The grand prize — a helicopter ride with Paradise Helicopters — for this year’s cover shot goes to Kris Hawkins.
The fourth annual photographers contest to create a Friends of Lili`uokalani Gardens 13-month calendar for 2020 received digital entries from professional and hobbyist photographers.
Judging was Charles Wood, a semi-retired landscape, nature, and travel photographer.
Wood remarked, “For a photographer, joy is simply being there, even if the light doesn’t work to his or her advantage. Those who develop a passion for photography will tell of their joy in the actual capture of an image they have pre-visualized.”
Chairman Vijay Karai said, “Thirteen images from eight photographers will appear as featured images for each month. In addition, 26 thumbnail size images, two images to each calendar page, will round out the total view of the gardens.”
The back cover features small views of each month, contact information for Friends of Lili`uokalani Gardens, the logo for Paradise Helicopters, sponsor of the grand prize, and the bar code used by KTA SuperStores
Taking Grand Prize is Kris Hawkins of Opihikao. His “Bridge at Sunrise” was chosen by the judge as the cover image and the featured photograph for the month of August. Charles Wood also selected three additional images by Hawkins for the featured images for the months of January, May, and July. In addition thumbnail images by Hawkins will appear in March and July. Grand prize is a doors-off helicopter ride with professionals Bruce Omori and Mick Kalber courtesy of Paradise Helicopters.
“I picked up photography in high school, back in the days of film. Just recently, I got back into it while backpacking and camping,” Hawkins said. “I love Lili`uokalani Gardens. It is such a surprise to have so many images accepted.”
Photographers whose work will be featured in the calendar and the months include: Jay Takaaze (February and April), Alan Kubota (November and December), Rita French (June), Kenneth Jackson (March), Faith Cloud (September), Lisa Schwenneker (October), and Lucy Fischer (January 2021). Takaaze was the cover winner for 2019 and Jackson for 2017. Fischer is a fifth grader who entered for the first time. Her thumbnail images appear in March, June, and July.
“Early Morning Stroll” by Jay Takaaze was selected as the image for April
Additional thumbnail images, two to a calendar grid page, are from photographers Faith Cloud (September), Diane Koerner (October), Darrin Carlson (August), K.T. Cannon-Eger (October and January 2021), Alan Kubota (May and June), Eh Cuz (December), Kenneth Jackson (January 2020), Lisa Schwenneker (January 2020, April, and November), Lee Schechtman (April, May, September, and November), and Eileen Tredway (February and December).
Graphic design by Ken Goodrich of Volcano, a well-known photographer and videographer, also brings a wealth of east Hawaii events to calendar production. Dates for every known activity from Merrie Monarch Festival to the KWXX Ho`olaulea are included.
In this sample of a month’s grid, Hilo and state-wide events are listed along with two thumbnail images selected by judge Charles Wood
Printing by Hawaii Printing Corporation keeps all the work on Hawaii Island. Copies of the fund raising calendar may be purchased from KTA SuperStores at Puainako and Downtown in Hilo, Banyan Gallery on Banyan Drive near the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, or Basically Books. Friends of Lili`uokalani Gardens will have copies available at the annual Na Makua Christmas Gift Fair at the Afook-Chinen Civic Center Friday and Saturday December 6 and 7.
The first of two pages of historic photos encourages the public to look through family scrapbooks
Also included in the 2020 calendar are two pages of historical photos with an invitation to the public to review their family scrapbooks and share images from Lili`uokalani Gardens.
A photographer’s exhibit will be part of the fourth annual Banyan Drive Art Stroll on Saturday, January 11, 2020.
Friends of Lili`uokalani Gardens may be contacted through the organization’s Facebook page or by writing to P. O. Box 5147, Hilo HI 96720.
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