Featured Cover Photographer: Dohn Chapman
A New England native, Dohn Chapman moved to Colorado to hike and explore the Rocky Mountains and ended up in the highest incorporated town in North America—Alma, a small mining town at a more than 10,000-foot elevation.
In 1999, his son did an extended bicycle tour of Hawai‘i Island and strongly encouraged Dohn to visit Hawai‘i and the blue ocean waters to add spiritual balance to his mountain existence.
The following year, a close friend living in Kailua-Kona and suffering from a terminal illness requested Dohnʻs help as a caregiver.
“Opportunity knocks but once they say. I arrived in Kona November of 2000. From the Atlantic shores to the mid-Pacific, it’s been an exciting journey,” says Dohn.
Dohn started taking pictures when the breathtaking majesty of the Rocky Mountains inspired him to try and capture places and moments so that he might share with others an experience that few will ever have.
Professionally, Dohn began in video and film with photography as a hobby. In recent years, he has become more passionate about photography and considers himself still a novice.
He has developed a moderate and diverse following of visitors to his blog site from more than 100 countries around the world.
Dohn’s photography has been influenced by Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams, of course, Annie Liebowitz, and all the past photographers from Life magazine and National Geographic. Most influential might be Edward Curtiss for his art in recording indigenous people and their culture.
Even though the wondrous beauty that is Hawai‘i has no limit for subject matters of landscape and flora, Dohn is attuned to the sensitive relationship between people and the ‘āina, firmly believing in the importance of supporting the local farmer.
Promoting environmental awareness has been a lifelong endeavor for Dohn. Whether capturing images of the delicate natural world or the art of the built environment, it is to present the beauty and impermanence of the earth.
When not engaged with the responsibilities of chief engineer for a Kona resort, Dohn is out on a country path or mountain trail rejuvenating his spirit. In the evenings, he ponders words and phrases and reviews photos to tell the story of his latest adventure.
The freedom and independence Dohn derives from disengaging with outside influences and allowing his mind to stream on, or conversely, focusing to a pinpoint during the creative process are some of his life’s great joys. Another is tramping in nature just to see what he might see.
Contact photographer Dohn Chapman: 808.936.3349
earthstonestation.wordpress.com, Earthstonestation@gmail.com
