Featured Artists: Rita French & Tommy Adkins
Featured Cover Photographer: Rita French
Rita French was born and raised in Montana, but knew from about seven years old that Hawai‘i was her real home. It only took her 55 years to get here! 11 years ago she sold everything and moved to Hawai’i Island with two suitcases, not knowing a soul.
When asked when she first got into photography, Rita shares, “I have always had a camera in hand, even as a child with an old Kodak Brownie camera. Forty-some years ago I studied with a photographer in Malta, Montana, and for approximately ten years I photographed all the things you need to photograph to make money, such as schools, weddings, seniors, sports, and families. Although it was enjoyable, it was not very fulfilling so I stopped and now just take the photos that move me. In recent years, I have done a few weddings and seniors and so forth, but they are not my priority any longer.”
This experienced photographer and mentor used Hasselblads, Leicas and Rolleiflexes—the best cameras on the market, pre-digital. These cameras mostly had Carl Ziess lenses, the best German lenses made. Rita says, “Back then we were still shooting with film and when I started out, I had two Rolleiflexs and two Contaxs. When everything went to digital, Sony put Carl Zeiss lenses on their cameras, so that is what I have used for the past 30 years or so.”
Rita’s dream is to be able to travel the world taking photographs. Photography is her complete passion, with everything being her subject, and her favorite subjects are people, especially if they don’t know she is taking a photograph. Rita calls this her Soul Journey, saying, “Everywhere I go, I am inspired by something to photograph.”vRita also started a Facebook group in 2015 called Be Love in Your Every Thought, Word and Deed, where people share positive messages with each other. Many of her photographs are featured there, along with inspiring messages.
Her photo on the cover, Regal, was shot at Waiakea Villas in 2010. She watched and photo-documented this baby nene from when it was born until it grew so large she couldn’t differentiate it from its parents.
For more information: facebook.com/anelakamalani
Table Of Contents Photographer: Tommy Adkins
Tommy was born and raised in Ohio. His love of fly fishing and nature photography has drawn him across the continent and around the world. Working as a fly fishing guide and ship’s engineer, Tommy has had the opportunity to live and work in a number of ecologically diverse locations including Colorado, the Bahamas, Palmyra Atoll, and now Hawai‘i, where he has made his home. His travels have taken him through the jungles of southeast Asia to the fjords of New Zealand. Throughout his work and travels, a Nikon camera has been his constant companion. Tommy is continually honing his skills in photography, instilled in him at a young age by his father, documenting the natural world as he sees it.
For more information: tommyadkinsphotography.com
