In June, I was lucky enough to tour Tea Hawaii & Company, a tea farm on the Big Island. Husband and wife Chiu Leong and Eva Lee grow, pick, and process tea leaves in the temperate rain forest on the summit of Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano. Our tour took us through the forest on their estate, where we were shown both the Camellia Sinensis and Sinensis Assamica cultivars of tea plants. Eva’s extensive knowledge on the cultivation of the plants is fascinating, and the scenery made it incredibly easy to take some photographs of the beautiful tea leaves.
Pictured here, Eva shows us a silver needle. Silver needle tea is made up exclusively of these young, unopened buds. Shot at f/4.2, with an exposure of 1/125 and and ISO speed of 800.
I’ve noticed that shooting on location adds a layer of urgency to getting a good photo. Adapting to both the changes in movement and lighting in a natural environment made it difficult to pay adequate attention to manual settings. At this point, my ego isn’t big enough to believe I’m above using auto. I am sure glad I switched halfway through the tour! The photos from the first half of the tour were dramatically over-exposed, or full of grain. Not even the Meitu app could help me :,(
Auto mode allowed me the freedom to focus on capturing moments in time that would have otherwise been lost as I’d try to figure out the right exposure. After all, this was the main goal of this particular shoot.
This photo was shot at f/3.8 and 1/250 with an ISO speed of 640. The extent of my editing for all these images was to increase both the white and black levels slightly, then do some classic dodge and burning.
However, one observation I’ve made from my experience using auto is that it works best in natural, soft lighting. The day I shot these images was overcast, and additional shade from tree canopies blocked out any harsh light. This setting seems to work best when I am outside and there is not too much contrast in light.
Auto mode also is a great option for beginners who are focusing on composition. The framing of the photographs became the only thing I was focused on during shooting. I believe this led to much better composed photos than I have taken in the past when it comes to candid shots.
f/4.8, exposure time of 1/125, ISO speed of 1400
Eva demonstrating the picking of the young, bright green leaves for the best flavor! f/3.8, exposure time of 1/160, ISO speed of 100
But whether or not you are planning on taking photos, Tea Hawaii & Co. is a truly special and unique place that I would highly recommend visiting! Both Chiu and Eva have a background in the arts, and are passionate about growing the tea industry in Hawaii. Additionally, they work with other tea growers, institutions, and agricultural researchers on the island. To learn more, check them out at their website.