The fourth annual photographers contest to create a Friends of Lili‘uokalani Gardens 13-month calendar for 2020 received digital entries from professional and hobbyist photographers.
This year’s judge was Charles Wood, a semi-retired landscape, nature and travel photographer.
“Thirteen images from eight photographers will appear as featured images for each month,” said Friends of Lili‘uokalani Gardens calendar photo contest chairman Vijay Karai. “In addition, 26 thumbnail size images, two images to each calendar page, will round out the total view of the gardens.”
Grand prize winner was Kris Hawkins of Opihikao. His “Bridge at Sunrise” was chosen as the cover image for the 2020 calendar and the featured photograph for the month of August. Wood also selected three additional images by Hawkins for the featured images for the months of January, May and July. In addition, thumbnail images by Hawkins will appear in March and July. Hawkins won a doors-off helicopter ride with professionals Bruce Omori and Mick Kalber courtesy of Paradise Helicopters.
“I picked up photography in high school, back in the days of film,” Hawkins said. “Just recently, I got back into it while backpacking and camping. I love Lili‘uokalani Gardens. It is such a surprise to have so many images accepted.”
Photographers whose work will be featured in the calendar include: Jay Takaaze (February and April), Alan Kubota (November and December), Rita French (June), Kenneth Jackson (March), Faith Cloud (September), Lisa Schwenneker (October) and Lucy Fischer (January 2021). Takaaze was the 2019 cover winner and Jackson was the cover winner for 2017. Fischer is a fifth-grader, who entered for the first time. Her thumbnail images appear in March, June and July.
Additional thumbnail images are from photographers Cloud (September), Diane Koerner (October), Darrin Carlson (August), K.T. Cannon-Eger (October and January 2021), Kubota (May and June), Eh Cuz (December), Jackson (January 2020), Lisa Schwenneker (January 2020, April and November), Lee Schechtman (April, May, September and November) and Eileen Tredway (February and December).
Also included in the 2020 calendar are two pages of historical photos, with an invitation to the public to review their family scrapbooks and share images from Lili‘uokalani Gardens.
Graphic design by Ken Goodrich of Volcano, a well-known photographer and videographer, also brings a wealth of East Hawaii events to the calendar production. Dates for every known activity from the Merrie Monarch Festival to the KWXX Ho‘olaulea are included.
Copies of the fundraising calendar can be purchased at KTA Super Stores locations in Hilo, Banyan Gallery on Banyan Drive near the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and Basically Books in Hilo. Friends of Lili‘uokalani Gardens will have copies available during the annual Na Makua Christmas Gift Fair in early December.
A photographer’s exhibit also will be part of the fourth annual Banyan Drive Art Stroll on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020.