Shannon Jammin’ Photography – Portfolio
Category: Photographic Journeys
Japan and the Kumano Kodo
Upon learning of this second pilgrimage and the chance to gain dual pilgrimage status, nothing would stop me from going to Japan. Walking the Kumano Kodo was an incredible journey and I am so grateful to have been able to make this trip with a lovely company of friends. Please enjoy the video presentation as well as the gallery of my trip.
Oahu Waterfalls
Waterfalls are a photographer’s dream. Oahu has many and I hope to some day see them all. Below are some of my favorites. All are available as prints. Select your medium and size for pricing.
Kaliuwaa Falls
Likeke Falls
Lulumahu Falls
Middle Maukaua
Maunawili Falls
Secret Falls
Kalauao Falls
Naohia Falls
Hamama Falls
Waihe’e Falls
Upper Waikeakua
Lower Waikeakua
Waipulani Falls
Oregon Waterfalls
Abiqua Falls This waterfall may be my favorite in Oregon. The basalt cliffs on either side of the drop falls contrasting with the blue pool makes for an incredible visual inspiration!
Upper Butte Creek Falls A favorite of mine near Scotts Mills, OR. Photo captured – 5/24/09. Being that this falls is down a long dirt road outside a tiny rural town, the trip here was always an adventure!
Lower Butte Creek Falls. Oregon is a very beautiful state. It’s so lush & green with many gorgeous rivers & streams, plus a beautifully wild & rugged coastline. There is much natural beauty from the awesome Cascade Mnts to the gentle Coastal Range. The Willamette Valley has all the pretty waterfalls!
South Falls 
Lower South Falls 
Twin Falls 
Winter Falls 
North Falls 
Middle North Falls 
Double Falls 
Upper North Falls
Silver Falls State Park near Silverton, Oregon
Gooch Falls Gooch falls is located in Linn County, Oregon Photograph captured on 6/29/13.
Kamiloiki Ridge Trail
As I work towards slowly conquering as many Oahu trails as I am able, I constantly seek out new ones to add to my list of completed trails. I definitely use Alltrails for much of my information and this particular trail is listed on their site. Many of the trails on Oahu are private or off limits due to liability problems that may arise due to careless hikers. This trail starts near the skatepark in Hawaii Kai off Malahuena Lane. Please stay to the left and do not disturb the sacred Heiau. The start to the trail is slightly deceiving because of the overgrown grasses and the downed trees, but continue up the faint trail and as you climb, the trail is easier to follow. Most of this trail is exposed to the elements so be prepared for the weather. This weather this day was bright and sunny so I ended up with a sunburn. I also ran out of water at the end, which is rare, for I usually carry more than I need. Fortunately we were almost through when I emptied the bladder and I had more water in the car. This hike has continuous views of the Kamiloiki valley and most of Hawaii Kai. It follows the ridge that is mostly rocky and desert like with short Kiawe trees. I manage to step on a Kiawe thorn that went straight into my hiking boot & when removed was over 1/2 inch; ouch! As we traversed up and down the ridge with the sun beating down on us we noticed, with relief, a forest towards the end. Here was a campers paradise. It was a completely flat area with a beautiful Eucalyptus tree grove where the shade and wind provided a nice resting spot! Back on the trail there was a bit more up and down: mostly up: and soon we reached the KST. Turning right from here it was a short climb to the top and a drop dead gorgeous view of Waimanalo Beach. This trail took us 4 1/2 hours, however we did spend a good amount of time on photo taking and breaks! This hike really is a special one for both the killer views & the fact that there was not a soul on the trail!
Kolowalu to Mount Olympus
I’ve been slowly documenting all of my hiking/ photo shoots. I am developing short videos that not only showcase my photography, but show off the awesome locations that I hike to! Here’s the second in the series of the hike from Manoa Valley up the Kolowalu trail to connect with the Wa’ahila Ridge trail and on to Mount Olympus. Leaving the videos at one minute intervals allows me to post to Instagram where I have developed the most followers and interests in my photographic journey. Hope you all enjoy, and comments are always welcome
High Kite 
Wa’ahila 
Lehua 
Konanuihua 
Ko’olaus 
Ka’au Crater 
Diamond Head View 
Ohia Love 
Bumpy 
Lapalapa 
mossy bear 
that light tho 
my screen saver 
Kolowalu & Me
“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
― Henry David Thoreau,
Hanakapiai Falls
A spontaneous trip to Kauai? Yes Please! You know what I want to do; hike and explore. Haena State Park has been closed since the flooding that occurred in April 2018. My prior attempt to hike along this route was thwarted by a father-son fire throwing ceremony to celebrate the arrival of Hokulea to the Hanalei harbor that resulted in the park being shut down due to forest fire on the exact days that my permit allowed. No matter, that was another fun adventure! I’m so grateful to get a new opportunity to see this beautiful stretch of the Na Pali Coast.
Wednesday was my day to go. It was pouring in Poipu. Determined, and knowing how quickly HI weather can change, I set out anyway. I did stop at the store to buy an extra parka, just in case! It seemed to take FOREVER to get to the park. The entry to this park has changed, thank goodness, and the humongous cluster of tourists and crazily parked cars were gone! Day Use out of state residents must have a parking permit to visit Ke’e Beach, Hanikapiai Beach and Falls; HI residents just show their ID. All Kalalau trail campers must have a permit and only can use the shuttle; no overnight parking. This made for a very pleasant arrival to the trail AND it stopped raining when I got there!
The Hanakapiai and Kalalau are the same route along the Na Pali coast until you reach the beach. Here the trail splits; up and continuing along the coast is the Kalalau and up and into the valley is the Hanakapiai. The trail is pretty easy from Ke’e beach to Hanakapiai Beach. It is approximately 2 miles and travels over a hilly but solid trail. This is a great day hike, especially if you’re short on time. The biggest challenge on this stretch of the trail is crossing the river once you reach the destination. I spent a fair amount of time here taking pictures, of course, and chatting with the ranger. He seemed rather concerned that I watch out for flooding for it had started raining again. I reassured him that I had a bit of experience with floods and would high-tail it out of there if the river rose! Off to the trail, wait where is it? Is this the trail; next to a sign with “do not enter, helicopter site”? So I went up the Kalalau, fortunately I had the wherewithal to turn back around a try again. Found the trail and finally on my way.
The trail is quite lovely. Scented Jasmine, bamboo groves, bubbling waters, mossy green, tropical flowers. Slippery rocks, uneven ground, stream crossings, humidity. Most people probably don’t think that’s a good time. However, you must enjoy the journey as well as the destination! Okay, I’ve made three stream crossings, it should be soon. “Jaw Dropping” Wow. At 300 feet, it’s incredible even from a distance. The trail opens up into a watery wonderland as you get to the valley. Mini waterfalls are everywhere, and all you hear is the sound of the falls and the wind rushing through the valley. Surprisingly, I encountered only 6 people on the falls trail! Honestly, I’d much rather appreciate nature without the crowds!
I really have a hard time putting into words how I felt when I arrived to the falls. I immediately started crying. It seemed that my heart would bust out of my chest. I was shaking and quite euphoric. I relaxed a bit & started shooting. This was a huge challenge, for the mist from the falls was so powerful, I had to keep wiping the lens and changing positions. I never was able to find a spot completely mist free, so please forgive me of the final photos. Magical, I’m in love. I give thanks to the powers that be for allowing me to witness this beauty. I remember the people before me who used this land to sustain life. I am grateful to Mother Earth for keeping me safe and for granting my ability to use my body to explore this world. Please enjoy the photos and contact me for collaborations or photoshoots! Malama Aina.
Shannon
Kauai
I have been incredibly lucky! I have been to the beautiful Garden Isle, Kauai four times since moving to Oahu. Here are some pics of all my trips to Kauai!
Trip one – July 2017 Pride of America Hawaii Cruise. We rented a car and took a wonderful trip around the island. We had been taking care of my Father who developed Dementia so our family decided to take him on a grand vacation as sort of a last hurrah. What a trip that was! Here are a few photos from that memorable first visit to the garden isle!
Waimea Canyon 
Suprise Waterfall 
Misty 
Plane & Lighthouse 
Waterfalls Everywhere 
Church with the Palms 
Haena Park 
Pops last sunbathe 
Nawiliwili Harbor 
Cocky cock 
Na Pali coast from the ship 
Kilauea Lighthous 
Kalalau Lookout
Trip 2 September – 2017 After visiting beautiful Kauai, my desire to return was mighty and I decided to book a trip on the Kalalau trail to see the Na Pali coast in person. My friend and I were to arrive in September of 2017. All packed, arrived in Kauai, headed to Walmart for supplies and to Wailua to the camping store to rent a camp stove. All is well and on schedule. While driving we started to notice smoke in the air. Not thinking much of it and excited for our adventure we arrive to Haena state park and are met with a road block. Unreal news from the Ranger, the park is CLOSED due to forest fire resulting from a father & son fire throwing ceremony to celebrate the arrival of Hokule’a. We both were disappointed, however we decided to make the best of our four days and enjoy the beautiful island. With no plans or reservations, we turned around & visited Queens Bath. So much fun & so beautiful. Our next find was Hanalei Harbor where we were able to see the beautiful Hokule’a, played in the sand & had some killer grinds. Found secret beach next and spent a restless night on that big beautiful beach. Next day we hiked to some waterfalls, toured the Rainbow Eucalyptus Arboretum and later hooked up with a friend and was invited to crash on their floor. Rachel was a lovely host and tour guide with specialty coffee in the AM and took us on a tour of the gardens at the Koloa Plantation, drove us four wheeling somewhere near Koke’e State Park, and we went camping at Polihale as well. So much fun and adventure was packed into one trip and lasting memories were made.
Fire on the mountain 
Queens Bath 
BLUE tide pool 
Rocky View 
Hokulea 
Hawaii Life 
Beach for days 
Secret Beach 
Sunrise over Kilauea Lighthouse 
My friend 
Ho’opi’i Falls 
Opaekaa Falls 
Keahua Stream 
Keahua Arboretum 
Papaya and ancient mountains 
Poipu sunset 
Local tour guide 
Kohana Plantaion 
Waimea Canyon 
Adventuring 
Waimea Canyon 
Kalalau Lookout 
Those Na Pali Views 
Four Wheeling to this spot 
Polihale 
Campsite 
Most beautiful place on earth 
My bed for the night 
Hanapepe 
Coffee Stop 
Flying home to Oahu
January 2019.
JMy dear college friends visited Kauai in January, so Jon & I decided to visit them during their stay. we shared many wonderful adventures & I was able to explore even more of Kauai.
Where I want to Be 
Surfboards 
Polihale 
Wailua falls 
Wailua Falls 
Kelly 
Golden Plover 
Sunrise 
Ancient Hawaiiana 
Up a Tree 
Wailua Canyon 
Chris & Kelly 
Looking Down 
Awaawapuhi Trail 
Awaawapuhi Trail 
Yin Yang Shadow 
Rooster Crow 
Sunrise 
Sakred Rudraska Forest 
Ancient Trees 
New Monument 
Kalo 
Rainbow 
Misty Mountains 
Nene 
Kilauea Lighthouse
June 2019-
Free trip to Kauai to stay at a swanky resort; yes please! My husband had a job to do & asked me to come along. I always can find a hike or two to explore! It actually was a fun trip because I was free to do whatever I wanted during the day and then enjoyed a nice evening with Jon. I decided ahead of time that Hanakapiai Beach and Falls was my big hike of the trip and loved being able to see the falls close up, plus I was the only one there for a bit. I visited Glass Beach, Salt Pond Beach, the blow hole, completed a good portion of the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail & explored Hanapepe. Please enjoy the gallery below and be sure to contact me for prints.
Kauai Shores 
Gorgeous Grounds 
Orchids & Views 
Hanakapawai Beach 
Na Pali Peaks & Mist 
tropics 
Na Pali Coast 
GINGER 
Hanakapawai Falls 
Double falls 
Close Up 
In My Element 
Hanakapawai Canyon 
Egret 
Hard Working Hubby 
Heritage Trail Views 
Varied Coastline 
Jagged Edges 
Blow Hole 
Hanapepe Bridge 
Glass Beach 
Fisher Man 
Weird House 
More of the Weird House 
The Road Is Closed 
Salt Pond Beach 
Rainbow Chairs 
Homeward Bound
Olomana aka 3 Peaks
Olomana had been on my hiking bucket list for 3 or 4 years. Every time I drive through Kailua my eyes automatically are drawn to its majestic beauty. Mentally it terrified me, because I wanted so bad to climb it, however the history of deaths at this location intimidated me and I let my fear & absence of fearless hiking partners keep me from the challenge. Finally the day had come! My fit and fearless friends invited me to join in an Olomana adventure after I had mentioned my desire to complete this hike. On the plus side, although early January when it’s typically rainy, it was dry and clear. We met at Maranda’s house and were treated to delicious pancakes with fruit! We loaded up our gear and headed over the Pali to Olomana Golf Club. After a short paved walk we turned onto the trail. It was muddy at the beginning, but was not terribly slick. After a short distance we started the climb up to the first peak (Olomana). This ropes section was relatively easy for the first peak, with only about 15 – 20 feet to scramble. Those of you with a fear of heights or limited ropes ability may opt to stop at this first peak for the next two are increasingly more challenging.
While on this hike it struck me that even though I had been intimidated I found the actual hike to be much less scary than anticipated. Isn’t this how life is in a way? My biggest challenge is in overcoming the fear of the what if’s!! My two friends are more fit, and younger, than me so I had little time for messing around taking photographs because I needed to keep up! I found my favorite view on the second peak (Paku’i) and captured the third peak backdropped by the glorious Ko’olaus and I framed it with trees in the foreground. I did find it funny when I saw this capture reproduced by a couple of other local photographers on instagram in the next few weeks, so maybe they found this to be a cool vantage point as well.
When we arrived at the trail for the third peak (Ahiki), I now understood why I’d received many warnings regarding this hike. I could see how “one slip and down the hole you’d fall. Sorry, my brain is constantly pulling up those song lyrics, Pink Floyd, btw. A fair amount of upper body strength is needed for the third peak for in this entire section one relies on the ropes. Using my hands for anything besides holding on was necessary so I have few photos of this part. Once you descend, it is on to narrow ledges around a rock finger with wildflowers hanging off the edge and the birds below you. Overcoming this challenge at the moment was surreal in a transcendent way. After the sketchy rock finger the ascent begins to the peak of the third peak. More upper body and a few scary edges, no ankle turning here and for goodness sake hold on and take your time! The view is glorious, the feeling is euphoric, the company was perfect; quiet and contemplative.
On the return, I was a bit of a slow poke and tried to capture more of Olomana Trail and the views. We had a fun time and what a sense of accomplishment I felt! We finished off with a bit of foraging and gathering and a bit of silliness. Honestly, I recommend that you only do this hike if you are a confident hiker and have already completed some of Oahu’s more challenging trails. Mud, crumbling and eroding trails, slippery rocks and the sheer drop off’s of Oahu’s trails are no joke and not to be attempted by the foolish. Olomana is amazing and what a beautiful Oahu treasure to be respected and revered.
well kept sign 
First peak ropes section 
so far so good 
peak 2 
Ko’olau Views 
the view 
Leafy frame 
epic views at every turn 
in awe 
down we go 
scary rock finger 
around the scary rock finger 
the 3rd peak views 
do not trip in this section 
Olomano 
not a bad Iphone 7 shot 
valley view 
2nd peak 
foraging & silliness 
Aiden, Me, Maranda
Wiliwilinui Hiking Trail
Last week I picked a glorious day to hike the Wiliwilinui Trail. Oftentimes the Ko’olau range is covered in a fog ensuring visibility will be limited, but this day was amazing. With few clouds in site I headed out around 9:30am. This being a holiday week, I knew there’d be other hikers, but was somewhat shocked to see so many out of town hikers; I heard both Portuguese and Danish languages as well as meeting two separate families from California.
To access this trail, you first will need to show your ID at the entrance to the private community so as to obtain a hiking permit. The drive up is steep and winding. At the end is a small parking lot with limited stalls, so an earlier arrival would’ve been better, for I took the last available stall. Once leaving the vehicle you head up a gravel road that is definitely very muddy. Unless your an expert hiker, plan to have #muddyfeet right away! You pass the water board facility and then will see the sign for Wiliwilinui Trail.
In a short distance up the trail you reap the benefits from the elevation gains with distant views of Honolulu and the South shores of Oahu. The trail is in length (one way) 3 mi / 4.83 km and has an elevation change of 1,600 ft / 487.68 m. You ascend through Koa trees and Cook pines to a utility pole area. As you continue to ascend the trail becomes steeper and you start climbing up muddy stairs and deep rutted sections; some have ropes for easier access. Please never rely solely upon ropes for hiking on any of the trails in Hawaii! You never know how old the ropes are and if they were installed correctly in the first place.
Although the trail was crowded initially, it seems that the bulk of the hikers became discouraged along the steepest part and turned back. Too bad for them, they were so close to the top and also completion of the trail. Closer to the summit the flora changes and Ohia trees and Uluhe fern’s dominate the landscape. As I neared the summit, passing the second utility power section, I noticed clouds and fog moving in, so quickened my step in hopes of reaching the summit for some Windward side views. Reaching the summit you see a radio tower at the first knob and a bench at the end with a glorious view of the Windward side from Rabbit Island to Kaneohe. You see the crests and ravines of the beautiful Ko’olau range. You see the clouds make dotted shadows on the landscape and experience the changing light show atop the mountains. If you are lucky you’ll be able to experience the quiet with only the wind and birds to serenade your senses.
On this particular day a family from California was practicing with their drone and the young man shared his video footage with me.
I enjoy this hike for it is relatively short with great payoff. It’s a descent workout and has great views! Also it is not too crowded, usually. A great way to spend 1/2 a day on Oahu!Thank you for visiting my blog. Please enjoy the slide show and feel free to make comments or sign up to follow my posts! Mahalo and malama honua.
Shannon Ballentine