Capturing Culture, Sound, and Story of Hawaiʻi Through Our Lens
October carried so many stories through Hawaiʻi — moments where light, movement, and meaning converged.
From royal remembrance to underground music, from ancestral rhythm to modern expression, these gatherings reminded me why I lift my camera: to honor connection, creativity, and community.
Honoring Her Majesty Princess Kaʻiulani — 150 Years of Grace
Waikīkī glowed with elegance as we gathered to celebrate Princess Kaʻiulani’s 150th birthday at the Outrigger Waikīkī Beachcomber Hotel.
The evening began with a lei-draping ceremony and a Hawaiian blessing led by cultural practitioners in flowing white muʻumuʻu — grounding the space in aloha ʻāina and remembrance. Guests wandered through a lush garden installation, explored a vibrant artisan marketplace, and shared ʻono food and music under the stars.
What stayed with me most wasn’t only the beauty — it was the mana of the night. The quiet grace of those honoring her, the music rising like ocean light, the sense that her story still breathes through us.
As a photographer, my role is to listen — to catch that breath of history as it passes between people, in gestures of gratitude and joy. This evening was a portrait of Hawaiʻi at its most heartfelt: graceful, grounded, and alive.
👉 See all photos on Instagram: Princess Kaʻiulani — 150 Years of Grace
“Welcome to Heck” — Aura Bora EP Release (10.25.25)
Two weeks later, the energy shifted from reverent to raw as Aura Bora took the stage for their Welcome to Heck EP release show.
The night was electric — lights cutting through haze, guitars catching color, friends pressed shoulder to shoulder. Between songs, laughter and shouts filled the room; there was that rare pulse when a local band becomes more than sound — it becomes community.
Photographing a show like this is pure instinct. It’s about chasing rhythm, catching the in-between — a raised hand, a shared glance, a heartbeat synced with the drum. These moments are fleeting, but when framed with care, they carry the same power as a ceremony or a sunrise: truth in motion.
👉 See photos on Instagram: Aura Bora EP Release
Sakada to Cypher: Island Gongster Edition
A few days ago, the air at Capitol Modern vibrated with ancestral gongs, hip-hop beats, and a constellation of Filipino-American artists celebrating the finale of Fil-Am History Month.
I wasn’t there on assignment — I was there out of inspiration. The room itself felt like a bridge between past and future, where culture was not being performed but remembered through sound.
That night reminded me that photography is its own kind of rhythm — listening, moving, responding. Through the lens, I saw community as constellation: each artist a star, each beat a pulse of lineage.
👉 See photos on Instagram: Sakada to Cypher: Island Gongster Edition
Photography Rooted in Story
At Studio Kōlea, every frame begins with respect — for people, place, and purpose.
Whether it’s a royal celebration, a local show, or a cultural gathering, our work centers on capturing the essence of the moment:
Events & gatherings documented with intention and authenticity
Music & performance photography that honors energy and expression
Cultural storytelling that uplifts community through imagery
Every photo is a way of saying we were here.
Every image, a way for stories to take flight.
🌺 Stories take flight.
Studio Kōlea