It's great to see the Guest Blogger segment take off. I hope you've enjoyed reading Larissa Felsen and Alex Beadon's blog posts. For this next guest post, Mike and I found each other through the power of Twitter. Mike has some great nature and landscape photographs that I was really excited when he expressed interest in writing this week's guest post. Enjoy and show him some love~

Aloha from Maui :)

My passions in photography are surfing and nature. Maui is an incredible place for both, with places like Haleakala Crater and Hana for natural beauty.



We also have some of the best surf spots on the planet, Honolua Bay and Pe'ahi (Jaws), where the best riders in the world come to challenge the giant waves.



Maui is home to  some of the most endangered birds and plants on the planet. I work with groups like the Maui Forest Bird Restoration Project and Nature Conservancy to protect these amazing creatures.



The environment where the birds live, high on the slopes of Haleakala, is a cloud forest largely inaccessible. Waikamoi Preserve is the exception and well worth hiking if you get the chance.



Hawaii gets some of  the largest and most powerful surf in the world! These giant waves slam Maui's North shore every year from November to March. I began photographing these swells after injuring my shoulder a few years ago and am addicted to being where the action is.

We have two world class big wave spots: Honolua Bay on West Maui is a flawless right point. The action at the Bay is nonstop on a huge day, with over 50 surfers ripping every wave that comes through and hundreds of spectators on the cliffs.



Pe'ahi on the North Shore (aka Jaws) is an open ocean peak that can break to over 70 foot! This wave is one of the surfing wonders of the world and must be experienced to fully appreciate its size and power. Standing on the cliff overlooking the lineup you can feel the ground shake and the air vibrate when a set comes in.



On the biggest day, only those being towed in by jet skis can physically catch the waves. Jaws has produced the winner of the XXL Biggest Wave Award every year that it was eligible. There is a carnival atmosphere, with hundreds or thousands of spectators cheering on the cliff and  boats, skis and helicopters making it a must see event if you’re lucky enough to be on Maui when it goes off.



Aloha,

Mike

Mike Neal is a photographer and woodworker based on Maui. His work can be seen at NealStudios.net or at the Maui Hands and Native Intelligence galleries.

Remembrance Day is a significant day for a lot of people, and especially so for me, although most of you don't know this, there is a strong military presence and influence in my family.

Every year, I attend a ceremony on November 11th to commemorate the sacrifices of the members of the armed foces and of civilians in times of war. This year, I  had the opportunity to attend the Remembrance ceremony at the Vimy Ridge historic battle site in France. It was emotional. It was moving. And it was definitely more than memorable.

"One day every year, we pay special homage to those who died in service to their country. We remember these brave men and women for their courage and their devotion to ideals. We wear poppies, attend ceremonies, and visit memorials. For one brief moment of our life, we remember why we must work for peace every day of the year."

Definitely my favourite European country visited thus far, Italy spoiled me with breathtaking architecture, romantic nightlife, delicious food, and addicting gelato. I am also convinced that Rome, not Paris like most would believe, is where people go to fall in love.

ROME & THE VATICAN

I've been traveling and working nonstop that I almost missed it when 2 of my editorials were published in the last month. So, in case you missed it too, here are the photographs from those two series.

You're like Breathing, published in the October issue of Racing Minds.

I shot this editorial in Vancouver, when I finally returned home at the end of August. All I wanted was to capture the end of the summer - the warmth of the sun on the skin and the light breeze in the wind. The title was inspired by the scenic nature of the city and of the painstakingly, breathtakingly gorgeous model - Anja. She's beautiful, like breathing.




City Girls, published in the November issue of KNEON Magazine.

The editorial idea came about through the creativity of KNEON's editor, who wanted to portray city living in 4 different locations around the world. When she asked me to take part in this series by representing the fashion and lifestyle of Toronto, I heartily accepted. The fashionista in these photos is Betsy, who is also a social media evangelist and fashion blogger.




And to top it all off, I recently found out that one of my photos made it to the Autumn issue of Edie Magazine.



There's nothing like opening your mail in the mornings to discover your photographs in a magazine. Thanks for everything.