Polo Beach, Maui
I take many photographs when I visit somewhere new. It’s not uncommon to do, especially in this day and age when it’s easier than ever to take a photograph.
It was my first day on the island of Maui and I glanced out my hotel window, only to realize the sun was setting faster than I anticipated. I immediately grabbed my camera bag, tripod, and rushed down to the beach to capture what was left of a sunset.
Normally, I like to scout out a location ahead of time and be all set up in advance of a sunset. I had visited this beach a few years prior, so I remembered its general layout.
To my surprise, the beach was empty, resulting in endless composition options. I tried a few options and realized the sun was setting quickly. I wanted to capture a great photograph of this location at sunset, so I needed to move fast.
I wasn’t sure how much time I had left before the sun disappeared, but it felt like every second counted. Instead of setting up my camera right away, I began searching for a composition that encompassed all the elements of the scene.
After a few minutes, I knew I found it. The never-ending sunset reflecting off the ocean. The silhouette of the palm trees standing still in the wind, just for a moment. The beach was ever so lightly glowing, resulting in a harsh contrast from molten rock above. And blue skies that fade into a wondrous mountain, yet to be discovered.
When I finally identified a framing I liked, I clicked the shutter and captured the photo I was hoping for.
The photo was beautiful, capturing the tranquility and diversity of the landscape.
To me, the image is a representation of Hawaii - in one photograph.
When reflecting on the image I had captured, I realized that while it may be easy to take a photograph in this day and age, the best photographs are those that are captured with care, understanding and a deeper examination of the scene.
I could have taken many photographs from numerous angles, all revealing elements in different positions. However, I likely would have missed this moment in time.
The composition that was most obvious all along; A wide angle photograph at just the right time, from just the right location.
A reminder to not overlook the obvious.
St. Louis Canyon, Starved Rock State Park
On February 12, 2021, my friends and I decided we were going to go hiking at Starved Rock State Park in Central Illinois the following morning. There was a light snowfall a few days before, and flurries were forecasted for the morning of February 13.
I woke up on February 13 early in the morning before the sunrise. It was a cold, dark, and bleak mid-winter morning. I’ll admit that waking up early in the morning to venture out into the cold can be hard and the thought of falling back asleep crosses my mind many times.
I’m lying in bed, it’s 5:47am, and it seems there are countless reasons why I should go back to sleep.
But there’s one thought that’s different than the rest. The thought of what the canyon may look like on that given day keeps me guessing. While I’ve been to St. Louis Canyon many times in many different seasons, there’s always something unique about each visit. After all, it’s nature which has no guidelines to follow.
I’m forced to make a decision on if I’m going to get up. There’s many thoughts telling me to go back to bed and I’ll go there another time. But it’s the excitement of not knowing exactly what the hike or canyon will entail that gets me up.
This thought process I go through occurs often when getting up for morning hikes. I have yet to be disappointed with my decision to get up and explore a location, no matter the number of times I’ve visited it.
It’s that new perspective that keeps getting me up. The wonder of a similar, but always unique destination, and I get to capture it. The search.
This photo was taken on a wide-angle lens to capture the entire landscape. Snow was falling, and I was cleaning snowflakes off the camera lens and I was trying to press the shutter button at just the right time. It took me 2 or 3 attempts, but I finally got the photo I was searching for.
After processing the image, I was very happy with my photo and I was already dreaming about starting the search all over again.
Welcome to Matthew Klein Photography, the stories and images of Matthew Klein Films.