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 WRITINGS

 
 
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THE STORY BEHIND:
”GATEWAY TO THE SACRED”

In this photograph, the torii gate beckons us to enter but does not present a physical path to do so because water surrounds its entire form. We must transport our attention through the gate instead. We must make the journey within.

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the STORY BEHIND:
“KISS ON THE HORIZON”

As a photographer, I’ve learned to recognize certain light patterns over the years. But it’s rare for me to foresee an approaching light so completely. I captured a few frames of the rainbow as it formed in the perfect position. It was like the rainbow knew its mark - I didn’t even need to re-compose!

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THE STORY BEHIND:
”FISHING FOR DREAMS”

This happens a lot - meaning emerges in a photograph that wasn’t there in the moment it was taken. And that transformation from an aesthetically pleasing sight to a deeper and more personal truth is the very essence of art.

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THE STORY BEHIND:
”BUOYS IN SNOW”

In a photographer’s life, there are moments that can stop you dead in your track of exploration. Transcendental moments like this evoke feelings of divine happiness and oneness with the world. These experiences are rare, but the powerful nature of the images developed from it often reflects the significance of the encounter.

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KIAWE: A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

I was drawn, again and again, to the swirling thorny branches and last rooted remains of the Kiawe trees littering the coast. Perhaps it was because in some vague way I was trying to make a connection to my father – he was tough and proud like this hardy species of tree.  But more likely, it was a symptom of a greater perspective change.

 
 
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DARK COAST: PROCESSING GRIEF THROUGH ART

Making the images and creating the portfolio gave my grief some structure, like scaffolding to keep me from crumbling. From this more supported place, I could look at grief in a different way.

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RETURN TO SOURCE

As the night slowly turned to day and the light lazily rose, she realized that in their landing they had split in two. Facing each other she saw herself as if for the first time, and saw a beauty she had not known since she was merely a snowflake, falling from the sky.

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SILVERSWORD

By the time I reached my destination and once again turned my attention upwards, there was no color left - only blackness, vast spaciousness, with little specks of form, glowing bits of white scattered throughout. I breathed it all in deeply and held it at my core, allowing my inner warmth to mingle with it. The space of the cosmos filling the space within my body…

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LIGHT & SHADOWS IN MT. KOYA

Earlier in the day, this mystic mountaintop town had been alive with chanting monks and satisfied pilgrims reaching their final destination. Now it was alive in a different way — pulsing with the kind of energy that only comes when a place is finally still.

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HOW AN NFL STAR FOOTBALL PLAYER INSPIRED A NEW WORKSHOP

by: Barry Dumka

At that first meeting, the two talked at length about how photography could be a portal to a deeper awareness of life. That way of thinking clicked with Cooks. Once back home, Cooks decided to purchase a camera - a sturdy Leica - and began taking his own photographs.

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WHY I DO WHAT I DO

My time photographing in the field became a meditation. I stopped going out everyday with the intention of bringing back the perfect shot. Instead, I would sit by the ocean, listen to the sea and settle my mind. Whether or not I pulled my camera from its bag depended on whether or not I found inspiration.

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HEALING COASTS OF MAUI

Like many of our lives right now, these photographs show that even the sharpest rocks can be softened by looking at the bigger pictures. It’s my desire for these images to bring you hope and comfort, and transport you to a place of serenity.

 
 

 

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THE STORY BEHIND:


”HIDDEN DEPTHS”

I have been coming to this beach south of Lahaina for many years, and it’s rare to see the ocean rise high enough to gather in pools like you see in this image. Having such a vibrant and magical sunset happen at the same time felt like artful serendipity.

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THE STORY BEHIND:


”REMINISCENT”

I still love all those things that I have always resonated with about Japanese culture, but am now also enchanted by the elements of my experiences. The smell of a room with a tatami floor. The taste of food wrapped in seaweed. The sight of visual order, both in nature and that touched by the hand of man. Torii gates.

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THE STORY BEHIND:
”A PLACE TO REFLECT”

The tree stood in all its glory, almost as if it was aware that at that moment, it was becoming part of something beyond itself. Beside the tree, about 20 yards away, a shy mud puddle that was a few feet in diameter had formed from a recent downpour.

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THE STORY BEHIND:
”CONVERGENCE”

This appeals to me as a visual artist who sees the world in a graphic and elemental way. I think it’s the same reason why poles in water always capture my attention. The contrast of strong vertical lines with gentle waves helps me make order out of chaos.

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THE STORY BEHIND:


”GOD RAYS”

In the pursuit of a holistic life, one learns that time and place are factors closely tied to the depth of an experience. That the soul connects to the world through our awareness of where we are, and what the moment is about.