USA Kalalau Trail, Mile 8, Kauai

This photo was taken from the helicopter landing area near mile maker 8 along the Kalalau Trail. The Kalalau trail resides on the north-northwest coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, Hawaii.

The trail is part of the Napali Coast State Park owned by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).

This is an HDR photo I shot hand held! Details of the nominally exposed photo are shown below:
Camera: Nikon D7200
Lens: Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/60 sec.
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 3200
Focal Length: 8mm on a Nikon crop sensor. So about 12mm full frame.

I would typically recommend a tripod for a sunset photo. However, you must decide if it is truly worthwhile to apply a few extra pounds to your backpack on a strenuous hike... Or spend hundreds of dollars on a super lightweight carbon fiber tripod.

I decided to leave the tripod with my luggage at the Bed & Breakfast and instead trust the capability of the software image alignment. I used Adobe Lightroom's built in HDR function to create this image.

Because I was shooting an HDR and "hand holding" the camera, I used a very high ISO to reduce the shutter speed as much as possible. The purpose is to minimize blur and reduce the actual time taking the photos so the frame changes as little as possible.

While looking through the viewfinder I tried to keep the focus point "anchored" to a particular landmark far in the distance.

Obtain a hiking permit 6-12 months in advance from the DLNR. Then backpack the Kalalau Trail. The trail starts at Ke'e beach and terminates about 11-14 miles at Kalalau beach.

However, just before reaching mile marker 8 there exists an "unofficial" (i.e. illegal) campsite which is not well known outside of Kalalau trail veterans and locals. Again, it is not legal to camp here. If you are caught you may be fined and required to leave the trail. Obviously, do not setup your tent on the helicopter landing area as that could create a dangerous situation if a helo had to make a night landing.

Of course you need to backpack 11-14 miles out after reaching Kalalau beach. Hiking to Kalalau beach without a permit is illegal and may result in a steep fine (~$1500?) if caught. Plan ahead, be safe, and you'll have one of the best hiking experiences of your life :-)