arrived from Japan in the morning, checked into their hotel at 3PM and by 6PM they were cleaning hinahina.  

Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

Ka'ena Point

Photos from our hike out to Ka'ena Point earlier this year.  Just a few this time, but will be taking the hula students out there soon.  Hope to have more photos posted after that hike!

NOTE:  We're taking a short break from posting photos since our students are in town for the JALPAK Hula Ho'olauna Hula Festival.  

All photos in this post taken with: Sony NEX-5R

Hinahina Kahakai

 Inspiration

Not the best photo I've taken, but color of the ocean is what inspired me to choose the blues for this year's JALPAK Hula Ho'olauna dresses.

In HDR

This photo was taken in January.

Sagano Bamboo Grove

Photos of from a walk through the Sagano Bamboo Grove in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan.   

Cycling Through The Bamboo Grove

People walk, cycle and ride in taxis through the bamboo grove.  My DSLR photos didn't turn out very well....I wasn't getting the exposures correct.  
 Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

Dried Fence

Started to fiddle with my f-stop setting after my photography teacher reminded me how to!
 Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

Bamboo Graffiti 

 Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

Squatting Man

I was tempted to title this photo, "Squatter", but he really wasn't.  Not sure what he was doing...looked like he was doing some people watching.  This man squatted there almost the entire time we were there.  Almost looks like he was watching David setting up his pics. 
 Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

Emptiest

This was the emptiest I captured the grove.
 Sony NEX-5R

 Filling Up Again

 Sony NEX-5R

One Last Look

 Sony NEX-5R

Arashiyama Hike/Walk

Photos from our hike/walk around Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan.   Just a few for today.  The Sagano Bamboo Grove photos will be posted separately.  

All photos in this post taken with: Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

 Romance Train

Waiting to cross the train tracks.

Rickshaw

Not the great photo, but thought it was cute.  

Red Momiji Leaf 

Arashiyama Snacks

A short photo post about a couple snacks we enjoyed in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan. 

All photos in this post taken with: Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

 Waffle Ice Cream

Don't know what it's really called, that's just what we called it!  This waffle ice cream is made by a famous company, Morinaga.  The one with the thin dark chocolate layer is the best.   Sold at most convenience stores like Family Mart and Lawsons.

 Dango

Saw this dango shop our on way out of Arashiyama.  

Yum

These were pretty big!

Okonomiyaki (Part 2 of 2)

Photos of our Okonomiyaki lunch in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan.  Photos taken with our Sony NEX-5R are here.  

All photos in this post taken with: Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens

 Refreshing

The second to our last day in Japan it was nice and sunny...but it was also pretty darn hot.  After a couple of hours at the Bird Park, we made our way by train to Arashiyama for some afternoon hiking.  We found this tiny okonomiyaki restaurant on a side street near Tenryuji Temple.  It was very reasonable and filling.  

Nori

David sprinkling some nori (seaweed) flakes on our okonomiyaki.  

 Lunch

Okonomiyaki on the left, Modan-yaki (which is an okonomiyaki with noodles) on the right.

 Slice

It was a filling lunch, but we ate it all....then felt so stuffed after ha ha.

Sideview

Okonomiyaki (Part 1 of 2)

Photos of our Okonomiyaki lunch in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan.  Photos taken with our Sony SLT A35, Sony DT 50 mm f/1.8 Mid-Range Prime Lens are here.  

All photos in this post taken with: Sony NEX-5R

 English Menu

 Before

The chef actually cooks all the food on her stove in the back first.  She then brings it to your heated table top.

Restaurant Front