Lantern Floating Ceremony at Ala Moana Beach Park

[bakubo]

I went to Ala Moana Beach Park yesterday evening for the Lantern Floating Ceremony held on Memorial Day each year. It is good to be back in Hawaii. I was almost waist deep in the water when I took this photo, but I forgot to take my wallet out of the back pocket of my shorts so it got soaked along with money and various cards, papers, etc. It is all drying out now. For more info you can see this:

http://www.lanternfloatinghawaii.com/



Used the A700 and Sigma 24mm f2.8.

[jbtaylor]

Willing to risk anything to get the shot. That is what I like about you.
Nice shot too.

[roysmith]

Nice one, great colours!
Don't notice any noise on the sky either

[aster]

Nice one, Henry.

That's a sweet ceremony at a sweet time of the day. The child, rippling the water and his silhouette adds to the scene.

Yildiz

[UrsaMajor]

Very nice picture, Henry.

I like all aspects of the image, but I am really, really fond of the contrast between the blue of the ocean and the gold of the lantern lights. I think that combination works especially well.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[KevinBarrett]

Lovely! And what a reminder to get uncomfortable for a good shot! The shorts will dry, and the things inside might fair well also, but you'll always have that picture.

[sury]

Henry,
I echo Tom's sentiments. It was a nice color combination, that blue and yellow.
I guess you got wet with A700 and Sony literally while others feel underwater figuratively by Sony.

Sury

[bakubo]

Thanks for all the comments. The sea was very calm, as you can see, so camera did not get wet at all. I didn't even get a drop on me above the waist.

When I got home Monday night I emptied my wet wallet and spread everything out. By the next morning everything was dry and no real harm was done. paid for a taxi with one of the $20 bills and the taxi driver never even knew that a few hours before it had been soaked with ocean water. It looked fine.

I have a few more photos and I may post one or two more here later when I get a chance.

[Birma]

Super picture and a very interesting event - thanks Henry.

[Greg Beetham]

Lots of lanterns there Henry, I wonder what the messages say.
Greg

[bakubo]

There were thousands of lanterns floating in the ocean off the Ala Moana Beach and it was really a cool sight. They all had messages written to departed family and friends. Here are a couple more.

[aster]

Hi Bakubo,

The first one tells the tale. Love the colours and the lighting amount.

What happens to most of these little boards and candles ? Do they evetually really float away into the distance or does the paper get wet after the candle burns out and suddenly the sea surface is left with tiny boards afloat only ?

I like the spiritual side of these. Sending a tiny light into the Universe, for those we hope are resting in light and peace waters.

Yildiz

[bakubo]

The first one tells the tale. Love the colours and the lighting amount.

Yes, that is my favorite one too.

What happens to most of these little boards and candles ? Do they evetually really float away into the distance or does the paper get wet after the candle burns out and suddenly the sea surface is left with tiny boards afloat only ?

I read in the newspaper that about 2000 lanterns were released. It said that boats went out and collected all of them afterwards and they are reused each year -- with new messages, of course. I had hoped to get there early enough to write a message on one, but I was too late.

I like the spiritual side of these. Sending a tiny light into the Universe, for those we hope are resting in light and peace waters.

On the river right in front of the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb dome every year a ceremony is held where people do the same thing.

[aster]

Thanks for the information, Bakubo.

Yes, I knew about the other ceremony held by the Japanese, to commemorate the terrible day.


Yildiz

[bakubo]

Yes, I knew about the other ceremony held by the Japanese, to commemorate the terrible day.

In Chiang-Mai, Thailand at New Year they have something similar, except they float lanterns in the sky. It is really cool with hundreds of lanterns (elevated by hot air) floating in the nighttime sky:





Here is a shot with many lanterns floating in the sky. Yes, before someone comments, the moon was way overexposed and a bit smaller so I pasted a better moon into the photo. I made a separate photo of the moon at the time knowing that I would need it to do the paste.