A Natural Eye Photography

Imagine spending the end of every day at the beach above. That is what I do for a week every winter. I leave home when the thermometer is usually hovering around zero, and start dreaming of ocean waves. Or gentle tropical winds blowing through the palm trees above my room. I like winter, but there are times when I feel lucky to get away. A few years back I found a great place to shake off the chill of winter, and immerse myself in the delights of tropical waters, beautiful flowers, and gorgeous sunsets. And now it is becoming an alumni tradition. Molokai. And in particular, Hui Ho'olana, a hundred-acre retreat center with a spectacular view out to the Pacific Ocean. Molokai is old Hawaii. Tourists take a back seat to locals. On this small island you can drive from magnificent rainforests and waterfalls, to volcanic deserts. And I do make a daily pilgrimage to a different wild beach at sunset, like the one above. There are many to chose from, and I am still figuring out my favorite. There is no better way to end the day than to get wet in warm waters, playing in the dance with waves and camera. I live for it.

The Natural Eye Retreat is meant to surround us with ways we might interpret this tropical paradise. This experience is primarily about being on Molokai and making photographs with a fun group of people. We will gather for meals and I will present daily creative sessions based upon the new ideas I am exploring. You will call your own shots as to whether you want to join others on an adventure, or head off on your own, though I will encourage everyone to join me on the rainforest east side of the island, in search of an awesome smoothie from tropical fruits we pick. And I will also rally to have us all explore a wilderness beach protected by The Nature Conservancy on an excursion that takes us back in time. During the week we will have a chance to see some of your work from home, there will be a couple occasions to celebrate images you make on the island, and I will sit down one-to-one with everyone to explore any ideas you are working on. And we will have the Hui all to ourselves.

Hui Ho’olana is magical. Those of you that know me may be surprised I kept this to the third paragraph, but Hui is known for its delicious meals. Their chef celebrates with a focus on fruits and vegetables grown on the property, and otherwise sourced from island farmers, with fresh local fish and meats. The baked goods alone will make you on time for every meal. Hui is also known for its tasteful simplicity. Outdoor showers for example, for those staying in cabins. (You will be hooked!) The property sits perfectly at an elevation of 1300 feet so that the days are warm and the nights gently cool. Tropical plantings, a beautiful rock swimming pool, and an organic garden compliment the grounds. And . . . there are scattered private bath tubs around the property so you can luxuriate and soak with a palm tree blowing overhead, or better yet, a star-filled sky. Hui is owned and operated by Bronwyn and Rikki Cooke, and supported by a volunteer community of friends including Dewitt Jones and Bill Allen, all important people in the world of photography and artistic vision. Hui Ho’olana (www.huiho.org) has been in Rik’s family for over a hundred years, and since 1989 has been a center for photographic and artistic workshops.


The Natural Eye Retreat February 22 - March 1, 2015 Molokai, Hawaii

		Imagine spending the end of every day at the beach above. That is what I do for a week every winter. I leave home when the thermometer is usually hovering around zero, and start dreaming of ocean waves. Or gentle tropical winds blowing through the palm trees above my room. I like winter, but there are times when I feel lucky to get away. A few years back I found a great place to shake off the chill of winter, and immerse myself in the delights of tropical waters, beautiful flowers, and gorgeous sunsets. And now it is becoming an alumni tradition. Molokai. And in particular, Hui Ho'olana, a hundred-acre retreat center with a spectacular view out to the Pacific Ocean. Molokai is old Hawaii. Tourists take a back seat to locals. On this small island you can drive from magnificent rainforests and waterfalls, to volcanic deserts. And I do make a daily pilgrimage to a different wild beach at sunset, like the one above. There are many to chose from, and I am still figuring out my favorite. There is no better way to end the day than to get wet in warm waters, playing in the dance with waves and camera. I live for it. The Natural Eye Retreat is meant to surround us with ways we might interpret this tropical paradise. This experience is primarily about being on Molokai and making photographs with a fun group of people. We will gather for meals and I will present daily creative sessions based upon the new ideas I am exploring. You will call your own shots as to whether you want to join others on an adventure, or head off on your own, though I will encourage everyone to join me on the rainforest east side of the island, in search of an awesome smoothie from tropical fruits we pick. And I will also rally to have us all explore a wilderness beach protected by The Nature Conservancy on an excursion that takes us back in time. During the week we will have a chance to see some of your work from home, there will be a couple occasions to celebrate images you make on the island, and I will sit down one-to-one with everyone to explore any ideas you are working on. And we will have the Hui all to ourselves. Hui Ho’olana is magical. Those of you that know me may be surprised I kept this to the third paragraph, but Hui is known for its delicious meals. Their chef celebrates with a focus on fruits and vegetables grown on the property, and otherwise sourced from island farmers, with fresh local fish and meats. The baked goods alone will make you on time for every meal. Hui is also known for its tasteful simplicity. Outdoor showers for example, for those staying in cabins. (You will be hooked!) The property sits perfectly at an elevation of 1300 feet so that the days are warm and the nights gently cool. Tropical plantings, a beautiful rock swimming pool, and an organic garden compliment the grounds. And . . . there are scattered private bath tubs around the property so you can luxuriate and soak with a palm tree blowing overhead, or better yet, a star-filled sky. Hui is owned and operated by Bronwyn and Rikki Cooke, and supported by a volunteer community of friends including Dewitt Jones and Bill Allen, all important people in the world of photography and artistic vision. Hui Ho’olana (www.huiho.org) has been in Rik’s family for over a hundred years, and since 1989 has been a center for photographic and artistic workshops.


	HERE ARE THE DETAILS: New for 2015: I have added an extra night for a total of seven nights of great sleeps under the influence of the tropical breezes. While the facilities will hold a couple dozen people, I am holding our group size to fourteen. Prerequisites: This experience is open to all photographers and artists wishing to push their seeing in new directions. Lodging: Rooms in the lodge or in exterior cabins are a combination of singles and doubles, and I will be happy to accommodate room mate requests. All rooms are nonsmoking. Lodge rooms have shared indoor bathrooms and showers, and outdoor cabin guests walk a minute to outdoor toilet and shower facilities. Location: Hui Ho'olana is 15 minutes from the Molokai airport and a 25 minute flight from Honolulu or Maui. Plan your flights so that you arrive at Hui Ho’olana after 2 pm and before 6 pm on February 22. The workshop will start at dinner that evening. The workshop will end at breakfast on March 1. You should plan to check out before noon. Most rental cars will sit unused for the week because we always seem to car pool. Once you register I will collect e-mails from folks that would like to share. It always seems odd to have a dozen cars parked fifteen minutes from the airport for a whole week. I will help arrange transportation from the airport to Hui if you are not renting a car. Other travel details pertaining to connecting flights to the mainland will be sent upon confirmation. Photographic Logistics . . . There will be a chance to show your images from home as well as a couple opportunities to show images made during the week. You are welcome to bring prints to share, but if you would like to participate in image reviews, you will need to bring a laptop, software, and flash drive so you may select images and transfer them to the workshop computer for projection. In short, you would need to be proficient and self-sufficient in the digital workflow. I will send out a list of equipment you might consider bringing. Costs . . . $2,650.00 per person. What is included in the fee: Workshop, seven nights lodging and all meals from dinner February 22 through breakfast March 1. What is not included: Transportation to Molokai and on the island, alcohol with meals, optional massages. Lodging is based upon two people to a room or cabin. A limited number of singles are available for an additional $400.00. Payment schedule: A $500.00 deposit ($300.00 of which is nonrefundable) and a registration form are required to hold a space in the experience. Final payment is due December 22. Payment may be made by check, Visa, Master Card, or American Express. Cancellation policy: My contract with Hui Ho'olana is under very strict cancellation policies, and exceptions can not be made. Please read this carefully. $300.00 of the deposit is nonrefundable. If cancellation is given before December 22, all money except the $300.00 will be refunded. If cancellation is given on or after December 22, no money will be returned. I strongly suggest that participants take out travel and trip insurance to protect themselves against unseen circumstances that may arise. In the event that I have to cancel the workshop for any reason, all fees will be returned or you may choose to receive credit to a future session. CONFIRMATION DATE . . . You will receive an e-mail by December 14 giving the experience a final confirmation. To hold a place, 1.) Send me an e-mail or give a call and request that I hold a space for you and that I send you a registration form. 2.) I will send the registration form, and will hold your space for one week while waiting for your form and deposit to arrive in the mail or by e-mail. Upon payment of your deposit I will confirm your space. Upon confirmation of the experience I will send out specific details about securing your travel and final payments. A final e-mail will gather details about your travel, medical concerns, and emergency contacts. At that time you will also receive a list of contact information, and recommendations about what to bring. Please get in touch if you have any questions. I hope to see you at Hui Ho’olana! eddie@eddiesoloway.com (847) 452-7400 Here is an image Rikki took of me at sunrise on Kawa'aloa Bay, a wild beach protected by the Nature Conservancy. We will greet the day there in February.

			All photographs made on Molokai.