USA Kaiwa Ridge Trail to Lanikai Pillbox

This photo was taken on the Kaiwa Ridge trail which leads to the Lanikai Pillbox. The trail is located in south-east Oahu, Hawaii in the city of Kailua.

This trail and provides great views of Kailua and Lanikai beach. Most photographs will be taken in the middle of the day when many people are out hiking. However, I have heard sunrises from the Lanikai Pillox are phenomenal. This particular photograph was taken approximately 2 hours before sunset.

A polarizing filter was used. Also, due to the wind, the ISO was increased to reduce the shutter speed while maintaining an aperture value which improves sharpness. Otherwise, no special skill or technique is required.
The specs of the photo are shown below.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 III
Lens: Sony 16-35 f/2.8 G-Master
Shutter Speed: 1/250 sec
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 320
Focal Length: 17mm full frame (approx. 11mm on an APS-C sensor)

The Kaiwa Ridge Trail begins on a drive located off Kaelepulu Dr., just south of the Mid-Pacific Country Club. There is no reliable parking in the area. Some websites mention 7 spots are available just past the country club entrance. But as of April 2021, those appear to have been eliminated and "No Parking" signs now appear in that location. I would recommend to park at Kailua Beach and walk (approx. 1 mile).

The trail length is 1.8 miles. I would recommend to avoid when it's raining or weather is poor as the dirt type on Hawaii can be very slippery when wet. Many areas are steep and may need to be climbed. Please keep this in mind if attempting to hike in the dark to take a sunrise or sunset photo.

The Lanikai Pillbox is the real destination of this trail, but many great views can be observed during the hike itself.